New York, June 27—Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing brings big name heavyweight prizefighters to center stage when it presents “Heavyweight Extravaganza” featuring no. 2 ranked Shannon Briggs in the main event, and the come backing David Tua in the co-feature on Wednesday night, July 26, at the Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center in New York City, it was announced today..
Brooklyn’s Briggs, an omnipresent contender in the heavyweight division for the past decade, tries to continue his roll as a top contender and looks for the opportunity to re-capture the world title. Briggs, the USBA, NABA and NABO Heavyweight Champion, headlined the debut card of Gotham Boxing last May. Briggs has put forth a sterling 47-4-1 ring record, with 41 victories coming by way of knockout. The veteran heavyweight is ranked second by the WB0, seventh by the IBF, eighth by the WBC and 10th by the WBA. Briggs is a winner of 11 in a row and is ready to take on all comers.
The New Zealander Tua has been one of the top names in the heavyweight division, as his nifty 44-3-1 ring record clearly illustrates, a ledger that includes 38 knockout triumphs. Tua had been idle for two years due to management problems, but a pair of scores since his return in 2005 have him ready to wipe off the ring rust and return to his status as a leading contender. The Samoan strongman is one of the most feared knockout artists in the game, as his 80 percent knockout ratio will attest. He has turned back the challenges of some of the premiere heavyweights in the sport including former world champions Hasim Rahman, John Ruiz and Michael Moorer. He has beaten top contenders such as Fres Oquendo, Oleg Maskaev, and Obed Sullivan. Tua was turned back at his chance for glory by then-champion Lennox Lewis in a hard fought decision.
Briggs and Tua are a pair of big punchers, and will have heavyweight aficionados chomping at the bit from the opening bell in the heavyweight doubleheader.
Puerto Rican lady standout Cindy Serrano will also appear on the card. The 24-year-old Brooklyn native has an unblemished pro record, reeling off 12 straight triumphs without tasting defeat, including seven knockout wins. The full undercard will be announced later.
Kushner is back at it in the Big Apple following last May’s debut of Gotham Boxing. He was the first promoter to host a fight card at the Hammerstein, as well as its sister site, Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom, and has promoted at such varied and innovative New York venues as The Apollo Theatre, the Jacob Javits Center, Roseland Ballroom, Radio City Music Hall, The Paradise Theatre, as well as the “Mecca of Boxing” Madison Square Garden and the Theater at the Garden.
Kushner is the longtime promoter for both Briggs and Tua, and has had a penchant for success with the big men, making such heavyweight title clashes as Rahman-Lewis, Shultz-Foreman and Briggs-Lewis.
Tickets are priced at $250, $200, $150, $100 and $50, are available through Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171, or by calling Gotham Boxing, Inc. at 212-755-1944.