Would you like
to Advertise
HotBoxingNews.com Send an
Email
Kaddour
to fight on ShoBox card
NEW YORK (July 5, 2005) - Ahmed "Hollywood" Kaddour, who recently
appeared on "The Contender," will become the first contestant from the
NBC reality series to return to boxing when he takes on an opponent to
be announced in the eight-round junior middleweight co-feature Friday,
July 22, 2005, on "ShoBox: The New Generation."
In the main event, California State Junior Welterweight Champion Rolando
Reyes will take on International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 14
lightweight contender Courtney Burton for the vacant North American
Boxing Organization (NABO) lightweight title from Chumash Casino Resort
in Santa Ynez, Calif. Both fighters will make their second "ShoBox" and
Chumash appearances.
SHOWTIME will televise the Gary Shaw Productions doubleheader at 11 p.m.
ET/PT (tape delayed on west coast). The telecast represents the 64th in
the popular "ShoBox" series, which debuted on SHOWTIME in July 2001.
Kaddour (18-2, nine KOs), of Humble, Texas, proved to be one of the more
popular figures on "The Contender" despite losing consecutive five-round
decisions in 2004 at the hands of Ishe Smith (Aug. 24) and Alfonso Gomez
(Sept. 15).
Engaged to a television host, Kaddour aspires to be a top model, movie
star and world champion boxer. Described as "good looking, yet extremely
vain," the 23-year-old fighter embraces the nickname "Hollywood" because
he is Hollywood personified. Never one to be accused of being soft
spoken, Kaddour believes his opponents do not take him seriously because
he is "so pretty."
Born in Lebanon and raised in Denmark, Kaddour went 81-1 during a
stellar amateur career. The supremely confident fighter turned pro three
months prior to his 19th birthday and won his initial 18 contests.
In just 20 fights, the well-traveled boxer has fought overseas in
Germany, Wales, Hungary, Denmark, Italy and Finland, as well as in
Maryland, New Jersey and California. During his globe trotting, Kaddour
has learned to speak French, Danish, English, German and Arabic.
Reyes (24-3-2, 15 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., captured the vacant
California State junior welterweight crown at Chumash and broke his
opponent's eight-bout unbeaten streak by scoring a ninth-round knockout
over Jose Antonio Ojeda April 22, 2005, on "ShoBox."
The pride of Oxnard won his fourth consecutive bout and 18th out of the
past 19 in capturing his first pro title. Undeterred by fighting in
front of a pro-Ojeda crowd, Reyes floored his opponent with less than
one minute remaining in the second round by landing a crippling
left-right combination to the head. The referee, Dr. James Jen-Kin,
stopped the bout after the conclusion of the ninth on the advice of
Ojeda's corner.
In one of his biggest pro contests, Reyes earned a 10-round unanimous
decision over former Mexican lightweight champion Omar Bernal on Sept.
20, 2003, from Anaheim, Calif. The judges scored it 97-93 and 95-93
twice. In the eight-round rematch on July 23, 2004, Reyes again
prevailed, this time by scores 79-71 and 78-72 twice.
Burton (21-3, 11 KOs), of Benton Harbor, Mich., returns to the ring for
the first time since his thrilling contest against Ebo Elder at Chumash
on the Dec. 17, 2004, edition of "ShoBox." Burton was ahead on two of
the judges' cards going into the final round of the "Fight of the Year"
candidate. Despite boxing with both eyes nearly swollen shut, Elder
rallied dramatically to score two knockdowns and retain his NABO
lightweight belt.
Nearly one year earlier, Burton secured the NABO lightweight
championship with a 12-round split decision over Francisco Lorenzo on
Dec. 5, 2003, from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Two judges had Burton
winning 115-114 and 116-113, while the third judge gave the nod to
Lorenzo, 115-113.
After turning pro at age 18 in July 1996, the three-time Silver Gloves
United States champion and two-time Junior Olympic U.S. national
champion defeated his initial 16 opponents. In his 17th outing and pro
title debut, Burton lost for the first time when Eleazar Contreras
scored a fifth-round knockout and won the WBC Continental Americas
lightweight title on Nov. 7, 2002, in New Orleans. An unfazed Burton
rebounded in 2003 to defeat former world champions Gabriel Ruelas and
Angel Manfredy, as well as Lorenzo en route to compiling a 4-0 record
with three KOs.
Nick Charles will call the action from ringside, with Steve Farhood
serving as expert analyst. The executive producer of the telecast is
Gordon Hall, with Richard Gaughan producing.
For information on "ShoBox: The New Generation" and SHOWTIME
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records,
related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing.
The Chumash Casino Resort is located in Santa Barbara County, Calif.,
between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the heart of the Santa Ynez
Valley. In its 190,000 square-foot facility, the Chumash Casino Resort
offers Las Vegas-style gaming, 24 hours, seven days a week. Tickets for
the exciting night of boxing are priced at $70, $50, $40 and $30 and can
be purchased at the Chumash Casino Resort box office or through Star
Tickets Plus by calling (800) 585-3737.
