HOPKINS VS. JONES II UNDERCARD COMPLETE WITH VETERAN CONTENDERS, RISING STARS

Posted on | April 1, 2010 | No Comments

Ray Narh, Craig McEwan, Buddy McGirt Jr. & the Professional Debut of Top Amateur Frankie Gomez Compose The Stacked Non-Televised Undercard Live From The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

LOS ANGELES, April 1 – With six undercard fights before the pay-per-view telecast begins, the April 3 event featuring the long-awaited showdown between future Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr., is set to be a night that fans will not want to miss live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Heading up this stacked pay-per-view televised undercard will be a 10-round showdown between talented up and comer Jason Litzau and perennial contender Rocky Juarez for Litzau’s NABF super featherweight title. Also featured is the return of former Junior Middleweight World Champion Sergio Mora against veteran Calvin Green and unbeaten Ukrainian prospect Ismayl Sillakh steping up to the big time to face 175-pound standout Daniel Judah for the vacant NABF Light Heavyweight title.

Before the telecast begins, a host of rising stars and veteran contenders will get fans in attendance at the Mandalay Bay Events Center fired up. Among the fighters appearing will be Ray Narh, Craig McEwan, Buddy McGirt Jr., Yaundale Evans, Julian Williams as well as the much anticipated professional debut of one of the United States’ top amateur talents, East LA’s own Frankie Gomez.

“The Rivals: Hopkins vs. Jones II,” set for Saturday, April 3 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev., is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Square Ring Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T and Southwest Airlines. The event will be broadcast live on pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $750, $500, $300, $200 and $100 are on sale now at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Ghana’s Ray Narh (23-1, 20 KO’s) has not lost a fight in close to six years, winning 13 in a row – 11 by knockout. This hard-nosed competitor has a title shot in his sights in 2010, but standing in the way is Gary, Indiana’s Angel Hernandez (14-4, 10 KO’s). The two will meet in a 10 round bout for the vacant USNBC super lightweight bout.

Seemingly getting better with each fight, Scotland native Craig McEwan (17-0, 9 KO’s), who now lives and trains in Los Angeles under the tutelage of future Hall of Famer, Freddie Roach, has been paying his dues and piling up the wins, including 2009 victories over hot prospect James Parison and veterans Alexis Divison, Brian Vera and Darnell Boone. On April 3, he will battle Canadian Kris Andrews (15-8-2, 4 KO’s), who riding a four fight winning streak.

Also in action on April 3 will be super middleweight southpaw James “Buddy” McGirt Jr. (21-2-1, 10 KO’s). The talented son of renowned trainer and former World Champion Buddy McGirt Sr., Jr. is coming off of impressive victories over Patrick Perez and Anthony Pietrantonio last year, setting the stage for what he hopes will be a successful 2010 campaign. In the opposing corner will be Montgomery, Alabama’s John Mackey (11-4-2, 5 KO’s), a southpaw who is eager to score the upset on Saturday.

The top amateur junior welterweight in the United States, 18-year-old Frankie Gomez will make his highly-anticipated professional debut on April 3. An aggressive fighter with a fan-friendly style, the East Los Angeles native was a 2009 National Champion and a Silver medalist in the World Championships who is now on a mission to win a world championship in the pro ranks. His journey begins in Las Vegas when he takes on Florida’s Clayvonne Howard (2-3, 1 KO).

That’s not all though, as fans will also see a super featherweight contest featuring Cleveland’s Yaundale Evans (5-0, 3 KO’s) against Minneapolis’ Juan Baltierrez (2-1-2, 1 KO) and the pro debut of Philadelphia junior middleweight Julian Williams against San Leandro, California’s Jason Montgomery (1-0) in a four rounder.

The Hopkins vs. Jones II pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and has a suggested retail price of $49.95. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. The main event is scheduled to begin live immediately following the college basketball semi-finals. For Hopkins vs. Jones II fight week updates, log on to www.goldenboypromotions.com.