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“The Battle You Can’t Miss” Friday
3 title belts on line in ESPN2 Friday Night Fights at Foxwoods
(JULY 22) PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The stage is set for Friday night’s
much-anticipated “Battle You Can’t Miss” showdown, promoted by Jimmy
Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., featuring Scott “The
Sandman” Pemberton (25-3-1, 21 KOs), International Boxing Union World
super middleweight title-holder, versus two-time world title challenger
Omar Sheika (23-4, 16 KOs), live on ESPN2 from Foxwoods Resort Casino in
Mashantucket, Connecticut.
The 12-round Pemberton-Sheika main event is being fought for Pemberton’s
IBU World crown and the vacant NABF super middleweight title. It has the
potential to challenge Toney-Jirov and Gatti-Ward III for 2003 Fight of
the Year honors.
A special tribute to CES president Jimmy Burchfield has been planned
honoring him as New England’s 2002 Promoter of the Year. For more
information about placing a congratulatory ad in Friday night’s
commemorative program contact Mano Schreiber at 401.724.2253.
In the 10-round co-feature, IBU World lightweight champion, Gary “Tiger”
Balletto (28-1-2, 25 KOs), of Providence, makes the first defense against
Luis Lizarraga (31-27-4, 23 KOs), of Mexico.
Pemberton, of New Bedford (MA), is a U.S. Army veteran who has dedicated
this to those who’ve lost their lives serving in the military during the
War in Iraq. He is rated No. 2 by the NABF and believes a win against
Sheika will position him for a lucrative fight against a top 10 opponent.
Sheika, of Paterson (NJ), has already had a pair of world title fights,
losing to then WBC champ Eric Lucas (12DEC) and WBO title-holder Joe
Calzaghe
Balletto feels that a victory against Lizarraga, former UNIBOX junior
lightweight and Yucatan junior featherweight champ, should earn him an
ESPN2 main event for his next fight. Lizzarraga, however, holds upsets
against two previously unbeaten prospects, 24-0 Tontcho Tontchev and
21-0-1 Jermaine Fields. This past February Lizarrage lost a controversial
12-round majority decision to 41-4 David Santos for the USBA Super
Featherweight Championship.
The undercard includes a pair of unbeaten Providence fighters in separate
bouts, light heavyweight Joe “KO Kid” Spina (7-0, 5 KOs) and welterweight
Bobo “The Bull” Starnino (4-0, 1 KO), as well as Dominican Republic
lightweight Antonio “Cana Seca” Ramirez (19-6-6, 15 KOs) and undefeated
Bellingham (MA) middleweight Joe Gardner (3-1, 1 KO). (All bouts and
fighters are subject to change.)
Tickets are priced at $65.00, $50.00 and $40.00. For ticket information
call CES’ corporate office at 401.724.2253/401.724.2254, visit its Web
site at www.cesboxing.com, or contact the Foxwoods box office at
800.200.2882.
