ESPN’s Friday Night Fights will originate from Hollywood Fla. on March 18 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 with a 10-round main event featuring undefeated, welterweight Brad “King” Solomon (16-0, 7 KO’s, WBC #6) facing former jr. welterweight contender Demetrius “Dynamite” Hopkins (30-1-1, 11 KO’s). Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, describing the action.
Louisiana native Solomon, coming off a December unanimous decision win over tough veteran Anges Adjaho, has progressed quickly as a professional. Last summer he came away with an impressive victory against undefeated Puerto Rican prospect Kenny Galarza on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Entering the fight, he was a “traveling underdog,” unknown and unranked. Since then he has won four fights. After the Galarza fight, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote, “This was an excellent match on paper, because it was between undefeated prospects with different styles. The three-time National Golden Gloves winner is a technician with good movement. Galarza is more of an aggressive fighter who likes to mix it up and use his outstanding power to end fights early. Solomon’s style won out and did so rather easily. It was not a shock that he would win the fight, but it was very surprising to see him completely dominate and pitch the near-shutout.”
“A lot of people say I fight like Roy Jones,” Solomon said. “I’m a smart fighter in the ring. I counterpunch, move, and when I can stay in the pocket, I stay in the pocket. I fight smart. I’ve got fast hands and fast foot-work.”
Philadelphia’s Hopkins, the nephew of Ring Magazine’s #1 ranked light heavyweight and future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins, is coming off an impressive 10-round unanimous decision win over Mike Arnaoutis last July on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. After the fight ESPN.com’s Rafael wrote, “Hopkins was better than Arnaoutis in every aspect of the fight. Bigger, busier and more accurate, Hopkins used his boxing skills and a solid jab and was a bit more aggressive than usual as he reddened the face of Arnaoutis and dominated from the outset. Arnaoutis’ corner was begging its man to get aggressive and go after Hopkins, but Arnaoutis simply had no answers.”
“I’ve been preparing for this fight for about two months,” Hopkins said of Friday’s fight. “Brad Solomon is a beginner and he’s still got a lot to learn. He hasn’t fought top fighters like me. He hasn’t been in there with wolves. It’s going to be a rude awakening come March 18.”
Friday’s event will also feature aerial views from the Goodyear blimp. Studio host Brian Kenny will present all the latest boxing news and highlights.