KLARCYK VS. VELASCO: HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Posted on | January 10, 2008 | No Comments
Shawn Klarcyk in action
LEMOORE, Ca. — There’s been no fight in the Palace Fighting Championship that has lived up to Shawn Klarcyk vs. David Espinosa bout.
The five-round war fought at PFC 3’s “Step Up” in June was for the World Bantamweight Title and Porterville’s Klarcyk (6-1) won a tight split decision.
The battle saw it all from an Espinosa brutal slam to several slick submission attempts by Klarcyk. The standup was just as exciting, with both fighters trading leather and blood.
“There?s been some great fights at the Palace,” Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino Entertainment Director Christian Printup said. “Obviously, Olaf Alfonso against John Polakowski No. 1 and Chris Leben against Mike Swick was very exciting, but that fight between Klarcyk and Espinosa has to rank there with all those fights.”
But Klarcyk certainly isn’t satisfied.
“I think that this fight with Rolando Velasco could be just as good if not better,” Klarcyk said of his first title defense at PFC 6?s “No Retreat, No Surrender” on Thursday, Jan. 17 at the Palace.
“This is a big fight for the both of us and we will both be looking for the win,” Klarcyk said. “Like all my other fights, this one will be very fast pace and exciting. I always look for the finish.”
Klarcyk has only been to decision once in his career ? four of his six wins have been by technical knockout.
“I know that he’s 6-1 and a pretty good wrestler. I also know that he is very aggressive and seems to have a good ground-and-pound,” said Oakdale’s Velasco, who carries a perfect 4-0 record into the bout.
“I’m also a strong wrestler and I’ve been training my kickboxing, Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu for three years,” Velasco added. “I’m a pretty well-rounded fighter.”
The bout has all the makings of a classic for the bantamweight division. The PFC, led by Printup, is focused on highlighting the quicker and more explosive lighter weight divisions, such as featherweight (145 pounds), bantamweight (135) and flyweight (125).
“I think Shawn Klarcyk and Rolando Velasco are the two most untalked about and underestimated bantamweights in the continental United States,” Printup said. “I would put the winner of this fight in against World Extreme Cagefighting Bantamweight champ Chase Beebe, or whoever at 135 in the U.S. no questions asked.”
Also featured on the 17-bout card is a PFC World Lightweight title fight between Poppies Martinez (14-3) vs. Atlanta’s Diego Saraiva (9-6-1) and Oroville PFC featherweight titleholder Shawn Bias (12-5) takes on Velasco’s teammate Art Arciniega (3-1) of Oakdale.
Klarcyk and Velasco was one of the first fights announced by Printup for PFC 6 and the build up and hype for the bout has brewed for months.
“I think this is going to be a very fast paced fight. I’m sure Klarcyk will be looking for the takedowns and we will scramble a lot on the ground,” Velasco said. “But, I know that we will also trade and this is going to be a bloody war. I won’t be looking for any takedowns. I’m looking for the knockout and that’s how I want the fight to end. If not by knockout, I’m sure it will go to decision.”
Klarcyk is eager to defend his belt.
“I am excited about fighting again, being the champion means you?re the best and I will only have to fight the best to keep my title as the PFC 135 Bantamweight Champion,” Klarcyk said. “I consider training the hardest part of the fight. My training has been going really well, I’m in really good shape, and no injuries at this point. I try to work on all areas because in a fight it can go anywhere. All I can say is I will be prepared for where ever the fight ends up.”
It?s possible that the fight could end up in the history books.
“This is probably one of the best bantamweight fights in the U.S. bar none,” Printup said.
Tickets are going fast and are priced at $40, $50 and $60 for public sale and can be purchased at tickets.com or charge by phone 1-800-225-2277. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with fights starting at 6:30.
Weighins will be on Wednesday, Jan 16 at 5 p.m. at The Den sports bar located on the third floor of the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.
For more breaking PFC news log on to www.palacefightingchampionship.com