PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (April 8, 2004) – WBC Youth middleweight champion “Bad” Chad Dawson (15-0, 10 KOs) will make his first title defense May 14 against Ian “The Truth” Gardner (15-1, 7 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature, on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr. (20-0, 10 KOs), rated No. 6 by the WBO, headlines “Young Gunz,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. Manfredo puts his NABO junior middleweight crown on the line for the first time against Anthony “The Bullet” Bonsante (24-3-3, 13 KOs), rated No. 2 by the NABO, in the 12-round main event.
Dawson, rated No. 24 by the WBC and living in New Haven (CT), is coming off a unanimous six-round decision March 27 against Aundalen Sloan. Gardner, originally from Toronto and now fighting out of Brockton (MA), has won 13 in a row since suffering his only loss as a pro, ironically, to Manfredo in 2001. Gardner is rated No. 8 by the NABF, No. 12 in the NABO, and No. 13 by the NABA.
“We’ve been trying to make this fight since last fall,” promoter Burchfield said. “These are two of the best middleweight prospects in the world, not just New England. Chad’s only 21 years old, Ian’s 22. There’s been a debate in New England for the last year or so about who the best middleweight is here and everybody’s going to find out May 14. Dawson-Gardner could be a main event and to have it as a co-feature on a nationally televised card with a great main event like Manfredo-Bosante shows boxing fans all over the country how CES promotes fights. The winner should position himself as a future major title challenger in the middleweight division.”
Call CES for more information about “Young Gunz” at 401.724.2253.