Q & A with “Funtime” Frankie Gavin

By Anson Wainwright

One of the fights dubbed the “The Magnificent Seven” will see one of Britain’s top prospects “Funtime” Frankie Gavin 7-0(6) bid for his first first title in the paid ranks when he fights Michael Kelly for the Irish Light Welterweight crown. In this fight Gavin will look to add another victory that he hopes will see him go one step closer to becoming the British Champion which he hopes to challenge for in the near future. The 24 year old achieved something no English fighter ever had in the amateur’s when he won the World Championships stunning two time Olympic Gold medallist Aleksei Tishchenko on route to the final. He then headed to Beijing with high hopes of completing the double, unfortunately he was unable to make the weight and couldn’t compete. He then opted to turn pro under the stewardship of Frank Warren and is currently trained by Anthony Farnell. Here’s what Gavin had to say.

Hello Frankie, welcome back to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly it’s been awhile since we spoke you have started off your pro career very impressively going 7-0(6) what are your thoughts on how things have gone so far in your career?

Frankie Gavin – Everything has gone to plan. I’ve stayed undefeated. I haven’t lost or drawn a round as a pro. So far everything has gone to plan.

Anson Wainwright – You will be looking to win your first title when you fight for the Vacant Irish Title against Michael Kelly, what do you know about Kelly & what do you expect him to bring to the fight?

Frankie Gavin – I think he’s a decent fighter. He was a really good amateur but it’s a completely different game now (In the pro’s). He’s very strong, he looks like he can fight a bit, but I’ve seen he makes quite a few mistakes so I’ll take advantage of that.

Anson Wainwright – This fight will be scheduled for 10 rounds, so far you haven’t been beyond 6. What are your thoughts on that?

Frankie Gavin – I do it in the gym fine. I spar Light Middle’s, I spar 8-10 with Mattie Hall (Hall is the former Commonwealth Light Middleweight champion who is 23-2(16) as a pro. So to do that with Mattie Hall I can easily do it with Michael Kelly.

Anson Wainwright – What are your feelings on the September 18 show in general, it must be a tremendous honour to be from the host City of such a big event?

Frankie Gavin – Yeah it’s brilliant. Obviously Macklin’s on, he’s going to knock Barker out. I don’t really like to comment on Brook & Jennings because I know them both. Then I think Maccarinelli & Cleverly are going to be fine. Degale is going to smash Dilks in four rounds. I think I’ll do Kelly easily enough. Chisora-Sexton is another one like Brook & Jennings. Such a good show. Don Broadhurst whoever he fights I think he’ll be fine. I think it’s such a good show. Ronnie Heffron & Joe Selkirk have just been added.

Editors Note: This interview took place on the 31 August, since then Darren Barker has pulled out with a hip injury.

Anson Wainwright – You were originally scheduled to fight Curtis Woodhouse. He played Football for your beloved Birmingham City F.C would that of been strange for you beating up a guy you had once cheered from the stands?

Frankie Gavin – No not one bit. He gets carried away, he thinks he’s the next big think thing, in all honesty he’s nothing more than an area fighter in my opinion.

Anson Wainwright – Without getting ahead of ourselves you obviously hope to achieve big things in Boxing, all being well after the 18 September what would you like to do next? What are your plans for say the next 6 months to a year?

Frankie Gavin – I want to be British Champion at least. I want to be challenging. In my opinion I’m ready for Lenny Daws, I want Lenny Daws. I want Nigel Wright, Lenny Daws anybody ahead of me in the rankings. In some people’s eyes Woodhouse is ahead of me but he’s not, people who know Boxing know he’s not ahead of me in the rankings. I want people who are genuinely ahead of me there the people i really want to fight.

Anson Wainwright – You have been cut a few times so far, you’ve dealt with the adversity well. Do you think this could be a problem for you? Have you looked into it?

