Paterson native Pierson (11-2, 8 KO) was supposed to fight a few weeks ago for the WBC FECARBOX Super Middleweight Title, but never had a chance to enter the squared circle and fight for the belt as three different opponents fell through.
Through his career Pierson has dealt with his share of fights falling through, but the 31-year-old pugilist has stayed diligent in his training and is anxious to get into the ring on the 27 and show the world who he is.
“This isn’t the first time I fought on ESPN,” said Pierson. “It’s just the first time that I will be televised. I have been fortunate to fight on ESPN twice in my career. Once on Friday Night Fights and once on Wednesday Night Fights. But it means a lot to me every time that I’m on either series. I’m a fan of ESPN and its boxing series, and I’m grateful that they will be showing my fight on July 27.”
Known for his heavy hands and an unrelenting drive toward fighting for a world title, Pierson prides himself on never backing away from a fight. Over the course of his fight career he has always exchanged punches with boxers with winning records.
On July 27 he may be facing the toughest test to date in Farah Ennis. Ennis (19-1, 12 KO) has quick hands and tremendous conditioning, and won his first 17 fights before losing a majority decision last April.
“As for Ennis being the opponent, I think it is the other way around,” said Pierson. “I don’t know anything about Ennis, the same way I didn’t know anything about the other challengers that I have faced. All that I know is he is 19-1 and he is from Philly, and that’s a place that is known for producing tough fighters. I know that I’m the underdog as usual going into this fight, but when am I not? All I can do is train for the 27 and leave it in God’s hands.”
When both warriors step between the ropes at the end of the month fans can expect to see fireworks. The power and speed of these two super middleweights will be on display for the world to see, and the winner will position himself to be in line for a potential world title fight in coming months.
The fight will be taking place on Friday, July 27 at the renowned Resorts Hotel Casino in Atlantic City. Tickets for ESPN’s Friday Night Fight are $40, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
For more information on Richard Pierson follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RichardT.P.PiersonFanPage.
Hank Lundy vs. Raymundo Beltran on July 27th
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (July 9, 2012) – Though he’s closer to the top than he’s ever been in his professional career, “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy’s journey is far from over.
Ranked No. 1 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) among lightweights, the Philadelphia native is on the doorstep of fighting for a major world title in 2012, but Lundy (22-1-1, 11 KOs) must first take care of business in front of a national television audience – again – on Friday, July 27th, 2012 at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
The reigning North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight champion will defend his title for the third time against Mexican veteran Raymundo Beltran (25-6, 17 KOs) of Phoenix, Ariz., in the main event of “Title Wave,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, which will air live beginning at 10 p.m. (EST) on ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes.
“Even after I win a world title, my job still won’t be done,” Lundy said. “My work in the boxing game will never be done.”
The 10-round showdown between Lundy and Beltran will be one of two nationally-televised bouts; the other is a 10-round co-feature between hard-hitting super middleweights Richard Pierson (11-2, 8 KOs) of nearby Paterson, N.J., and rising star Farah Ennis (19-1, 12 KOs) of Philadelphia, who has scored knockouts in six of his last seven wins dating back to February of 2010.
Expect sparks to fly July 27th as the four fighters featured in televised bouts enter the night with 48 combined knockouts, a belated Independence Day treat for ESPN2’s worldwide audience, which has watched Lundy grow from a budding prospect to a championship contender within the past two years.
“I’ve got a lot of love for ESPN,” said Lundy, who’s appeared on the network six times since 2010 and seven times overall in his professional career. “After this fight they should rename it the ‘Hammerin’’ Hank network!”
With a win over Beltran, Lundy could have every network executive knocking on his door. The NABF titlist is still eyeing a shot at WBC lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco, but since DeMarco is already scheduled to defend his belt in September against John Molina – the only fighter to beat Lundy – Lundy is instead putting his No. 1 ranking on the line against Beltran, sending a stern message to the champions who’ve yet to answer the bell.
“Once again, I’m going to show everybody that I don’t run or duck from anybody,” Lundy said. “The guy I’m fighting is solid. He’s coming to fight and he’s coming to win. He’s got a family to feed just like I have a family to feed.
“The difference between me and these other guys is a lot of other guys say it, but I’m a true throwback because I’ll fight anybody. I’m No. 1 right now, but you could sit on that lead and fall asleep, and then when you get your shot at a world title, you might not be ready. I want to stay busy and keep working.”
Beltran will certainly test Lundy’s endurance – and chin. The 30-year-old Sinaloa, Mexico native has stopped his opponent in each of his last nine wins, a streak that began in 2005 with a first-round knockout against Jaime Orrantia.
