MIAMI, Okla. —
Delvin Rodriguez, ranked No. 3 as a welterweight contender by the International Boxing Federation, highlights the fight card televised by ESPN2 tonight at Buffalo Run Casino.
Rodriguez, of Danbury, Conn., faces Ashley Theophane of Kilburn, United Kingdom. Rodriguez is 25-4-2 with 14 knockouts, while Theophane is 26-4-1 with seven knockouts.
The co-featured bout of the night will be between unbeaten super middleweight Donovan “Da Bomb” George of Chicago against Francisco Sierra of Guadalajara, Mexico. George is 20-0-1 with 17 knockouts, while Sierra is 21-3 with 20 knockouts.
“I think our last one was a little over a year ago on Showtime,” said Tony Holden of Holden Productions, which has put together the seven-bout card. “I’m a retired boxing promoter. That’s how we get the good shows.”
Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore of ESPN will describe the action from ringside, which begins at 7 p.m.
Rodriguez, nicknamed “The Jaguar,” lost a bout last year in a disputed split decision, said Kevin Rooney, who represents Star Boxing, which is promoting the event along with Leon Margules, president of Warrior’s Boxing Promotions.
“I had a tough 2009 and faced all kinds of situations,” Rodriguez said at a press conference Thursday. “I’m looking forward now. I’ve become stronger and I’m going to go out and give it my all. I’m here to stay and stronger than ever.”
In the super middleweight bout, George’s manager, Mike Michaels, described what fans can expect to see.
“”It’s Donovan’s first championship fight, so there will be no retreat, no surrender,” Michaels said. “I promise you, tommorrow there will be a new champion, and his name is Donovan George.”
George’s trainer all his life has been his father, Pete George, who is a Chicago police officer.
“It’s going to be great to be on live TV on ESPN2,” Donovan George said. “I can’t wait. I have a lot of respect for him (Sierra) for taking the fight on short notice.”
Also on the card is a bout between Andy Lee of Detroit, Mich., and James Cook of Springfield, Mo. Lee is 25-1-1 with 15 knockouts, while Cook is 11-3-1 with eight knockouts.
Preliminary bouts include Abel Perry of Colorado Springs, Colo. against Jonathan Gonzalez of San Juan, Puerto Rico; Dannie Williams of St. Louis, Mo., against Steve Mincks of Springfield, Mo.; Rances Barthelemy of Miami, Fla., against Cody Harless of St. Joseph, Mo., and DeJuan Jackson of Oklahoma City against Yordenis Ugas of Miami, Fla.
Ugas, formerly of Cuba, was a bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics and a gold medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games.
“When I travel, everyone knows Miami as a boxing town,” Holden said. “They say, ‘That’s where they do those ESPN shows.’ For a town like Miami to keep banging out these fights, it’s great. This fight is going to be live in several countries.”
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Related Photos
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Welterweights Delvin Rodriguez (left) and Ashley Theophane will have a 10-round fight on the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights at Buffalo Run Casino tonight. Globe/Gary Crow
Discussion
Welterweight fight to be shown on ESPN2
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