08.05.08 – By Mike Indri, Retired Boxers Foundation – Last year undefeated jr. welterweight prospect Lanardo Tyner made the sacrifice of uprooting his family from their Detroit, Michigan home down to Houston, Texas – with the notion that following his boxing idol, former world champion Frank Tate (a fellow Detroit native), would be a boost to his professional career..
Tate, who earned the International Boxing Federation middleweight championship by picking up the vacant title with a commanding 15 round unanimous decision victory over Michael Olajide in 1987, and was dethroned the following year by Michael Nunn, had left the Motor City after his fighting career ended and was training fighters at Hank’s Gym in Houston.
Tyner quickly realized the move to be a big plus, “This is the place to be. It’s good for family and to stay focused. My fun time down here is to train!”
The greatest benefit to the 32 year-old fighter would be the connection with gym owner Kenneth Richardson Sr. Richardson serves as manager and trainer, and the highly respected, no-nonsense boxing “good guy” made sure that the undefeated Tyner fit his criteria.
“No one works harder in the gym than Lanardo, and he has the punch. He is nicknamed “Pain Server” for a reason”, proudly stated Richardson, who cited Tyner’s record (19-0) and eleven knockouts. Richardson then firmly stressed, “But, Lanardo is also a family man and that is a must. You have to be good outside the ring. If they (any fighter) are not good OUTSIDE the ring – then you are in trouble.
If Lanardo Tyner is not good INSIDE the ring this Friday night, against USBA light welterweight titleholder Mike Arnaoutis, he will be in a lot of trouble!
In challenging “Mighty Mike” for his USBA crown, Tyner will be facing his most lethal opponent, by far. While feasting on lesser opponents throughout most of his five-year career, Tyner has not attracted much attention outside of Texas and will enter the ring Friday night at the Bally’s Ballroom in Atlantic City, as the betting underdog.
The likable Tyner will also be taking on the unenviable role as the “opponent” for the very first time as well, opting to travel into the popular Arnaoutis’s Atlantic City hometown to face the rugged and feisty twenty-eight year-old southpaw.
The importance of this televised ESPN “Friday Night Fights” main event has not escaped Tyner. “This is huge for me. I’m not fighting for much money here, this is my first time getting national exposure and it’s a real big opportunity for me and my family.”
Tyner is quick to point out his wife of ten years Toya, along with his two sons, Lanardo Jr. & Traydone, and his young daughter Nardica, as his driving force and inspiration.
Arnaoutis, lost his shot at a world title when he came up on the short end of a hotly contested twelve round split decision verdict against current champion Ricardo Torres (11/18/06) for the then vacant World Boxing Organization light welterweight crown, and then was soundly beaten by Kendall Holt last year in a twelve round WBO title eliminator bout. The always battle ready Greek fighter rebounded strongly this past March, earning the USBA title by out-boxing veteran Harrison Cuello over twelve rounds en route to a unanimous decision win.
Arnaoutis, 18-2-2 (9 KO’s), has fought the greater competition and has the experience over the undefeated (19-0, 11 KO’s), yet untested, “Pain Server” slugger. It measures up to be an exciting, and extremely meaningful, fight pitting two talented and deserving fighters yearning to better position themselves for the real prize…to become a world champion!
Unfortunately the originally scheduled highly anticipated co-feature bout between all-action light heavyweights Elvir Muriqi and Omar Sheika had to be cancelled after Muriqi claimed he suffered a late back injury.
In it’s place promoter Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing has added an eight round heavyweight bout between undefeated 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas, 15-0 (6 KO’s), and Dave Brunelli, 8-3 (3 KO’s), from Philadelphia.
Tickets, priced at $60 – $90 are still available by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Mike Indri can be contacted at RBFNJMIKE@aol.com