27.04.05- It is fight week in the Big Apple, kicked off by DiBella Entertainment when Broadway Boxing Presented by Mohegan Sun is on the big stage this Thursday night, April 28. And talk about a local flavor – from Union, NJ to Bridgeport, CT, to Fort Apache in the Bronx, here come the fighters on a spectacular eight-bout show!
Pugilists from the entire tri-state Metropolitan area, including four of the five boroughs of New York, will appear on the card at the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center (34th Street and Eighth Avenue).
Fort Apache’s Jeffrey Resto represents The Bronx in the main event, a return engagement of a 2004 Fight of the Year candidate against Michael Warrick. Knockout artists Jaidon Codrington (originally from Bridgeport) and Dash-DiBella Promotions’ Curtis Stevens, a.k.a. “The Chin Checkers” represent Queens and Brooklyn respectively, while Manhattan’s Edgar Santana completes the lineup from New York.
The Resto-Warrick rematch figures to be a closely-matched affair, as both fighters have identical 18-2 records and expect toe-to-toe action from the opening bell of the 10-round junior welterweight contest which is a rematch of their June 24, 2004 Broadway Boxing war which Warrick won via close decision.
Two undefeated Dash-DiBella Promotions locals look to continue their unblemished slates. Codrington, a KO expert with knockouts in all seven of his pro bouts, will face tough veteran Etianne Whitaker (32-16-2, 21 KO’s) in a 6-round super middleweight fight. Meanwhile, Stevens, the other member of the celebrated “Chin Checkers” duo, has posted six KO’s in six career triumphs, and the light heavyweight will show his wares in a six-rounder against Shannon Miller (20-30-8, 15 KO’s).
The popular junior welterweight Santana (13-2, 9 KO’s) has become one of Broadway Boxing’s most eagerly looked-forward-to performers, and will slug it out against Queens product Gerald Gray (18-10-1, 9 KO’s) in an eight rounder.
Also on the card will be bantamweight Robert Semidei from Brooklyn, in his pro debut, against Samuel Rohena (0-2); Queens junior lightweight Washington Hago takes on Newburgh’s Terrence Thomas (1-3-1); and Rudolf Pierre Louis of Union, New Jersey also in a pro debut vs. Bridgeport’s Victor James (0-1) in a four round heavyweight contest.
The card will be broadcast Madison Square Garden Network, Fox Sports Net New England and Comcast Sportsnet Chicago on standard cable and in High Definition on HDNet.
The Broadway Boxing cards, increasingly growing in popularity, originate from venues in the five boroughs, the greater New York Metropolitan Tri-State area, and Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Mohegan Sun is the series site sponsor. HBO, Gallagher’s Steak House, LocateStock.com and Punch are also sponsors.
Such sports and entertainment celebrities as Damon Dash, Jay Z, Hilary Swank, Lennox Lewis, Zab Judah, Lou Duva, Emile Griffith, Monte Barrett, Ashante, Fat Joe, Rell and Camron were on hand for the previous card. In addition, such Broadway Boxing stalwarts as Paulie Malignaggi, Sechew Powell and Dmitriy Salita were in attendance to root on their local compatriots. Heavyweight title contender James “Lights Out” Toney and radio personalities Ed Lover and Enuff are expected to be in attendance on Thursday night.
The doors open on April 28th at 6 PM, and the first fight is at 7 PM. Tickets are priced at $100, $75, $50, and $35 with a limited number of special VIP ringside tickets also available. Call DiBella Entertainment at 212-947-2577 to order or purchase tickets at the Manhattan Center Box Office after 4 PM on fight day.