Frankie Gavin – It’s one of those things. They’ve been head clashes. It hasn’t really bothered me. Just really one of those things, I’m not bothered about it. If it really bothered me you’d of seen me fold and go on the back foot and get worried but if anything it spurs me on. So far nothings really bothered me. I’ve been hit a few times with 8 ounce gloves and I’ve taken it. I haven’t been shaken as yet obviously it’s going to happen one day but I’ll deal with that when it happens. Once I’ve been punched and cut I’ll thing something must be wrong, but it’s always been with the head really hard. Anyone who gets hit with the heads going to cut.

Anson Wainwright – You were obviously part of the 2008 British Olympic team though you didn’t fight. With the exception of two who stayed in the amateur’s the rest have gone pro. How do you feel they have all done so far? Do you stay in contact with them all?

Frankie Gavin – Yeah I still speak to them all Price, Jeffries, Degale, Billy Joe Saunders & Joe Murray. We’re all friends, the good thing is we’re all still undefeated, none of us have been beat. As long as none of us can not get beat we’ll all be champions.

Anson Wainwright – From a British point of view the Light Welterweight division is stacked with talent. Amir Khan is a World Champion, Paul McCloskey is the European Champion plus British champ Lenny Daws, English holder Nigel Wright. What are your thoughts on those guys?

Frankie Gavin – I’ll beat in my opinion Nigel Wright now. I’m a better southpaw than him, I’m a better boxer than him. He thinks he’s a big puncher, but he’s not one of those guys I’m going to have to go looking for. Same with Lenny Daws. When I first went pro it would of been over 4 rounds, now I’m doing 6 I know I’d beat him over 6. I’ve done 8 and if I get my 10 & 12’s sorted I’ll beat him of that then. As long as I can do 10 rounds they can’t beat me. I’m a better boxing, they haven’t got variation like me they haven’t got the elusiveness like me.

Anson Wainwright – A fight with McCloskey would be huge in Ireland as would a fight with Khan in Britain. What are your thoughts on those guys?

Frankie Gavin – They’re at the very back of my mind. I’ve got a lot of things to prove and achieve before I can look to those guys. There doing things I can only dream about at the moment. When the time comes we’ll see. At the moment those two are well ahead of me so I’m not even looking at them.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans and anyone who maybe thinking of coming to the “Magnificent Seven” show on the 18 September?

Frankie Gavin – Just come, it’s going to be a great night. Your going to see some of Britain’s finest and it wont disappoint i’m sure of that.

Thanks for your time Frankie, keep up the good work

Anson Wainwright
15rounds

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Video: Manny Pacquiao roundtable

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PART 2

Part 3

Video: Todd Du Boef

FEATHERWEIGHT BATTLE TO OPEN MOSLEY VS. MORA PAY-PER-VIEW TELEVISED UNDERCARD

FORMER WORLD CHAMPION DANIEL PONCE DE LEON MEETS

TOP-RATED CONTENDER ANTONIO ESCALANTE ON

SEPTEMBER 18 AT STAPLES CENTER

LOS ANGELES, September 1 – On a night celebrating the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence, it is only fitting that two Mexican warriors open up the star-studded September 18 pay-per-view telecast from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, as former World Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon of Chihuahua squares off against Ciudad Juarez native Antonio Escalante in what promises to be a bona-fide Fight of the Year candidate.

The 12-round WBO Featherweight Eliminator kicks off the pay-per-view telecast which also includes a main event featuring Five-Time World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley facing off against former World Champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora, Mexican phenom Saul “Canelo” Alvarez facing former World Champion Carlos “Tata” Baldomir and top junior welterweight contender “Vicious” Victor Ortiz taking on former World Champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris.

“200: CELEBRATE AND DOMINATE” Mosley vs. Mora is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T and DeWalt Tools. The special night of boxing set for Saturday, September 18 at STAPLES Center is an official event of the Mexican Bicentennial celebration in Los Angeles, Calif., and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Mosley vs. Mora, priced at $200, $125, $75 and $20, are on sale now and available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000. Tickets are also available at STAPLES Center box office.

