Defiagbon vs Hatcher on Aug. 22

23.07 - Undefeated Olympic medalist David Defiagbon of Las Vegas, Nev., meets Charles Hatcher of Columbus, Ohio, in the 10-round heavyweight main event on the nationally and internationally televised "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" boxing card presented by Cedric Kushner Promotions Friday, Aug. 22, at the Reno (Nev.) Hilton.

Highly regarded heavyweight Anthony Thompson, winner of 14 straight, faces an opponent to be determined in the semi-main event.

Defiagbon, who won the silver medal for Nigeria at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, has a record of 19-0 with 11 knockouts while Hatcher has a mark of 14-4 with 10 knockouts.

Thompson, who's earning comparisons as a larger version of current International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, has a record of 18-1 with 10 knockouts.

The Cedric Kushner Promotions card at the Reno Hilton starts at 7 p.m. (Pacific) with doors to the Hilton Theater opening at 6.

Tickets for the Cedric Kushner Promotions card at the Reno Hilton are priced at $10, $20, $30 and $50 with all seats reserved.

Tickets are on sale at the Reno Hilton ticket office from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days and by calling (775) 789-2285 or (800) 648-3568 24 hours daily.

Cedric Kushner Promotions, one of the world's premiere boxing promotional firms, presents numerous nationally and internationally televised cards each year. During the past 20 years Cedric Kushner Promotions has presented more than 300 world championship bouts on six continents.

Cedric Kushner Promotions promotes a number of world-class boxers including, heavyweights David Tua and Jameel McCline and super featherweights Joel Casamayor, ranked No. 1 by both the World Boxing Association and the World Boxing Organization, and Steve Forbes, rated No. 1 by the International Boxing Federation.

The 33-year-old Defiagbon is coming off two unanimous decision
wins, over Joe Lenhart April 26 in Las Vegas and over Ramon Hayes on a Cedric Kushner Promotions "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" card Sept. 29 in Lemoore, Calif.

The 30-year-old Hatcher is managed by John Johnson, who also trained James "Buster" Douglas to his stunning upset win over previously undefeated Mike Tyson for the undisputed heavyweight world championship.

Johnson is better known as "Coach," because he was an assistant football coach at Ohio State under Woody Hayes prior to turning his attention to boxing.

The 31-year-old Thompson, a southpaw who's 6-foot-6-inches tall and has an 81-inch reach, is gaining recognition as a taller, longer-armed Byrd.

Thompson has fought once this year, stopping James Gaines in the eighth round March 7 in Niagara Falls, Ont., to record his fifth knockout in his past seven bouts.