Culbert gets one more shot in his own hometown

24.04 - BROCKTON --- Mike Culbert has been through the wars of the New England boxing world and had been away from the sport in order to raise his own family in the house he grew up in. The former Massachusetts middleweight champion knows the dream of a world middleweight title shot has long since past.

Culbert is searching for that one final big payday and to reach that goal he will fight a familiar foe as he will be in a rematch with Hanson's Dave Hamilton. That fight will be one of the more interesting battles on Saturday night at the Shaw's Center on the Cappiello Promotions Fight Night New England series sponsored by Mohegan Sun.

The Culbert-Hamilton fight will be on the undercard of the Peter Manfredo Jr.-Ronnie Johnson which will headline the second Cappiello Promotions Mohegan Sun Fight Night New England fight card of the year. Promising middleweight Ian Gardner will also be on the card battling against Michael McFail.

Culbert, the former Massachusetts middleweight champion with a career mark of 26-4-1 got back into the ring without the visions of glory.

"I saw myself on a videocam and didn't like what I saw," said Culbert who is almost back down to his fighting weight of 160 pounds. "I used my boxing training to get back into shape and once I got (back into shape), I decided to give boxing one more try."

Culbert, who is the father of two small children, is motivated by the desire payday and is hoping a win over Hamilton will open those doors.

"I will go anywhere and fight anybody, I still feel I have some good fights in me." said Culbert. He will be fighting Hamilton who is still holding a grudge for Culbert's victory in their first battle six years ago.

"I think Mike has been avoiding me and I plan to try to take him out early." said Hamilton. Ironically, Pit Perron, who was Culbert's trainer for all of his amateur and for the beginning of his professional career, will be in Hamilton's corner on Saturday night.

"Mike and I were together for a lot of years and I hope when the fight is over he will still consider me his friend." said Perron.

Two other fighters will be making their professional debut as Eric Pinrretta of New Bedford will fight Wayne Johnson of Somerville. Taunton's Harold Rodrigues will also be on the card. The doors at the Shaw's Center will open at 6 p.m. on Saturday night and the first fight is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Ticket princes are $75 for gold ringside, $50 for ringside and $30 for general admission. For ticket information, call 508 587-5554 or 508 587-3370.