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Godfrey-George, Spina-Brinkley
ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights, May 10 at Foxwoods
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (April 14, 2006) – Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES)
presents a doubleheader of championship boxing, “Put Up or Shut Up,” May
10 on ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights at Foxwoods Resort Casino in
Mashantucket, Connecticut.
The co-main events feature WBC USNBC champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey
(11-0, 6 KOs) and NABA title-holder Shaun George (11-0-2, 5 KOs) in a
cruiserweight unification bout, as well as USNBC super middleweight
champion Joey “KO Kid” Spina (17-0-1, 12 KOs) defending his title
against Jessie Brinkley (26-3, 17 KOs), a semifinalist in The Contender
television reality series.
“I’m very excited about promoting two major explosions on the same
night, at one of the greatest casinos in the world, Foxwoods, on a
network like ESPN that’s done so much for boxing,” CES president Jimmy
Burchfield said. “We have two unbeaten, cruiserweight prospects willing
to fight each other, which is something boxing really needs. Matt
Godfrey is special. Corporate America loves him and regular people can
relate to him. He represents everything good about boxing. According to
Lou Duva, Shaun George is coming from Brooklyn to Connecticut to take
Matt’s title. We’re promoting this fight in association with Donna (Duva)
Brooks and her company, Hall of Fame Promotions.”
“We worked on making the Spina-Brinkley fight for a long time. For Joey,
I’m not sure if this show should be called ‘Put Up or Shut Up’ or
‘Redemption’ because he fought to a draw in his last fight, but some
people felt he really lost. Joey wants to show everybody what kind of
fighter he is.
Brinkley was one of the most popular fighters on The Contender and we
worked hard with his people to make this fight happen.”
Godfrey, 25, is coming off of a second-round TKO of former IBU
cruiserweight champion Ernest “M-16” Mateen in February. The WBC rates
Matt No. 28 and the NABF ranks him No. 1. “I think we’re equally
talented,” Godfrey spoke about George. “I compare him to somebody I’ve
sparred, Firat Arsian, who is a world rated cruiserweight (WBA No. 11,
IBF No. 7). They’re a lot alike. George is very skilled and a good
defensive fighter. It’s easier for me to fight somebody like him instead
of an awkward fighter because you don’t know what he’s (awkward fighter)
going to do. It’s easier for me to out-think a fighter like George.
“I’m excited about fighting on ESPN in my first main event. Everything
is on schedule; I just have to keep winning. I’m making professional
prizefighting my life and what I do is fight. If I’m not ready now (for
a fighter of George’s ability), when will I be? I think he feels the
same was as I do. I don’t look for the easy way out. He is the guy I
want to fight because this is what I do. I plan on winning this fight
and than fighting two or three more times this year.”
Two-time New York Golden Gloves champion George, rated No. 15 by the WBA,
last fought in November, winning a 10-round decision against Chad Van
Sickle (20-1-2) for the NABA and IBC Americas cruiserweight titles.
“By nature, I’m a competitor,” George remarked, “and I took this fight
because I want to bring back boxing. I want to be the best and I know
that means I have to beat the best. Matt Godfrey is one of the best in
the world, especially in the cruiserweight division. I’ve heard a lot
about Matt. He’s a good boxer, smart fighter and slick. I have to be pro
active, first and last, and do what my trainer (Tommy Brooks) tells me
to do.
“To me, this is an event, not just a fight. It all comes down to this
fight should be happening down the road on HBO or Showtime. Not many
fighters would take this fight. I take my hat off to Matt. I respect him
as a fighter and man.”
Providence-native Spina, rated No. 26 by the WBC, and Nevada-born
Brinkley are familiar with each other because they both fight out of Las
Vegas.
Scheduled to fight on the undercard are unbeaten Connecticut
(Manchester) featherweight Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard (8-0, 6 KOs),
undefeated Las Vegas via Cleveland cruiserweight Aaron Williams (7-0-1,
5 KOs), and Connecticut (Hartford) heavyweight Tony Grano (3-0, 3 KOs).
All bouts and fighters are subject to change.
“Matt Remillard is destined to be a world champion and fans love
watching him fight,” Burchfield noted. “Williams is a 19-year-old who
was a decorated amateur (93-10) and national champ many times. Grano was
the national amateur heavyweight champion last year and he’s knocked out
all three of his opponents as a pro. Six fighters on this card are
undefeated.”