Even in defeat, Beltran is a handful; in his last two losses – both against previously-unbeaten opponents – Beltran went all 10 rounds, coming within two points on two of the three scorecards in a loss to Sharife Bogere in May of 2011 and in January losing by no more than four points on any of the scorecards in a unanimous-decision loss to undefeated Luis Ramos Jr.
This could be Beltran’s big break; having toiled in relative anonymity for years, he’s more known in some circles for being one of Manny Pacquiao’s sparring partners than he is for his own success inside the ring.
“I want to make a name myself,” Beltran said. “If I win, everything will change.”
The same goes for Lundy, who once again finds himself mixing it up with a dangerous puncher looking for his own signature win, similar to what he faced in March when he stepped to the plate against Dannie Williams, at the time a relatively unknown fighter who sent Lundy to the canvas in the opening round before the champion dominated the remainder of the bout en route to a unanimous-decision win.
“I saw his fight against Bogere,” Lundy said of Beltran. “He comes forward – nonstop pressure, but he’s a little slow. A guy like that, I can definitely handle, but I know he’s going to give it all he’s got. I’m ready for the challenge.”
While he prepares for Beltran, Lundy continues to keep his eye on the rest of the competition in the lightweight division, and the irony of DeMarco facing Molina in September certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed in Lundy’s camp. Lundy faced Molina in July of 2009 and led decisively on all three scorecards before Molina stopped him in the 11th round, capturing Lundy’s North American Boxing Organization (NABO) title.
“They feel as though since John beat me they’ll fight him to get ready for ‘Hammerin’’ Hank,” Lundy said, “but like I tell everybody, John was taking a beating in that fight. That’s why he’s scared to fight me. John is old news. They know he’s done.
“Everybody talks about Molina in a rematch with me. I’d love to avenge that loss, but, at the end of the day, he wouldn’t get back in the ring with me.”
Molina wouldn’t have a choice if he were to pull off the upset against DeMarco in September and Lundy were still the No. 1 contender for the WBC title, which would more than likely set up a rematch for the world title, but, as Lundy said, “[DeMarco] knows John is shot, so that ain’t going to happen.”
Instead, Lundy is focusing on the task at hand, which is defending his title against another hungry opponent looking to bump him off the path to greatness.
“I know what I’m fighting for,” Lundy said. “I’ve got this fire burning inside me. I’m going to be great. I’m destined to be great. No one is going to put that fire out.”
“I’m ready to win this fight,” Beltran added. “The key is not to fight his fight and do my own thing – make him follow my lead. To me, he’s a future world champion, and once I beat him I know I’ll one day be a world champion, too.”
Tickets for “Title Wave” are on sale now at $40, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Resorts Casino Hotel Box Office.
The undercard features a six-round showdown between bantamweights Miguel Cartagena (5-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia and Jose Rivera (3-6-2) of New Rochelle, N.Y. Undefeated light middleweight Anthony Lamanna (8-0, 5 KOs) of Millville, N.J., and welterweight Anthony Young (5-0, 2 KOs) of Atlantic City will be featured in separate bouts. For more information, visit www.cesboxing.com.
DERRICK WEBSTER RETURNING TO RING ON JULY 27TH
Undefeated super middleweight Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (13-0, 7 KOs) will look for his 14th professional victory later this month, returning to the ring on July 27th at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City as part of an ESPN Friday Night Fights card. Fresh off a trip to Las Vegas where he joined trainer Freddie Roach and the camp of WBC Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Webster reflected on the past few months of his life as he waits to hear who he will face in his next bout.
“The past few months have been interesting and educational,” Webster remarked. “I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. It has given me a lot more fire and has made me want to train a whole lot harder. I’m a person who has always had a lot of will, but this has given me even more will to want to win more excitingly.”
Something that has been a regular occurrence throughout the career of Webster is not getting much time to train for specific opponents. Dates are booked weeks and often months before he knows who he will be fighting, and various challengers are brought to the table before someone signs the deal to scrap.
“My trainer, Denny Brown, tells me that if I just am who I am supposed to be in that ring, it doesn’t matter who I’m fighting,” Webster stated. “We train for the pressure, we train for the boxers, we train for awkwardness, and we train for the long haul. Denny’s main goal is to always get these guys out of there as quickly as possible, but we also train for the rounds. We try to train where we don’t have to worry about being touched too much. Overall, it’s not really a frustration to me anymore. I remember a time when I used to get frustrated, but now that I’m starting to understand who I am, I wouldn’t want to fight me either.”
And as for his upcoming bout, Webster forecasts an entertaining night for all of the fight fans in attendance.
“On the 27th, expect explosiveness, great defense, great discipline and another ‘Take it to the Bank’ victory,” he concluded.