Panamanian assassin Ammeth Diaz says he will emulate fellow countryman and all-time great Roberto Duran and go on to win a World title if he beats Brit Martin Gethin.

Diaz takes on Gethin at Walsall Town Hall on Friday 31st May in an IBF World Lightweight Title Eliminator with the winner getting a shot at reigning champion Miguel Vazquez.

The fight will be televised live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

“Hands of Stone” Duran, arguably the greatest lightweight boxer of all time, was famed for his ferocity in the ring, endless stamina and relentless punching style.  He beat Scotland’s Ken Buchanan to win the WBA World Lightweight title in 1972, making 11 title defences - all bar one by knockout - before unifying the WBC title in 1978 against Esteban De Jesus. 

His battles against rivals Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns in the 1980s are legendary and after retiring in 2001 with a record of 103 wins from 119 fights and 70 KO’s, five world titles in four weight divisions, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

Diaz, 29, who also hails from Panama City, has racked up 22 KO’s out of his 31 wins, and believes he’ll beat Gethin in his hometown to get a second world title shot against Vazquez  who beat him on points in January last year.

“Duran is like a god in Panama.  Everybody loves him.  He is not only the greatest fighter to come out of Panama, but he is one of the greatest fighters in history,” Said Diaz.

“He was a hero of mine when I was growing up as he was to any young fighter in Panama, everybody wanted to be like Duran because he was so exciting and aggressive,”

“Duran beat a great British fighter in Ken Buchanan that started his reign at lightweight and I will beat Gethin to get a rematch against Vazquez who I will beat this time to finally win the world title,”

“This is a crucial fight for me and I’m not coming to England to lose.  I will win by knockout.”

Tickets, priced at £40 and £75 Ringside, are available from Walsall Town Hall Box Office on 0845 111 2900. Doors will open at 6pm and boxing will commence at 6.30pm.

Gethin versus Diaz, promoted by Frank Warren in association with NEWOB Promotions, will be televised live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).  Join at www.boxnation.com .
 
Chris Truman has been given a second chance to be crowned a British Masters Champion.

The Erdington-born light welterweight lost a controversial points decision against Amir Unsworth in March for the British Masters Title but now ‘The Trumanator’ looks set to face Liverpool’s Stephen Jennings for a shot at one of the titles.

That fight tops the bill of It’s-A-Bout-Boxing’s next boxing show at the Institute, Digbeth, Birmingham on Saturday, 29th June.

‘Salvation: Rise of the Trumanator’ promises to be an action-packed night of boxing in the Second City and promoter, Marcus Anderson, is delighted to have secured Truman a second bite at a British Masters cherry.

“It’s great news for Chris, great news for It’s-A-Bout-Boxing and great news for Birmingham’s boxing fans,” he told www.uko-boxing.com . “Chris was hard done by when he fought Unsworth. Everyone ringside had him winning the fight and I know he was gutted to lose the decision.

“He’s picked himself up though and looked really sharp when he beat Bheki Moyo on my last show at the Institute. Now he has the chance to rewrite a wrong, which is why the show is entitled ‘Salvation: Rise of the Trumanator’.

“He can’t wait to get his hands on one of the Masters’ belts and I can’t wait to see him and Stephen Jennings in action.”

There is a packed undercard to accompany the Title fight.

Cradley featherweight Chris Male continues his comeback and is joined by exciting Burton welterweight, Tom Shaw.

Top Welsh prospect, Warren Sinden is also in action

Coventry’s Troy ‘Terrifying’ James will also be in action. The Midlands Area Featherweight Champion will be looking to bounce back from his English Title defeat at the hands of Terry Flannigan.

Former Prizefighter challenger, Northampton lightweight, Jamie Spence, and prospects Michael Mooney and Ainsley Seivwright complete the card.

Tickets are priced at just £25 General, £50 Ringside and £75 VIP Ringside. They are by calling the Box Office on 0845 467 3930 or 07888 870 650.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Tomorrow night, Shelito Vincent, the unbeaten bantamweight from New London, Conn., will have the opportunity to achieve something most boxers only dream about when she fights Angel Gladney for the vacant Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA) International championship in front of her hometown fans at Twin River Casino.

As if often the case in evenly-matched title bouts, the outcome might hinge on who wants it more.

"There's no way this girl is working harder than me," said Vincent (8-0), who now lives and trains in Providence under the guidance of Peter Manfredo Sr. "Why wouldn't I work hard for something I've wanted my whole life?"