A devastating two-fisted puncher, Daniel Ponce De Leon (39-2, 32 KO’s) held the WBO Junior Featherweight World title for nearly three years from 2005 to 2008, defending his crown six times. In 2009, the 30-year-old southpaw began his campaign at 126 pounds, and with four straight wins at featherweight, including 2010 victories over Orlando Cruz and Cornelius Lock, De Leon is well on his way to another world championship shot.

A thrill-a-minute battler who has captivated fight fans in his adopted home of El Paso, Texas, 25-year-old Antonio Escalante (23-2, 15 KO’s) holds wins over the likes of Mike Oliver, Gary Stark Jr. and Cornelius Lock. This year, he has taken his game to the next level with an unforgettable 10 round win over Miguel Roman in a 2010 Fight of the Year candidate in February and a three round blitz of veteran Edel Ruiz in August. If he can cap off the year with a big win over De Leon, a world title shot will be first on Escalante’s 2011 wish list.

For more information on “200: CELEBRATE AND DOMINATE” Mosley vs. Morago to www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.whorupicking.com, www.aegworldwide.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SugarShaneM, www.twitter.com/ssab12, www.twitter.com/VICIOUSOrtiz, www.twitter.com/kwildwildwest or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.

The “200: CELEBRATE AND DOMINATE”Mosley vs. Mora pay-per-view telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $44.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD.  HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry.  For fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

NCM Fathom will broadcast “200: CELEBRATE AND DOMINATE” Mosley vs. Mora in high definition LIVE to more than 300 movie theaters nationwide at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Tickets to see the fight on the big screen are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Ruiz Jr. Signs with Goossen Tutor

He’s undefeated, hungry, and a young professional athlete with talent and today Fresno native and bantamweight prospect Michael Ruiz Jr. signed with Goossen Tutor Promotions.

Ruiz (5-0, 2 KOs), who made his pro-debut on a Goossen Tutor fight card at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino earlier this year, has an impressive amateur background, most recently having earned a Silver medal at the 2009 National Golden Gloves and a Bronze medal in the U.S. Men’s Open National Championship.

”I have laid a solid foundation for my professional career by putting in my time as an amateur and have made the transition into a pro fighter.  Now that I made that move, I felt it was necessary to take the next step by signing with a top promotional company.  I believe as dedicated as I am to my career and with Dan Goossen’s “know how” they will lead me to title contention.  I know it’s early in my professional career but anybody who is successful has a goal from the get-go and that is my goal.”

Added Dan Goossen, “I’ve seen Michael fight and I like his style.  He’s a promising young fighter willing to fight his way to the top with an aggressive, entertaining style.”

Ruiz is scheduled to fight at Tachi Palace in Lemoore, a few short miles from his hometown of Fresno on October 7^th.

About Goossen Tutor Promotions

After more than a quarter-century Goossen Tutor Promotions is universally recognized as one of the preeminent companies in the sports world and continues to achieve success developing young fighters into world-class stars.  Dan Goossen heads Goossen Tutor Promotions with his partner and childhood friend, construction mogul Ron Tutor.

In the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, Goossen operated Ten Goose Boxing, named after Dan and his nine siblings. Ten Goose quickly became a mainstay in the Southern California boxing scene developing future stars who went on to become well-known and respected World Champions.  Most notable of these were Michael Nunn, Terry Norris and Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas.

Goossen also discovered and managed the career of bouncer-turned-actor Mr. T in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

Through the years prior to Goossen Tutor Promotions, Goossen promoted the likes of Bernard Hopkins, 1996 Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion David Reid, and in 1998, Goossen signed the then biggest act in show business, “Iron” Mike Tyson to a 5-fight deal.

The list of fighters promoted by Goossen Tutor has included James Toney, Vernon Forrest, Wayne McCullough, Robert Guerrero, and the consensus best boxer in the world, “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather.  Goossen Tutor also promotes 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and WBA World Champion, Andre “SOG” Ward; 2-time World Champion and “The Most Feared Fighter in the World” Paul “The Punisher” Williams;  WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Beibut Shumenov, Heavyweight contenders Cristobal Arreola, Eddie Chambers and Tony Thompson; along with fast rising stars in 2008 U.S. Olympians Shawn Estrada and Javier Molina; lightweight World contender John Molina, undefeated Mike Dallas, Jr. and Featherweight World contender Rico Ramos.

