Del Valle treating Spina as
golden opportunity
October 26, 2009
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Oct. 26, 2009) – Former
world light heavyweight champion Lou “Honey Boy” Del Valle views his
10-round main event fight Saturday evening, headlining the “Fright Night
At The Sun” pro boxing card against world rated Joey “KO Kid” Spina, as
a golden opportunity to get back into the big picture. “Fright Night At
The Sun,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and
Sports, Inc. (CES), will be taped live at Mohegan Sun Arena in
Uncasville, Conn., and air on NESN at a date and time to be announced.
Spina (25-1-1, 17 KOs) is rated among the top 15 in all four major
boxing organizations – WBC and WBA #12, WBO #14 and IBF #15.
The 41-year-old Del Valle (36-6-1, 22 KOs), who has never been stopped
as a pro, captured the vacant WBA light heavyweight title in 1997,
stopping European champion “Fast” Eddy Smulders in the eighth round. Lou
was the first to floor the great Roy Jones Jr. in their 1998 WBC/WBA
unification bout, which Jones won by a unanimous 12-round decision. Del
Valle also went the distance in three other world title fights, losing
to Virgil Hill and Bruno Girard, as well as fighting to a draw versus
Girard.
“I’m feeling fabulous,” Del Valle said from training camp in Middletown
(CT). “I don’t lose fighting under 190 (pounds), only once to Jones. I
fought a draw against Girard and then dropped him but they gave him a
decision. Both fights were in France. I’m fighting this at a catch
weight (181, plus 2) and he’s (Spina) in trouble. I’ve never been
knocked out because I’m a slick fighter who can take a punch. I never
get hit with big punches.
“I’m doing this (vs. Spina) because I still want to fight. I believe I’m
like Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones and Glenn Johnson. I feel young and
still have my speed and power. This is a great opportunity for me,
perfect because I’m going to win against a rated opponent. I’ll be right
back in the picture. He (Spina) is a one-handed fighter with no skills
and a big heart. But that (big heart) will get him in trouble against my
experience. I’m too smart and a better fighter than him. He’s going to
pay the price. He’s in trouble.”
UBC junior welterweight champion “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (15-0-1, 9 KOs),
one of the hottest prospects on the East Coast, is scheduled to fight an
opponent to be determined in the 10-round co-feature.
Promising Connecticut prospects from Puerto Rico -- Hartford junior
middleweight David Bauza (2-0, 2 KOs) versus Vaughn Anderson (0-1), and
New Haven light welterweight Edwin Soto (1-0, 1 KO) against Deroy
“Guyanase Gladiator” Beaton (1-0) -- are showcased in 4-round matches.
In other 4-round fights on the undercard, 2008 Olympian Sadam Ali (3-0,
2 KOs) faces welterweight Osvaldo Rivera (2-1, 1 KO), Ryan “The Polish
Prince” Kielczewski (5-0, 2 KOs), 2008 National Golden Gloves Tournament
runner-up from Quincy (MA), meets Israel Suarez (2-2), 2008 New York
Golden Glove champion Joe Smith, Jr., of Long Island, and David Brown
make their pro debuts in a light heavyweight throw-down. All fights and
fighters are subject to change.
Tickets for “Fright Night At The Sun,” priced at $27.00, $50.00 and
$80.00, are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254),
going online at cesboxing.com or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com, call
Ticketmaster’s national toll-free charge by phone (1.800.745.3000) or
visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Published on WBAN.
Source/PR
