“Heavyweight Heroes”: Peter and Shufford clash tonight

17.05.04 – Two Las Vegans, undefeated slugger Samuel Peter and stylish boxer Charles Shufford, clash in the 10-round heavyweight main event on Cedric Kushner Promotions nationally and internationally televised “Heavyweight Heroes” card Monday, May 17, at Bally’s in Las Vegas, Nev. World-ranked heavyweight Ray Austin of Cleveland faces Gilbert Martinez in one semi-main event. Talmadge Griffis of Colorado Springs, Colo., meets Kelvin Hale of New York City in the other heavyweight semi-main event.

A special attraction and a first for Las Vegas is the appearance of two Perfect 10 Magazine women boxers-featherweights Veronique Tyler of Los Angeles against Tricia Wilds of Sarasota, Fla.,-in a four-round exhibition bout. The card is being held on a Monday in conjunction with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters annual convention at Bally’s-Las Vegas. A beneficiary of the card is the Joint Association of Boxers (JAB), a union for professional boxers affiliated with the Teamsters Union.

The card starts at 8 p.m. (Pacific) with doors to the Bally’s Event Center opening at 7.

Tickets are priced at $20, $35 and $50 and are available at Bally’s Box Office from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and by calling 702-967-4567 during those hours.

The card will be televised nationally by InDemand and internationally by the Cedric Kushner Sports Network.

The undercard on the six-bout card includes unbeaten Terrance Marbra of St. Petersburg, Fla., against Todd Diggs of Las Vegas plus another heavyweight fight with opponents to be determined in separate four-round bouts.

The 23-year-old Peter, originally from Nigeria and now living in Las Vegas, is one of the most highly regarded young heavyweights in the sport. The former Olympian at the 2000 Sydney Games has a record of 18-0 with 17 knockouts as a pro.

The 31-year-old Shufford, by far the most experienced and talented fighter Samuel has met to date, has a record of 20-5 with nine knockouts.

The 6-foot-6-inch Austin, 33, has a record of 20-3-2 with 14 knockouts and is ranked No. 8 by the World Boxing Organization.

Griffis, 29, has a record of 22-4-3 with 14 knockouts.

Hale, 34, has a record of 14-4-2 with five knockouts.

Peter has won 10 straight by knockout, including two this year. On March 6 in Mashantucket, Conn., he stopped Jose Arimatea Da Silva in the second round and on Jan. 22 in Phoenix he halted Chris Isaac in the seventh.

Shufford, who has a height and reach advantage over the aggressive and relentless Peter, has a win over current WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster and has faced Wladimir Klitschko and Jameel McCline, who’s scheduled to meet the winner of Chris Byrd-Andrew Golota II this fall for the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title.

Austin, who has not lost in almost three years, has fought once this year, a decision over Willie Williams March 6 on that card in Mashantucket.

Griffis is coming off a fifth-round knockout of Harold Rodriguez Feb. 13 in Uncasville, Conn.

Hale also is coming off a win, a decision over Sherman Williams March 6 in Verona, N.Y.

Marbra, 27, has a record of 4-0 with three knockouts.

Diggs, 33, has a record of 4-8-3 with no knockouts.