3 title belts, 1 great night of boxing

July 25 ESPN2 Friday Night Fights at Foxwoods

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Three championship belts will be on the line July 25 in “The Battle You Can’t Miss” at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. is promoting the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights show, highlighted by the 12-round main event between Scott “The Sandman” Pemberton (25-3-1, 21 KOs), International Boxing Union World super middleweight title-holder, and two-time world title challenger Omar Sheika (23-4, 16 KOs).

Pemberton-Sheika is being contested for the IBU World and vacant NABF super middleweight titles.

Rhode Island’s only reigning professional boxing world champion, Gary “Tiger” Balletto (28-1-2, 25 KOs), of Providence, makes the first defense of his IBU world lightweight crown against Luis Lizarraga (31-27-4, 23 KOs), of Yucatan, in the 10-round co-feature.

“Three belts – two in the main event and one in the co-feature – and a great night of boxing,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield said. “We’re thrilled to be back at Foxwoods and on ESPN2 once again.”

Pemberton, of New Bedford (MA), is rated No. 2 by the NABF, while the World Boxing Council ranks Sheika, of Paterson (NJ), No. 9. Pemberton-Sheika has the potential to be a 2003 Fight of the Year candidate, possibly a super middleweight version of Toney-Jirov or Gatti-Ward III.

“Our plan is for Scott to knockout a world-rated opponent,” Burchfield commented. “He’s the hardest hitting super middleweight in the business. The way he is built, throwing that big left hook and powerful right, he reminds me of Tommy Hearns. Nobody will hang with Scott if he hits ‘em clean.”

Pemberton, a U.S. Army veteran, has dedicated his fight against Sheika to those who’ve lost their lives serving in the military during the War in Iraq. “They made the ultimate sacrifice,” Pemberton added. “I’ve had a great training camp and everything is going well. I have nothing personal against Omar Sheika, but I know what I have to do July 25.”

Balletto’s opponent, Lizarraga, is the former UNIBOX junior lightweight and Yucatan junior featherweight champ. The dangerous 30-year-old Mexican holds upset victories 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.

“Gary Balletto is the hardest puncher in the lightweight division today,” Burchfield commented. “People believe that now, especially after his last fight (KO4 vs. Frank Houghtaling, May 30, also at Foxwoods and on ESPN2). Nobody wants to fight him. Lizarrage is the most experienced opponent Gary has ever faced. We can’t look past Lizarrage, but if Gary wins, as we expect, he’ll be deserving of a main event on television.”

Balletto promised to retain his title belt and added, “I’m excited to be back on ESPN2. They must like what they’ve seen because they keep asking me back. My promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, keeps me going. I don’t think I’d be fighting if it weren’t for him. I want to be the best lightweight in the world. I promise to put on a great show July 25 and have everybody standing on their seats.”

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.