SANTA YNEZ, CA (June 21, 2005) – It’s back to reality for jr. middleweight AHMED “HOLLYWOOD” KADDOUR. Kaddour will be the first contestant from NBC’s reality series “The Contender” to return to the real world of boxing where he will be fighting in the eight-round jr. middleweight co-feature of the July 22 edition of SHOBox: The New Generation at the Chumash Casino Resort in beautiful Santa Ynez, CA. Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, the card will be headlined by a 12-round NABO lightweight title rumble between ROLANDO REYES and COURTNEY BURTON, who have a combined record of 45-6-2 (27 KOs) -- a winning percentage of 85% with 60% of their victories coming by knockout! SHOWTIME will televise both bouts live, beginning at 11 P.M. ET / 11 P.M. PT* (*on tape delay to west coast.)
Kaddour, 18-2 (9 KOs), proved to be one of the more popular fighters on “The Contender,” despite twice losing five-round decisions on the canceled show. Born in Lebanon and raised in Denmark, he now hails from Humble, TX, which is ironic because ‘humble’ he ain’t! This excerpt is from his biography on “The Contender” website (http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Contender/boxers/ahmed.shtml):
Good looking yet extremely vain, Ahmed plans to be a top model and movie star as well as a world champion boxer. He thinks his opponents don't take him seriously because he is "so pretty." He claims the truth is that the reason he's so pretty is because no one can hit him.
Reyes (24-3-2, 15 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., returns to the ring fresh from a ninth-round knockout victory of Santa Maria, CA favorite, Jose Antonio Ojeda, for the vacant California State jr. welterweight title. Ojeda had entered that fight riding an eigh-bout unbeaten streak. Reyes’ record is highlighted by a 10-round unanimous decision over former Mexican lightweight champion Omar Bernal on Sept. 20, 2003. 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. In his 2005 debut, Reyes registered a first-round knockout over Francisco Maldonado on Jan. 28, 2005, in Oxnard, Calif.
Burton (21-3, 11 KOs), of Benton Harbor, Mich., returns for the first time since his incredible fight against Ebo Elder at Chumash Casino Resort on the December 17, 2004 edition of SHOBox, a “fight of the year” candidate. Burton was ahead on two of the judges’ cards going into the final round when Elder, with both eyes nearly swollen shut, dramatically scored two knockdowns en route to knockout victory. Burton who had captured the NABO lightweight championship with a 12-round split decision over Francisco Lorenzo on December 5, 2003, has vowed to return better than ever. A three-time Silver Gloves and two-time Junior Olympic U.S. National champion, Burton’s professional resume includes victories over former world champions Gabriel Ruelas and Angel Manfredy, and former top-rated contender Emanuel Augustus.
The Chumash Casino Resort is located in Santa Barbara County, California, 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 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 or http://premier.ticketsplus.net/TicketsPlus/default.asp