25.01.06 – Newly emerged Duva Boxing heavyweight contender Brian “The Beast” Minto, 23-1 (14 KOs), will return to action against veteran Andy “Sandman” Sample, 33-12-2 (22 KOs), this Friday night, January 27, at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on the undercard of the spectacular ‘COLLISION COURSE, A NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS’ pay-per-view event..
Promoter Dino Duva says he is looking to keep Minto active while he works at securing him a high-profile fight. “Whenever a fighter improves as quickly and drastically as Brian Minto has, he becomes an unknown commodity in the division again and that makes it harder to find him a big fight,” explains Duva. “None of the bigger names seem to want to step up and risk what they’ve got against a guy who looks better and better with every fight the way Brian does. With the exception of Samuel Peter and a few others, none of the top heavies want to take any risks anymore; that’s the unfortunate nature of the business.”
The 30-year-old Minto was last seen stopping rugged trialhorse Troy Weida in three rounds on December 30. “We’re calling on the world’s top-rated heavyweights to act like true warriors and face the most rapidly improving heavyweight on the planet.”
‘COLLISION COURSE, A NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS’ features former two-time world champion Virgil Hill of Pleasantville, New Jersey, and undefeated, No. 1 contender Valery Brudov of Russia meeting for the vacant WBA Cruiserweight Championship; IBF Mini-Flyweight champ Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia defending against No. 1 challenger Omar Soto of Mexico City; as well as unbeaten and world-ranked Mike Arnaoutis of Vineland, New Jersey, defending his NABO Junior Welterweight Championship. World-ranked Nate Campbell of Jacksonville, Florida will face Francisco Javier Olvera of Mexico City in a 10-round lightweight fight.
The “Collision Course: A Night of Champions” card is to be televised on PPV in the United States and Canada at a suggested retail price of $24.95.