Gleason’s Famed Trainer John Rooney Jnr. Speaks His Mind On Bruce Scott, ‘Buster’ Keeton and Prizefighter 7 - The Cruiserweights.

John Rooney Jnr. head coach and owner of the World Famous GleasonÆs Gym London near Tower Bridge, spoke out on the upcoming Prizefighter 7 - The Cruiserweights, which takes place at EarlÆs Court on Tuesday May 19th, and the chances of his charge, former British, Commonwealth and WBU International Champion Bruce æLionheartÆ Scott, being victorious and pocketing the top prize of ú25,000.

Rooney, who as a manager and/or trainer, guided many well known fighters, such as fellow Prizefighter 7 competitor Micky Steeds, British Featherweight Champion Martin Lindsay and British, Commonwealth and European Middleweight Champion Howard Eastman, to national and International glory, was chosen by æLionheartÆ to prepare him for his return to big time boxing, following a three year sabbatical from the sport, because as the big Jamaican simply puts it. ôJohnÆs the best in the business and GleasonÆs is the best gym in the Worldö

Following ScottÆs final coaching session the ever chirpy Irishman sat down and spoke about ScottÆs preparations, his first opponent in the tournament and the Prizefighter series.

On ScottÆs training Rooney said. ôBruce is training really well at the minute. HeÆs been out for three years but has lived the clean life in the three year period and hasnÆt abused his body. IÆve known Bruce for ten years and IÆve never seen him looking this good.

Bruce ScottÆs gonna be hard to beat, put it like that, Bruce is gonna be hard to beat. In sparring heÆs been dropping heavier guys to the head and the body. I donÆt have any concerns on any of the guys in Prizefighter including the ones coming up from Light Heavyweight to make Cruiserweight. Bruce Scott has every chance of winning.ö

On learning that Scott has been drawn to face the former World Boxing Foundation and World Boxing Federation, WBO Inter-Continental and BBBofC British Champion, John æBusterÆ Keeton, in the second quarterfinal of Prizefighter 7 - The Cruiserweights on the 19th May at EarlÆs Court, Rooney grinned broadly before saying ôI think weÆll be fighting the winner of one of the other quarterfinals in the next round. Bruce has knocked Buster out twice. Not that IÆm saying heÆll do that again, but this is the best I have seen Bruce in ten years quite frankly.ö

This will be the third time that æLionheartÆ and æBusterÆ have fought each other. The first, in December æ94, Scott knocked Keeton out in the second round. Almost six years to the day, on the 16th December 2000, they faced each other again for the BBBofC British Cruiserweight title. After six rounds of brutal action æLionheartÆ again finished off æBusterÆ with a devastating knockout punch.

Finally Rooney gave his thoughts on the Prizefighter series. ôItÆs really good entertainment, ItÆs the best boxing on the telly. ItÆs an all drama type situation. ItÆs a great success for TV. Barry Hearn is talking about taking the series to the US and Asia as well. ItÆs brought the life back to boxing.ö

The Prizefighter series is a knockout boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters compete in four quarterfinals with the chance of fighting their way into a final fight for a chance to win a main prize of ú25000. All contests take place on the same evening and consist of 3 x 3 minute rounds.

Prizefighter 7: The Cruiserweights, takes place at EarlÆs Court in West London on the 19th May 2009. The eight fighters that compete in Prizefighter 7 are all former champions. They are British, Commonwealth and WBU International Champion Bruce æLionheartÆ Scott (27-9), Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion Darren æRaging BullÆ Corbett (27-4-1), British and European Cruiserweight Champion Terry Dunstan (20-2), British, Commonwealth and European Light Heavyweight Champion Dean æStarÆ Francis (30-3-1), British Cruiserweight Champion John æBusterÆ Keeton (26-16), British and Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Champion Neil æSimmoÆ Simpson (26-18-1), British Southern Area Cruiserweight Champion Micky Steeds (12-4) who replaced Mark Krence, who pulled out following an injury sustained during training, Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Champion Ovill æThe UpsetterÆ McKenzie (14-9)

Take note now so you donÆt kick yourself afterwards. Prizefighter 7 - The Cruiserweights is a donÆt miss event and will be held at EarlÆs Court Arena in West London on Tuesday 19th May 2009

Tickets cost ú25 (unreserved) and ú50 (reserved, ringside) and are available by calling 0870 264 3333 or 01277 359900.

