Boxcino 2014 Champions Monroe Jr., Petrov on ESPN Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates January 16 Boxcino 2015 Fighters and Matchups to be Announced on Friday’s Telecast
In anticipation of this year’s Boxcino 2015 tournament, the January 16 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature Boxcino 2014 middleweight champion Willie “El Mongoose” Monroe Jr. (18-1, 6 KOs) and Boxcino 2014 lightweight champion Petr “El Zar” Petrov (35-4-2, 16 KOs) in co-main events.
Monroe will square off in a 10-round bout against veteran Bryan “The Warrior” Vera (23-8, 14 KOs), while Petrov will meet lightweight contender “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (25-4-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round match. Friday’s show from the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will air the fights on Saturday, January 17, at 8 p.m. The card is promoted by Banner Promotions.
Commentators: Joe Tessitore will be ringside with analyst Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will provide the latest boxing news and information. Delvin Rodríguez and Pablo Viruega will call the fights for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.
Boxcino 2015 Fighters and Matchups to be Announced on Telecast: Fighters and matchups for this year’s Boxcino 2015 tournament — featuring fighters in the heavyweight and junior middleweight divisions — will be announced during this week’s Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates telecasts (boxers are paired and the brackets created by random drawing).
Co-Main Events: Rochester, N.Y.’s Monroe Jr., the son of former middleweight contender Willie Monroe, has won his last eight fights, including his last—a 10-round unanimous decision win over Brandon Adams to win the Boxcino 2014 middleweight belt. Vera, who hails from Texas, enters Friday’s fight with wins over former junior middleweight titlists Sergio Mora and Sergey Dzinziruk.
Pertov, who scored an eighth-round TKO victory over Fernando Carcamo in his last fight to win the Boxcino 2014 lightweight belt, is looking to score another victory when he faces Philadelphia’s Lundy, who has wins over lightweight titlist Richar Abril and former lightweight titlist David Diaz.
Opening Fight: Fridays show will open with a four-round matchup between Welterweights Greg Jackson (3-1-1, 1 KO) of N.J. and Maryland’s Cornelius Whitlock (3-1-2, 2 KOs).
| Date | Time | Main Event | Location | Networks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 16 | 9 p.m | Willie Monroe Jr. (18-1, 6 KOs) vs. Brian Vera (23-8, 14 KOs) — 10 rounds, Middleweights; Petr Petrov (35-4-2, 7 KOs) vs. Hank Lundy (25-4-1, 12 KOs) – 10 rounds, Lightweights | Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona N.Y. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
| Fri, Jan 30 | 9 p.m | Karl Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) vs. Tony Luis (18-2, 7 KOs) —10 rounds, Lightweights | Foxwoods Resort and Casino, Mashantucket, Conn. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
| Fri, Feb 6 | 9 p.m | Jermain Taylor (33-4-1, 20 KOs) vs. Sergio Mora (27-3-2, 9 KOs) — 12 rounds, IBF World Middleweight Title | Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi, Miss. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
| Fri, Feb 13 | 9 p.m | Boxcino 2015 Quarterfinals- Junior Middleweight | Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
| Fri, Feb 20 | 9 p.m | Boxcino 2015 Quarterfinals- Heavyweight | Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona N.Y. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
