PROVIDENCE, RI (October 15, 2004) – World Boxing Council Youth middleweight champion ”Bad” Chad Dawson (14-0, 10 KOs) returns to the ring October 29 in the 10-round co-feature on “The Dream Continues,” headlined by the 12-round IBU World super middleweight title fight between champion “Scott “The Sandman” Pemberton (28-3-1, 23 KOs) and challenger Jim “The Smooth One” Crawford (40-7-2, 2NC, 17 KOs), at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc (CES), in association with CN8, The Comcast Network and Foxwoods Resort Casino, is promoting “The Dream Continues,” which will be taped live and air in primetime Saturday, October 30, 7:30-10:00 PM/ET on CN8, The Comcast Network to 6.2 million homes from Maine to Maryland. CN8’s coverage of “The Dream Continues” will also be available on Comcast Digital Cable’s ‘ON DEMAND” service and online at www.cn8.tv. “The Dream Continues,” headlined by the 12-round Pemberton-Crawford main event, will be broadcast on tape delay in up to 20-million additional households nationwide.
Dawson, fighting out of New Haven (CT), defends his WBC Youth middleweight belt against undefeated Darnell Wilson (8-0-1, 6 KOs), of Indiana. The 22-year-old Dawson is rated No. 29 by the WBC, as well as No. 4 by the USBA, No. 6 by the NABF and No. 11 by the NABA.
Wilson, of Lafayette (IN), was a 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team alternate to David Reid, the lone gold medal winner for the U.S. that year. Wilson’s extensive amateur career also includes three US National championships, 1993 National Golden Gloves and Goodwill Games titles, and Bronze medal at the Pan-Am Games. Darnell’s head trainer is his wife, Kathy, and he is a graduate of Lafayette Poly Tech with an associate’s degree in computer networking.
“Chad may steal the show,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield warned. “He has the eye of the tiger back and looks better than ever. I compare Chad to a left-handed Tommy Hearns, He’s 6-3, very athletic, and has a powerful punch. John Scully is his new head trainer and they seem to have great chemistry together. But Wilson had more than 200 amateur fights and is unbeaten as a pro. Dawson-Wilson has the makings of a very exciting match, one that could be the main event on many other shows.”
A lot is on the line in the Pemberton-Crawford main event. “The Sandman” is rated No. 3 by the World Boxing Council, as well as No. 11 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 14 by the International Boxing Federation. He is risking a 2005 major world title match by fighting Crawford, who lost (KO8) his IBF title shot to then champion Sven Ottke in 2001.
Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in separate bouts are three unbeaten Rhode Island fighters: Providence’s Joey “KO Kid” Spina (12-0, 9 KOs), fighting the first time at super middleweight (he has been a light heavyweight); four-time national (open) amateur champion, Providence cruiserweight prospect Matt Godfrey (5-0, 3 KOs) in his first six-rounder; Woonsocket (via Puerto Rico) middleweight Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-0, 2 KOs). Two other bouts are slated including Providence junior welterweight “Steamin Josh Beeman (2-1), 2000 Eastern Olympic Trials gold medallist.
Tickets, priced at $100.00, $65.00 and $45.00, are available by calling CES’ corporate headquarters at 401.724.2253/2254, Foxwoods’ box office at 800.200.2882, or going on line at www.foxwoods.com. For additional information call CES or visit its web site at www.cesboxing.com. Call TransMedia Entertainment Group at 610.627.0606 or 203.288.7111 for television advertising or broadcasting opportunities.