Ward wins unanimous decision over Miranda

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—Andre Ward remained unbeaten and stayed on course for a 168-pound title shot this year with the biggest victory of his pro career, a unanimous decision over Colombia’s Edison Miranda on Saturday night.

Ward (19-0, 12 KOs), the 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, showed resilience in fighting 11 1/2 rounds with a cut over his left eye caused by a head-butt from the free-swinging Miranda (32-4). Although Ward couldn’t land a knockout, he clearly demonstrated better skill and discipline while thriving in the late rounds of just the second 12-round fight of his career.

Fighting at Oracle Arena in his hometown for the first time as a pro, Ward heard his name chanted during several rounds, and received a standing ovation afterward from the crowd of 7,818.

“This is kind of a bittersweet victory,” Ward said. “I’m happy and excited because the fans had a good time, and there were a lot of people here, but I’m not 100 percent happy with my performance. I’ve got to go look at the tape. I did some things well, but I felt I could have improved in other areas.”

Two judges scored the fight 119-109 for Ward, while the third favored him 116-112. The Associated Press also scored it 117-111 for Ward.

Miranda once was a prime 160-pound prospect, but was knocked out by Kelly Pavlik and Arthur Abraham in the last two years. The loss is his third in seven fights.

“I thought it was going to be easier, but it was tougher than I was expected,” said Miranda, a prodigious pre-fight trash talker. “I don’t feel cheated. Andre is the champion. I have respect for him.”

Miranda represented the biggest professional test for Ward, who has progressed deliberately in the nearly five years since his triumph in Athens, where he won the only gold medal for an American fighter in the last three Olympics. Injuries and overall caution kept Ward from capitalizing instantly on his Olympic success, but Virgil Hunter, his trainer and longtime mentor, believes Ward is ready for every top name in the super middleweight division.

Ward hopes his next fight will be against WBC 168-pound champion Carl Froch of Britain, who dramatically stopped Jermain Taylor in the final round of a bout Froch was losing last month. Ward is expected to be Froch’s mandatory challenger.

Barely a minute into this fight, Miranda lunged toward his retreating opponent and connected head-to-head with Ward, who complained to the referee. Ward fought the rest of the round with blood covering his face, and the cut opened again in the second.

“The cut was never a big factor,” Ward said. “I knew I had to keep my cool. Miranda is an awkward guy with long arms. … I would have liked to have stopped him, but I did what I had to do, and that’s the mark of a good fighter.”

Indeed, Miranda seemed more dazed than Ward from the exchange. He allowed Miranda to stalk him in the opening rounds, but replied with counterpunches and defense until Miranda eased off in the fourth.

Ward began to attack, landing big shots with both hands as he switched stances and broke down Miranda’s defense. Miranda rallied in the middle rounds when Ward wandered off his game plan, but the Olympian quickly got it back together, even while his left eye gradually got worse.

Ward fell to the canvas with about 20 seconds left in the 10th round, but his slip clearly wasn’t a knockdown.

Many top East Bay athletes turned out for Oakland’s biggest boxing event in about two decades, including Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson.

On the undercard, John Molina Jr. and Frankie Archuleta were roundly booed after their lightweight bout was stopped in the second round when the referee ruled Archuleta couldn’t continue. Molina improved to 17-0.

Shawn Estrada, the American Olympic middleweight in Beijing, improved to 6-0 with a first-round stoppage of Cory Jones, a late substitute from Brooklyn who barely threw a punch in anger. Estrada has finished every opponent with a knockout since turning pro.