LV’s ORLEANS HAS BOXING GLOBAL ON INTERNET

Not so long ago that projecting high-tech scientist wasn’t talking through his hat in telling subscribers
Internet can take boxing around the world for bargain prices.

How does $4.95 grab you, especially when dealing with that segment viewing itself as thrifty.

That’s the kickoff price Friday, May 28 when “CMX Boxeo de Campeones” debuts as a new weekly Latin boxing broadcast series in a format presented by CMXsports and promoted by Guilty Boxing Inc., at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Boxing buffs scattered around the world can savor all the action via live Internet stream and access the replay at www.cmxsports.com for that $4.95 monthly subscription fee. The first bell rings live at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT with a six-bout lineup featuring a 10-round main event.

CMX and Guilty Boxing Inc., will produce 48 two-hour shows a year spread over 36 months with a boxing wag dubbing the presentation as “the travelers” with two shows a month emanating from the Orleans and the Gold Coast, its’ sister property in Las Vegas. The other two shows will come from venues in Palm Springs, Ca., and Tijuana, Mx.

“This is just another step in the integration of sports and the Internet. When you think in the traditional terms of boxing pay-per-view action you think of HBO and Showtime and the domestic market. Now we have a huge potential market, that‘s world-wide,” said Tony Brown, CMX chairman and chief executive officer.

Nick Rattenni, president of Guilty Boxing, indicated the quality of the competition at the Orleans will be similar to what the public has been watching for the last six years. However, he added it is possible the action may develop into a higher caliber and even graduate to’the Orleans Arena.in the future.”

The Orleans is indeed fortunate in signing Jimmy Montoya of Los Angeles to serve as director of boxing and chief trainer. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Montoya became a legend in providing quality fighters for the major networks when a substitution was needed almost overnight to keep the TV show in tact.

“It’s great to be back in Las Vegas with a schedule that includes continuity. It‘s a great fight town and I think the Orleans and the other venues will be greatly pleased with the results. The fight format seems to guarantee excitement and i think t he public will respond,” said the gregarious Latino.

The Orleans’ debut looms as a sellout with the 10-round main event matching Humberto “Zorrita” Soto out of Los Mochia, Mx., against heavy-hitting Wilson Alcorro of Colombia.

Soto, coming in with a 32-5-2, 17 KOs log, is currently ranked among featherweights as No. 3 with the WBC and No.5 by the WBO. In the last 19 months, Soto has won 10 straight bouts, six by knockout and scored a WBC Federbox title victory over Emidgio Gstetum at the Orleans in 2002. In two starts this year, the powerful Latino has scored two knockouts and will be making his first start at the Orleans this year.

Alcorro comes to Vegas with a 23-5-3, 16 KOs resume and had his four-year run of 17 straight bouts broken when he lost a disputed 12-round decision to undefeated Jorge Solis for the WBA Fedcentro crown in Miami last November.

Alcorro and Solis had met earlier in the year and their 12-round war for the WBC Latin America title ended in a draw. Alcorro, a former IBF Latin America king, is a 10-year veteran who has scored 65 percent of his wins by knockout.

Montoya has plenty of young prospects on the rise in the undercard. Welterweight Michael Lozada, Tijuana, Mx., risks a 11-0,7 K0s mark against Rodrigo Aranda, from San Pedro, Ca., with a 6-4-1, 2 KOs reading, in a six-rounder. The women will vie over six-rounds when Melinda Cooper, (10-0, 7 KOs) from Las Vegas, tests Alna Ramirez (3-2-1) out of Guasavs, Mx.

Featherweight Alejandro Ramirez of Sonora, Mx., squares off with Gilberto Sanchez Leon, Mexicali Mx. In a four-rounder, Omar Saldo,Tijuana, faces bantam Tomas Barragan, Los Angeles, in a four-round super featherweight fight.

Whether it‘s English or Spanish, the public won’t be short changed dealing with fight announcers. In English, it will be Bob “The Colonel” Sheridan, blow-by-blow veteran telecast for Don King Productions’ International, having broadcast more than 750 world title bouts.

In Spanish, it will be Manuel Medina, former five-times world featherweight champion from Tijuana, Mx., calling the action.

Boxing historian Bert Randoph Sugar has signed on CMXsports senior analyst. The former editor of Ring Magazine and Boxing Illustrated has written more than 50 books on boxing and will provide weekly columns to the CMXsports website and adding commentary to the broadcasts.

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and an exclusive contributor toRingsports.Com).