PROVIDENCE (June 5, 2007) – “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr. goes right back into the ring June 20, headlining “Cha-Ching In The Ring,” on ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Manfredo (27-4, 13 KOs), star of The Contender I television reality show, bounced right back from his WBO super middleweight title loss by controversial stoppage in the third round to Joe Calzaghe on April 7 with an impressive ninth-round TKO of veteran Ted Muller (19-10-2) on May 11..
In the 10-round main event on the “Cha-Ching In The Ring” card, promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. (CES), in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino and ESPN2, Manfredo takes on upset specialist David Banks (14-1-1, 2 KOs), who defeated previously unbeaten Elvin Ayala in his last two fights. Manfredo is 6-0 fighting at Foxwoods.
Three years ago almost to the exact date, present IWBF lightweight champion Jaime “Hurricane” Clampitt and women’s boxing pioneer Jane “Fleetwood Assassin” Couch will finally have a rematch to The Ring’s 2004 “Female Fight of the Year,” which Couch won via a very close unanimous decision (96-95, 96-94, 96-94) for the IWBF and NABA light welterweight titles.
Clampitt-Couch is the 10-round co-feature for a world junior welterweight title. Clampitt (17-4-1, 7 KOs), a three-time world champion, is coming off of a dominating victory by unanimous 10-round decision against Mia St. John on February 9. Couch (28-9, 9 KOs), representing her native England, is a 5-time world champion.
“This is a very big card,” CES president Jimmy Burchfield said. “Peter is fighting a real person, David Banks, who wouldn’t call into the press conference, but he did say he was coming to beat Manfredo and that he already beaten another undefeated (New England) fighter, (Elvin) Ayala. They thought that must have been a fluke and he (Banks) beat him again. I told him that there was no rematch clause here. Peter had 17 wins in 20 months, which is unheard of in boxing. He was No. 3 in the world and the NABO champion (before joining The Contender). What Peter and The Contender have done is extended the market, getting young ladies and children to watch boxing. Peter is always ready to fight. He has no bad habits.
“Jamie fought Jane Couch, her toughest opponent at that time, right after her trainer and my good friend, Tiny Ricci, had died. I never promised Jaime a rematch, but now she has a chance to fight here again, and I think Jane is crazy to come here from London to fight her. Jaime is at the top of her game and she will win her fourth world title. Christy Martin is coming to watch the fight and there’s a good chance that she’ll fight the winner.”
Scheduled to fight on the undercard in a Special Cruiserweight Attraction is red-hot prospect Aaron Williams (12-0-1, 8 KOs), nine-time U.S. National amateur champion, as well as unbeaten light heavyweight Jarrod Tillinghast (8-0, 2 KOs) and undefeated super middleweight Angel Camacho, Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs). Other bouts are being finalized. All fighters and bouts are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $55.00, $110.00, $160.00, are on sale by contacting CES (1.401.724.2253/www.cesboxing.com) or Foxwoods (1.800.200.2882/www.foxwoods.com). One VIP suite is also available (call CES for details). Sponsorships are available and $2.00 from each sold ticket will go to the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Providence Press Conference Quotes
Peter Manfredo, Jr.: “I’m back again. I fought last month. It was a nice win; I got some rounds in with Ted Muller. It was a fun night for me. These are the steps I have to take to become a world champion. When you don’t get a chance to fight, or lose, you have to start all over again to get back there. It’s not like the Red Sox losing a game (and then playing the next night). It’s going to be a great card. We’re fighters, (I’m) not much of a talker. I’m going to do my thing and work my way back to another title fight.”
Jaime Clampitt: “I’m very excited that Christy Martin is coming to my fight. She’s the reason I started boxing. I’ve never met her but hopefully I’ll fight her. This fight is almost three years ago to the date when I fought Jane. Tiny (Ricci, her trainer) died the day before and I heard about it going to the weigh in. Even watching the tape now is difficult because I wasn’t into the fight. Jane Couch is expecting to fight the same person, but I don’t even remember that fight, and I’ll be a completely different fighter this time around. She won’t even know me in this fight. I’m going to win my fourth world title and keep it in Rhode Island, right in the United States.”
Jarrod Tillinghast: “I didn’t expect to be the Fighter of the Night or in the Fight of the Night last month, but that’s behind me now. I said I’d raise some eyebrows and I did. It was great fighting in my hometown. The hairs on the back of my next were standing up when I went into the ring. There’s no denying me now. I’m excited to be fighting on Peter’s undercard again. He’s a good friend and somebody who has inspired me. I’m back where I belong and I’ll prove to be a force to be reckoned with.”