Boxing
NABO Middleweight Title Fight - Featuring Seattle's Kenny Ellis

03.04 - The NABO Middleweight title is up for grabs and Seattle's own "Emerald City Assassin" Kenny Ellis (28-4-2, 18KO's) will be taking on Fernando Zuniga (22-5-0, 17KO's) of Downey, California for the honor. This fight should propel the winner into the top section of the WBO ratings as Ellis is currently rated 3rd in the NABO, 7th in the NABF and 25th in Box Recs World ratings. Zuniga is currently rated 8th in the NABO and 28th in Box Recs World ratings.

Born on February 25th, 1970 in Phoenix Arizona, Kenny was raised primarily by his mother until he was eleven. Kenny excelled in football but his real love was boxing after watching the 1976 Olympics. In those Olympics Kenny remembers watching Sugar Ray Leonard's performance. That same year Kenny went to a local gym to see about learning more about the sport. Too young to spar he became the gym gofer. At eight, Kenny met Jenks Morton, Sugar Ray's amateur coach, who had moved to Arizona. For three years Jenks shared his art with Kenny and laid the groundwork for what Kenny is today.

At age eleven Kenny came to Seattle to live with his dad. It is there he met his next mentor in Greg Haugen. Taking the time to share insights and give encouragement, Greg would prove to be most important later in Kenny's career. Kenny Ellis finished his amateur career with a record of 89-6.

He went professional at age twenty and moved to Las Vegas. With the assistance of Greg Haugen, who was now a World Champion, Kenny worked to establish his professional record modeling himself after Alexis Arquello, former world title holder and hall of fame fighter.

After breaking his hand and with over twenty professional fights, Kenny moved back to Seattle to resume his career. He signed a promotional contract with Brian Halquist of Brian Halquist Productions and hooked up with Greg Haugen for the third time in his life. With the support from Brian Halquist Productions to promote him and "Team Haugen" to train Kenny, his career has had a resurgence that some say may take him to the top. At age 33, he now has a record of 28-4-2, 18KO's and a burning desire to be the best in the world. Which on April 12th, Ellis will have the chance to do just that.

Ellis will be taking on Fernando Zuniga. Born in Esmeraldas and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Zuniga is currently that country's best champion prospect with a record of 22-5-0 and 17KO's, 11 of which have come in the first 3 rounds. He has proven that his hard knockout punch is something to be wary of.

Born into a hard and difficult life, Zuniga knew from the age of 15 that boxing was a way out and began fighting in amateur bouts until the age of 22. To take care of his family and advance his athletic career he came to the United States and fought his first professional fight.

Since then he has gone on to impress the boxing media and public with powerful and aggressive knockouts to exceptional performances on fights with only days' notices. Fernando's devastating knockout power is now armed and ready to dominate the Middleweight arena and his sights are on another title. He currently holds the IBA Continental Super Middleweight title defeating Pedro Ortega in February of 2003.

"This is a great card" says promoter Brian Halquist. "Kenny has the drive, momentum and talent to beat Zuniga. He is focused, more than ever. That along with his natural talent as a boxer makes Kenny a force to be reckoned with." "Zuniga……his knockout punch says it all. Kenny will have to watch for it, and keep his gloves up. This will be one of the best fights we have ever had at the Emerald Queen Casino. And it's for a belt. You couldn't ask for anything more than that", says Halquist.

The Semi-Main Event we have local boxer Robert Linton (9-2-0, 6KO's) of University Place, Washington fighting Ayodeji Fadeyi (6-2-1, 6KO's) out of Denver Colorado in a 6 round Light Heavyweight bout. Linton is a Southpaw who can go 6 rounds strong. While Fadeyi, who has had a winning record fighting here at the Emerald Queen, has a strong knockout punch. Linton will need to push Fadeyi the distance and take away his power punch to win this one.

Also on the card is local Light Heavyweight favorite Neil Stephens (7-4-0, 5KO's), Seattle, Washington fighting Rodney Moore of Denver, Colorado in a 6 round fight. Neil has a good reach and this works in his favor, but Moore goes the distance in his fights making his opponents work for it.

To round out the card we have:

UNDERCARD

Heavyweight
4 Rounds Brian Torzewski vs Brad Wilson
Tacoma, Washington Calgary Canada

Heavyweight
4 Rounds Scott Landson vs Brad McPeake
Baker City, Oregon Surrey, B.C.

Featherweight
4 Rounds Cesar Garcia vs Eric Aiken
Woodburn, Oregon Washington, D.C.

Tickets are on sale now!
At all ticketmaster outlets and at the Emerald Queen Casino Gift Shop
Prices are $100 - $50 - $25

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