Building fighters from the ground up to signing and promoting World Champions, Goossen Tutor Promotions has proven through the years they make superstars of their fighters in an honorable and rewarding relationship for them — a fact no one will equal in the promotional business.

Photo by Michael Ruiz Sr.

ROBERT GUERRERO AND WIFE CASEY “JOIN THE DROP OF LIFE”

‘The Boxing 360 Series’ To be launched in New York City

NEW YORK (Sept. 1, 2010) – “The Boxing 360 Series,” presented by Bob Duffy’s Ring Promotions and sponsored by Boxing 360, will include three New York City-based shows in 2010, starting September 24 at Plattduetsche Park Restaurant in Franklin Square. Other series dates are tentatively set for November 4 and December 10.

“We want to keep the fighters in our stable busy and take the company to the next level,” Boxing 360 Director of Boxing Bob Duffy explained. “We’re committed to fighters we’ve signed and are looking to sign more talent. There are a lot of talented boxers in New York City but not enough shows. Not all of the fighters on our shows will be with Boxing 360. We’re open to working with other promoters to keep fighters fighting.”

The inaugural series show will be headlined by undefeated Boxing 360 super middleweight Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (12-0-1, 7 KOs), the Guyanese champion now living in Brooklyn. Allen will be fighting Nick Brinson (7-0-1, 5 KOs), of Geneva (NY), in the 8-round main event for the vacant New York State title.

Unbeaten N.Y. State Light Heavyweight Champion Ronson Frank (15-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Rosedale (NY) by way of Guyana, takes on Tony Ferrante (9-1, 4 KOs), of N. Philadelphia, in the 8-round co-feature. Ronson is the younger brother of former world NBA super middleweight champion, Steven Frank, and former world title challenger, Raul Frank.

“Ronson is a perfect example of what we’re trying to do with other promoters,” Duffy noted. “He is promoted by O’Shea Brothers Promotions and Brian O’Shea is a good friend. We’re very happy that he has placed Ronson on this card and we hope to partner with other promoters for our series.”

Also scheduled to fight on the card is unbeaten Harlem light middleweight —  by way of Burkina Faso — Issouf Kinda (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. TBA in an 6/8-round bout; popular Plainview (NY) welterweight Tommy “The Razor” Rainone (13-4, 4 KOs) vs. TBA in a 6/8-round match; Providence cruiserweight Joshua Harris (6-3-1, 5 KOs) vs. Kamareh Pasley (5-4, 2 KOs) in a 6-rounder; former New York Golden Gloves and Empire State amateur champion, undefeated Brooklyn featherweight Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (6-0-1, 3 KOs) vs. former Dominican Republic super flyweight titlist Liliana Martinez (8-11-2, 4 KOs) in another 6-round fight. Georgia junior welterweight Arthur Bridges (1-0, 1 KO) will be in action against an opponent to be determined in a 4-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $175.00 (includes cocktails and dinner party), $75.00 (ringside) and $50.00 (general admission), are available by calling 516.313.2304 or Plattduetsche Park Restaurant, or at Boxing 360 (183 Bleeker St.).

Doors open at 7:00 PM/ET, first bout at 7:45 PM. For more information got to www.Boxing360.com.

Next Page »

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  • VIDEO: ANTONIO MARGARITO ROUNDTABLE
  • VIDEO: FREDDIE ROACH MEDIA ROUNDTABLE
  • Video: Manny Pacquiao roundtable
  • VIDEO: Pacquiao – Margarito New York Press Conference
  • Video: Todd Du Boef
  • FEATHERWEIGHT BATTLE TO OPEN MOSLEY VS. MORA PAY-PER-VIEW TELEVISED UNDERCARD
  • Ruiz Jr. Signs with Goossen Tutor
  • ROBERT GUERRERO AND WIFE CASEY “JOIN THE DROP OF LIFE”
  • ‘The Boxing 360 Series’ To be launched in New York City

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