Philippines, 16 Dec 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


AGBEKO TO FACE MARES FOR 118-POUND SUPREMACY IN THE BANTAMWEIGHT TOURNAMENT FINAL - APRIL 23 AT NOKIA THEATRE L.A. LIVE & LIVE ON SHOWTIME

PhilBoxing.com


Darchinyan and Perez to Meet in Consolation Bout
Tickets for the Doubleheader Go On Sale Tuesday, Feb. 8

NEW YORK (Feb. 8, 2011) - Joseph King Kong Agbeko will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight world championship against undefeated rising star Abner Mares, who defends his WBC Silver bantamweight championship in the eagerly awaited finals of The Bantamweight Tournament: Winner Takes All on Saturday, April 23 LIVE on SHOWTIME? (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.

In what will be a hotly contested co-feature, former two-division world champion Vic "Raging Bull" Darchinyan and former IBF bantamweight world championYonnhy "El Colombiano" Perez will clash in the tournament consolation bout.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. PT and will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available at STAPLES Center Box Office.

Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, earned a berth in the finals by dealing Perez his first career loss via a unanimous 12-round decision in the tournament semifinals last Dec. 11 in Tacoma, Wash., on SHOWTIME. Agbeko avenged a points' loss to Perez which took place in a Halloween night slugfest in 2009 on SHOWTIME by impressively taking the rematch by the scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113.

The thrilling encounter was punctuated by one of the year's most memorable and exciting rounds - the sixth - a give-and-take slugfest that saw each fighter neglect defense and go for broke. In the end, it was Agbeko, who despite fighting for the first time in 13 months, controlled the fight with his excellent defense and effective strategy.

Earlier in the night, Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, came from behind in dramatic fashion to reach the tournament finals by winning a 12-round split decision over former two-division world champ Darchinyan in a bloody, knockdown laden affair.

The charismatic and crowd-pleasing Mares recovered from a deep cut along his hairline in the opening round, the first knockdown of his career in the second and a points-deduction for low blows in the fourth with a rally that saw him deck Darchinyan in the seventh en route to registering the most-noteworthy triumph of his career by the scores of 115-111, 113-112 and 111-115.

The 5-foot 5 ?-inch, 30-year-old Agbeko will have the advantage in world championship fight experience as he has appeared in five world title fights while the 5-foot 5-inch, 25-year-old Mares has fought in just one - a disputed 12-round majority draw against Perez on May 22, 2010..

Both Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadzok, Armenia, and Perez(20-1-1, 14 KOs), of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., by way of Cartagena, Colombia, will be looking to bounce back from bitter setbacks in the semifinals. The winner of their bout remains in contention for a possible title shot against the winner of the Agbeko-Mares fight.

The hard-hitting, 5-foot 5?-inch Darchinyan displayed improved boxing skills against Mares, but after manufacturing a seemingly comfortable lead, faded in the late rounds. A former 115-pound kingpin, Darchinyan has participated in 15 world title fights.

As was evident against Mares, the 35-year-old Darchinyan would be better served to stick to his improved boxing game plan rather than his old style of brawling against the determined, durable, well-conditioned, younger and taller 32-year-old Perez, a natural bantamweight who, at 5-foot 7-inches, is very tall for the division.

The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All is promoted by Don King Productions, Gary Shaw Productions, Golden Boy Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. An exciting undercard will be announced shortly.

For more information, visit www.donking.com, www.garyshawproductions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.thompsonboxing.com, become a friend on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/GaryShawBoxing, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.twitter.com/abnermares00.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website athttp://www.sho.com/sports.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Vargas urges boxers to defy odds
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 16 Dec 2025
  • GIORGIO VISIOLI SETS OUT MISSION TO LAND MAJOR TITLES AFTER TENSE FIRST FACE-OFF WITH ENGLISH TITLE RIVAL JOE HOWARTH
    , Tue, 16 Dec 2025
  • Kevin Brown and Yoenis Tellez Shine at Boxlab Promotions’ “Night of Champions XIII” During the 104th Annual WBA Convention
    , Tue, 16 Dec 2025
  • TRAINING CAMP NOTES: Justin Cardona Shares Insights Ahead of December 19 Showdown Against Avious Griffin
    , Tue, 16 Dec 2025
  • JAS MATHUR JOINS MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS AS CEO TO LEAD STRATEGIC VISION, CREATIVITY AND GLOBAL GROWTH INITIATIVES
    , Tue, 16 Dec 2025
  • Split-T Management Signs Amateur Standout Adrian Salazar
    , Tue, 16 Dec 2025
  • INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME REMEMBERS CANASTOTA’S MANAGER / TRAINER / PROMOTER TONY GRAZIANO
    , Mon, 15 Dec 2025
  • Catubig, Prado win Suy Foods Santa Run
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 15 Dec 2025
  • Junior, Youth and Elite Divisions Awarded on Final Day of 2025 USA Boxing National Championships
    , Mon, 15 Dec 2025
  • Jean Henri Lhuillier Applauds Cebuana Lhuillier Ambassadors for Bronze Finish at SEA Games 2025
    , Mon, 15 Dec 2025
  • NOEL MIKAELIAN DETHRONES BADOU JACK TO BECOME THE NEW WBC CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION
    , Sun, 14 Dec 2025
  • FM Alekhine Nouri tops Kamatyas chessfest
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 14 Dec 2025
  • Dante Kirkman Dominates DePriest Johnson in Unanimous Victory at Fight Club OC
    , Sun, 14 Dec 2025
  • Bantam and Intermediate Divisions Crowned on Day Five of 2025 USA Boxing National Championships
    , Sun, 14 Dec 2025
  • Murat Gassiev Brutally Knocks Out Kubrat Pulev in Dubai
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • United States Air Force Paralegals: Law, Order, and Excellence
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR PACHECO VS SADJO IN STOCKTON
    , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • OFFICIAL WEIGHTS FROM TODAY'S CHM: 2 REMATCH SEASON CEREMONIAL WEIGH-INS IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
    , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • Donaire to fight Tsutsumi on December 17 in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • Nesthy faces Indon legend
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • Bob Santos Joins Broadcast Team for Boxlab Promotions’ “Night of Champions XIII” During WBA’s 104th Annual Convention
    , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • Championship Bouts Set for the Bantam and Intermediate Division
    , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • SEAG Triathlon, aquathlon, duathlon in Rayong
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • Jeremy Marticio wins IIEE SIKAT, ICFF won PTC World Engineering Opening
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 13 Dec 2025
  • Facularin to fight Torres on December 13 in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 12 Dec 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.