PROVIDENCE (March 26, 2007) – “Collision Course” is a throwback to the days when boxers readily fought each other, politics didn’t play a role, and fans always got their money’s worth. “Collision Course,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. (CES), headlines ESPN2 Friday Night Fights on April 6 with young cruiserweight contenders Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey and Felix “Bad News” Cora, Jr. squaring off at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut..
Godfrey and Cora, roommates at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, will battle in the 12-round main event for Godfrey’s NABA title belt and the vacant NABF cruiserweight championship, as well as a possible world title fight opportunity later this year.
Providence-native Godfrey (14-0, 8 KOs), also the reigning WBC Continental Americas and USNBC cruiserweight champion, is rated No. 6 by the WBC, No. 9 by the IBF and No. 10 by the WBA. Cora (18-1-2, 9 KOs), rated No. 16 by the WBC, is the former USBA and NABF cruiserweight champion.
In the eight-round co-feature, Israel “Pito” Cardona’s comeback continues against Juan Manuel Buendia. Cardona (36-6, 28 KOs), of Hartford, is matched against a Mexican warrior and former Illinois State welterweight title-holder in Buendia (13-1-1, 8 KOs), Cardona, a lieutenant for a security company in Hartford, as well as a boxing trainer at LA Boxing in Hartford, was supposed to fight former world champion Zab Judah on April 27, but Judah pulled out to fight WBO champion Miquel Cotto.
“The show couldn’t be better named than ‘Collision Course’ because two of the top young cruiserweight contenders in the world, Godfrey and Cora, are fighting for the No. 2 ranking in the WBC and two titles,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield said. “The co-feature could be fought in a telephone booth and it’s really a co-main event; a great fight with ‘Pito’ letting it all out to position himself for another world title fight. CES is giving fans what they really want – talented boxers in competitive, entertaining fights from top to bottom on this entire card. We’re excited to promote this great show at beautiful Mohegan Sun and have it air on boxing’s best series, ESPN2 Friday Night Fights.”
Chief support on the undercard will be provided by a pair of once-beaten heavyweights, 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada (7-1, 1 KO), and Alvin Manley (11-2-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout.
Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in four-round matches are super middleweight Chris Traietti (6-0, 4 KOs), Iraqi War veteran and Westfield State College student, against Jeffrey Osborne, Jr. (4-3-2, 1 KO); super middleweight Angel Camacho, Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) takes on Lewis Robinson (2-1-1, 1 KO); light heavyweight Manuel Antonio Lopes (1-0, 1 KO) faces Brandon Burke (0-1-1); Connecticut prison guard Addy Irizarry makes her pro debut as a light welterweight.
Only $25.00 tickets remain on sale but are limited and are available through Mohegan Sun’s box office. For more information contact CES (www.cesboxing.com/1.401.724.2253/3354) or Mohegan Sun (www.mohegansun.com/1.800.226.7711).