Before world champion Paul “The Punisher” Williams and Winky Wright enter the ring on Saturday, April 11th to battle it out at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, three of boxing’s up and comers will look to impress ringside observers as they continue their move up the boxing ranks. In a super middleweight bout scheduled for four rounds, 2008 United States Olympian Shawn Estrada (3-0, 3 KOs) will look to keep his knockout streak intact when he battles Las Vegas hometown favorite Thomas Rittenbaugh (3-2-2)..
A six round junior welterweight bout will see Mike Dallas Jr. (6-0-1, 1 KO) take on another local Las Vegas fighter, Terrance Jett (4-12-2, 2 KOs), and unbeaten super bantamweight Rico Ramos (8-0, 5 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line against Gino Escamilla (5-4-1, 2 KOs) of Laredo, Texas.
These bouts are part of a nine-bout undercard headlined by the 12 round middleweight fight between the “Most Avoided Fighter in Boxing,” Winky Wright against the “Most Feared Fighter in Boxing,” Paul Williams. HBO will open the broadcast with the most significant step in the career of the undefeated heavyweight Cristobal Arreola when he faces the very dangerous former four-time world title challenger Jameel “Big Time” McCline.
The event is being presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Goossen Tutor Promotions and Winky Promotions with the Arreola vs. McCline bout being presented by Goossen Tutor in association with Don King Productions. HBO World Championship Boxing will air live beginning at 10:00pm ET / 7:00pm PT.
One of the most inspirational stories to emerge from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, U.S. team member Shawn Estrada is continuing to inspire people as a professional with the talent and down-to-earth attitude. A 24-year old with concussive power and an unyielding determination in the ring, Estrada has knocked out each of his pro opponents in the first round, with the longest going just 1:41 into the round. Rittenbaugh believes he can stop Estrada in his tracks on April 11th.
Just 22 years old, Mike Dallas Jr. of Bakersfield, California, is 6-0-1 as a professional a career he followed his father into, Mike Dallas, Sr. The Jackie Kallen-Prentiss Byrd managed fighter is a former amateur standout with an exciting fan friendly style, and he plans on making more fans when he makes his Las Vegas debut.
A native of Pico Rivera, California, 21-year old Rico Ramos burst onto the professional scene after a stellar amateur career and has continued the success with an undefeated record of eight wins and 5 knockouts. Another aggressive offensive minded fighter, Ramos prides himself with a style built on combination punching. After having all eight pro fights in 2008, Ramos is set to begin his 2009 campaign on one of the biggest boxing shows of the year this Saturday.
Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50 are on sale now at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
WRIGHT vs. WILLIAMS & ARREOLA vs. MCCLINE SET TO BATTLE AT MANDALAY BAY ON APRIL 11
HBO’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING TO TELEVISE BOUTS
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, April 10 – What happens when two of boxing’s most feared superstars can’t find anyone willing to step up and face them? They fight each other. On Saturday, April 11th, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, former Junior Middleweight World Champion Winky Wright will look to stop the meteoric rise of two-division World Champion Paul “The Punisher” Williams in a 12 round middleweight bout that is destined to land the winner on the list of boxing’s best, pound-for-pound.
In the co-featured bout of the evening, the title picture in the heavyweight division will be altered significantly when unbeaten Cristobal “The Nightmare” Arreola takes on former world title challenger Jameel “Big Time” McCline in a 12 round battle for the NABF Heavyweight title.
Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50 are now on sale and available for purchase at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Wright vs. Williams, a 12 round middleweight bout which is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Goossen Tutor Promotions and Winky Promotions, and Arreola vs. McCline, the co-featured 12 round NABF Heavyweight Title bout presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with Don King Productions. The evening of boxing is sponsored by Remetee Clothing, Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines and will air live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, beginning at 10:00pm ET / 7:00pm PT. Doors open at 2:00 PM with the first bout beginning at 2:45 PM.
The seven bout undercard on April 11th is one of the biggest and best of the year, as a series of rising stars try to stay on their path to the top against hard-nosed opposition intent on halting their progress.
Philly’s finest, undefeated junior welterweight rising star Danny Garcia (11-0, 7 KOs) will face a stiff test in his eight rounder against Tijuana veteran Humberto Tapia (14-9-1, 7 KOs).
2008 United States Olympian Shawn Estrada (3-0, 3 KOs) hasn’t allowed any of his professional opponents out of the first round and will look to continue this streak against Londonberry, New Hampshire’s Omar Coffi (1-1-2) in a four round super middleweight bout.
In a ten round junior middleweight showdown, New York City’s Jose Rodriguez (12-1-1, 2 KOs) will aim to show off his ring savvy when he takes on Las Vegas’ own Pablo Montes De Oca (9-15-2, 6 KOs).
Edinburgh, Scotland’s Craig McEwan (13-0, 8 KOs), coming off the biggest win of his career over Ivan Stovall in February, faces Santo Domingo’s Alexis Division (16-8, 13 KOs) in an eight round middleweight bout
Bakersfield, California prospect Michael Dallas (6-0-1, 1 KO) will meet up with Terrance Jett (4-12-2, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas in a junior welterweight bout scheduled for six rounds.
Rounding out this exciting night of professional boxing will be a featherweight four rounder pitting Santiago, Puerto Rico’s Juan Dominguez (3-0, 1 KO) against Wilmington, California’s Ramon Flores (3-4-1, 3 KOs) and a six round junior featherweight clash featuring Pico Rivera, California’s Rico Ramos (8-0, 5 KOs) against Gino Escamilla (5-4-1, 2 KOs) of Laredo, Texas.