09.11.07 – If you want to see some of Philadelphia’s best young fighters, all you have to do is to take a quick trip down the highway as the area’s best up-and-coming fighters will be featured on the off-television undercard of the HBO Boxing After Dark November 17 show at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ..
Undefeated fighters such as Demetrius “The Gladiator” Hopkins and 2004 U.S. Olympian Rock Allen will highlight the undercard, which also features exciting young fighters Danny Garcia and Karl Dargan will both make their pro debuts. Golden Boy East President and current World Light Heavyweight Champion Bernard Hopkins will also be in attendance.
In the featured undercard bout, Demetrius Hopkins (27-0-1, 11 K0s), nephew of Bernard Hopkins, will face Enrique Colin (23-3-3, 19 K0s) of Guasave, Mexico. “The Gladiator” was once seen as strictly a technician in the ring, but with five of his last eight wins coming by knockout over quality competition, opponents now have to fear Hopkins’ power in addition to his boxing skills. Hopkins is currently ranked number two in the world by the IBF, and eighth by the WBC, WBA and WBO.
Olympian Rock Allen who was basically raised in the sport, Allen, a three-time national amateur champion, comes from a fighting family that includes his brothers and cousins, but most notable is that Allen’s father and coach, Naazim Richardson. In Rock’s last fight on July 21st he had a decisive victory over Ramiro Rivera at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV; and on November 17 th Rock will face Braulio Lopez of Nuevo San Juan, Mexico (6-5-1, 2 K0s).
Dargan will face Jose Velasquez of Boston, MA (0-1) and Garcia’s opponent will be named shortly.
The November 17 HBO Boxing After Dark telecast will be headlined by WBO World Junior Lightweight Champion Joan Guzman defending his title against former WBC Interim Featherweight Champion Humberto Soto, while the telcast’s co-feature bout will include undefeated 2004 Olympian Abner Mares making his HBO debut in a bantamweight fight against Argentinean Damian David Marchiano. The event, which isbeing promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Sycuan Ringside Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and will air live from Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ, will air on HBO’s Boxing After Dark starting at 9:45 PM ET/PT.
Tickets for this event are priced at $225, $175, $145, $115, $95, $75 and $45 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 866-900-4TIX (4849) or online at www.theborgata.com.