Vincent's shot at the title, which is the eight-round main event of "The New Era," presented by Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports, comes just a year and a half after her professional debut in 2011, a rapid climb even by female boxing standards. It's also the first women's title bout to be held in Rhode Island since Jaime Clampitt faced Belinda Laracuente for the International Women's Boxing Federation (IWBF) lightweight title at Twin River in 2008. Vincent's opponent, Gladney (8-7-1, 6 KOs), is a tough veteran from Columbia, S.C., who has fought for a title before, namely in 2010 when she challenged Kaliesha West for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) female bantamweight title. That fight ended in a seventh-round knockout win for West. Will Gladney's second shot at a title end differently?

"In 2010, it just wasn't my time," said the 25-year-old Gladney. "I was too young, but it was an experience for me. I learn as I go. I didn't have much amateur experience, so fighting Kaliesha West was a real learning experience. Of all the girls she's fought, she said I was the toughest, so I've kept my head up and kept going."

The one edge Gladney has entering Friday's showdown is she has six knockout wins on her resume, whereas Vincent has yet to record a knockout, but, as Vincent pointed out, "she has a lot of losses, too, and I don't have any of those."

"But I respect her a lot," Vincent added. "I know it's going to be a tough fight. If you want to be the best, you have to start fighting the best. I'm ready. There's nothing I've wanted more than this. She better be ready for a fight."

Gladney, who considers herself a counterpuncher with "a little bit of everything" in her arsenal, credits her trainer, Dominic Neal, and promoter, Andrew Stokes, for keeping her on track. Following back-to-back losses at the end of 2012, Gladney kicked off the new year with a win over Kelan Robey in April, her final test before she faces Vincent tomorrow night.

"I really wanted to get that win," Gladney said. "I'm really excited about this opportunity. I just want to keep fighting and stay active. I love this sport."

Vincent was originally supposed to face Christina Ruiz of Texas, but Ruiz pulled out of the fight, citing a hand injury. Gladney accepted the challenge on just two week's notice. The stage has now been set for Friday night in what will be a major opportunity for both Vincent and Gladney.

"When I got into boxing, this is what I dreamt about," Vincent said. "I'm going hard on Friday night."

"Mr. Providence" Vladine Biosse (14-2-1, 7 KOs) will also return to the ring May 17th in the eight-round super middleweight co-feature against Philadelphia's Latif Mundy (10-5, 4 KOs). Tickets for "The New Era" are $41.00, $76.00, and $126.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com , at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

The undercard features seven bouts, most of which are regional showdowns, starting with Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (9-1, 7 KOs) stepping up to face undefeated power-puncher Tylon Burris (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, Conn., in a six-round bout. Super middleweight Rich Gingras (12-3, 8 KOs) of Attleboro, Mass., a former contestant on The Contender reality television series, will battle the red-hot Joey Gardner (11-5-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., in a six-round bout.

The always-busy Falowo, who's known for throwing a high volume of punches from start to finish, will have his hands full with Burris, who has raised eyebrows in New England following an impressive knockout win over previously-unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Kevin Cobbs in November. Falowo has won his last three bouts, all by knockout, since suffering his first loss in May of 2012.

The Gingras-Gardner showdown came to fruition after Providence's Alex Amparo was forced to withdraw from his scheduled rematch with Gardner due to a rib injury. Gardner, who has won his last three fights, will instead face Gingras, a former cruiserweight now looking to make his mark in the super middleweight division.

Also on the undercard, Boston's Maceo Crowder (2-0, 1 KO), the half-brother of former U.S. Olympian and Providence native Demetrius Andrade, will return from a three-year absence to face Harwich, Mass., veteran Paul Gonsalves (4-3, 3 KOs) in a four-round super middleweight bout; and welterweight Jon Smith (1-0) of Cranston, R.I., will battle newcomer Oscar Diaz of Hartford, Conn., in a four-round bout. In a six-round special attraction, former Cranston amateur standout Nick DeLomba will make his professional debut against Portland, Maine native Jimmy Smith (0-0-0); the latter is returning to the ring for the first time in more than a year after his debut was cut short due to an accidental head butt. Smith and DeLomba faced one another twice as amateurs with each fighter winning once.

Hyannis, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs) will take on West New York, N.J., challenger Phillip Triantafillo (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout, and Springfield, Mass., welterweight Zack Ramsey (3-0, 3 KOs) will return to face Bryan Abraham (6-16-2, 6 KOs) of Schenectady, N.Y., in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.