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Godfrey
& Cora on "Collision Course" April 6 at Mohegan Sun, on ESPN2 FNF
PROVIDENCE (March 6, 2007) - Young cruiserweight contenders Matt "Too
Smooth" Godfrey and Felix "Bad News" Cora, Jr. are on a "Collision
Course" to position the winner for a possible major world title fight
later this year, headlining the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights show April 6
at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Godfrey and Cora, roommates at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, will fight
in the 12-round main event for Godfrey's NABA title and the vacant NABF
cruiserweight belt.
Former world lightweight title challenger Israel "Pito" Cardona takes on
light welterweight Juan Maniel Buendia in an intriguing 8-round
co-feature.
Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. is promoting
"Collision Course" in association with Mohegan Sun and ESPN2.
"This is like having two main events," promoter Jimmy Burchfield said.
"Godfrey and Cora are two of the top young cruiserweight contenders in
the world. They are not only fighting for the NABF and WBC Continental
Americas titles, but the No. 2 rating in the World Boxing Council. This
is what boxing fans want - two young contenders fighting now instead of
taking easier fights to improve their records. Matt's No. 6 in the world
but he's stepping up to the plate to fight Cora, who's rated No. 12.
Cora's a tough fighter who is a lefthander with power and is slick. They
both wanted this fight.
"We had everything done for 'Pito' to fight Zab Judah (April 27). 'Pito'
was training hard and confident he'd beat Judah (who pulled out to fight
Miquel Cotto for the WBO title in June). That's a fight we'd like to do
down the road. 'Pito's' training with John Scully and he wants to put on
a great show April 6 on ESPN2 so he can headline an ESPN2 show later
this year. Fighters on our undercard represent the future of CES boxing.
This is a major league show that deserves to be at a beautiful venue
like Mohegan Sun and on boxing's most popular boxing network, ESPN2."
Providence-native Godfrey (14-0, 8 KOs), being trained for this fight by
Naazim Richardson, is rated No. 6 by the WBC, as well as No. 9 by the
IBF and No. 10 by the WBA. Godfrey, also the reigning WBC Continental
Americas and USNBC cruiserweight champion, is coming off of four
impressive wins in 2006 against Lloyd Bryan (TKO4), Danny Batchelder
(WDEC12), Shaun George (TKO1) and Ernest Mateen (TKO2).
Cora (18-1-2, 9 KOs), rated No. 12 by the WBC, is the former USBA and
NABF cruiserweight champion who has beaten likes of "King" Arthur
Williams, Darnell Wilson and Chris Thomas. Cora is a native of
Galveston, Texas, hometown of the late, great heavyweight champion Jack
Johnson, who lost his last fight to Vadim Tokarev for the NABF title
this past May.
Although disappointed that he won't be fighting Judah, Cardona (26-6, 28
KOs) is continuing his comeback with his third fight, after being idle 3
1/2 years due to boxing "politics," coming off a third-round TKO of
intra-state rival Shakha Moore last September.
Born and raised in Hartford (CT), "Pito" won his first 24 pro fights, 18
by knockout, including an IBO super featherweight winning performance
against Jeff Mayweather. He later defeated Steve Larrimore for the IBO
light welterweight crown. In 1997, Cardona stopped "Mighty" Ivan
Robinson (23-1) in the third round for their USBA lightweight title and
three fights later, Robinson beat Arturo Gatti for the first of two
times in their 1998 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. After his win
against Robinson, Cardona extended his win streak to six, including four
USBA title defenses against Sam Girard, Richard Kiley, Golden Johnson,
which was also fought for the NABF belt, and Joel Perez. In his only
major world title fight, Cardona lost a 12-round decision to undefeated
Paul Spadafora (26-0) for the vacant IBF lightweight championship in
1999.
Cardona, a lieutenant for a security company in Hartford, as well as a
boxing trainer at LA Boxing in Hartford, faces a true Mexican warrior in
Buendia (13-1-1, 8 KOs), former Illinois State welterweight
title-holder.
Providing chief support on the undercard is Providence heavyweight Jason
"Big Six" Estrada (7-1, 1 KO), 2004 U.S. Olympian, in a six-round bout.
Also scheduled to fight on the under in separate four-round matches
against opponents to be determined are super middleweights Chris
Traietti (5-0, 3 KOs), Iraqi War veteran and Westfield State College
student, and Angel Camacho, Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs); light heavyweights Manuel
Antonio Lopes (1-0, 1 KO) and Bridgewater State College student Mical
Wesiberg (1-0, 1 KO); Connecticut prison guard Addy Irizarry making her
pro debut as a light welterweight.
"Our show is like a United Nations card," Burchfield added. "We have all
different ethnic groups fighting - African-American, Mexican, Puerto
Rican, Jewish and Portuguese-American. We also have an Olympian, two
colleges students, and Iraqi War veteran and female prison guard making
her pro debut. Diversity, fierce competition and entertainment are what
CES is all about." |
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