It
wasn’t that long ago that I praised promoters
Glenn Wheatley – Talentworks and Tony Caradonna
– Blaster Promotions for the joint shows they
are putting on at the Panthers World of Entertainment
in Penrith. This Sunday afternoon March 7, they have
seemingly hit the jackpot again with their next card
titled “Man of the Hour”, featuring a great
main event with Paul “Hurricane” Briggs
against Mexican Jesus Ruiz in an official WBC world
title eliminator. Add to that fights with Shannan Taylor,
Lovemore Ndou, Nedal Hussein and Sam Soliman and you
have one huge afternoon of great Aussie talent.
“We
have got an amazing card coming up on Sunday,”
beamed co-promoter Glenn Wheatley.
“It
is going to be an awesome card and great for Australian
boxing,” added 28 year-old Briggs.
The
main event is a strong one. While the world waits to
see if the Roy Jones Jr.-Antonio Tarver rematch will
go ahead on May 15, Briggs 21-1 (17) and Ruiz 18-3 (16)
will fight off to determine who will become the next
mandatory contender. No doubt, it is an important fight
for both men.
The
“Hurricane’ was cool and calm before Thursday’s
press conference started. The passion in his voice indicated
how much he is looking forward to the fight. “I'm
probably the fittest and strongest I have ever been,”
he said. “Before my fight with Castro I was probably
not as fit. I am punching much stronger and my fitness
is awesome.”
As
the tall 6’2’’ Ruiz walked up to the
press conference podium Briggs commented privately,
“He’s tall, I think I’ll be chopping
him down like a tree.”
30
year-old Ruiz said of Briggs, “I think he is very
good and very strong.”
The
Mexican’s manager Jack Lipeles suggested that
Briggs was underestimating Ruiz after reading some of
the Australian’s comments in the lead-up to the
fight on the Internet.
“He
is saying that Jesus is just an ordinary boxer and he
is looking at going to Tarver or Roy Jones for the title,”
said Lipeles. “He is saying that he does not see
any problem with Jesus and that is far from the truth.
I don’t know how to say it in Mexican, but he
has got ‘balls’. That’s what he has
come down here with. He knows everybody thinks he is
not going to win the fight. Golden Boy Promotions has
signed Paul Briggs, but Jesus knows he is going to win
the fight and we feel everyone will be shocked.”
In
the main support, IBF Pan Pacific junior middleweight
champion Shannan “Blaster” Taylor will face
Argentine Paulo Sanchez.
“I’m
very excited about Sunday,” said 31 year-old Taylor.
“I think it is probably the greatest card outside
some of the world title cards we have had here in Australia
with Kostya Tszyu, Jeff Fenech and Jeff Harding. You
are going to have eight fights and it is going to be
very similar to those out in Las Vegas. You will have
fights all afternoon but only the last four or five
televised. I welcome Paulo Sanchez to Australia and
I am looking forward to fighting him. I have my beautiful
IBF Pan Pacific belt here on the line and this is going
to help me get back into the ring with Shane Mosley.
The IBF Vice-President Ray Wheatley told me with a few
more defences I will be the No.1 contender. People will
see that I am in probably the best shape of my career
for many, many years and that just shows how determined
I’m going to be come Sunday.
“Shannan
Taylor, thank you for giving me the opportunity and
on Sunday hopefully the winner will be the best boxer,”
said 31 year-old Sanchez. Extra incentive for an impressive
win for the “Blaster” is that word from
the USA says he is under consideration for a fight with
the come-backing Vernon Forrest.
Only
a matter of weeks after his close points loss to Sharmba
Mitchell on February 7, the “Black Panther”
Lovemore Ndou makes a fast return to the ring against
Thailand’s Katchai Thirteen Coins. “I just
want to thank the promoters for having me on the card,”
he said. “I’m expecting a good fight and
I go into the ring to give a good fight. That’s
what I am going to do on Sunday. I want to thank all
of these people who supported me when I fought Sharmba
Mitchell. You all know what happened over there. I feel
they took the title away from me, but fortunately a
lot of good things have come from that.”
Only
a week after linking up with Ndou under the USA promotional
banner of Dan Goossen and Goossen-Tutor Promotions,
30 year-old “King” Sam Soliman is looking
for an impressive knockout against Argentine Jorge Sclarandi.
“I’m
happy to be here for the fourth time at Panthers World
of Entertainment,” said Soliman. “I’ve
had a perfect record fighting here in Penrith. I’ve
been in Los Angeles where I’ve been in camp sparring
with Robbie Peden and a couple of other very good fighters.
Sclarandi has had fifty fights and he has a very good
chin on him. It is another challenge in the sense that
my knockout record has not been that flash and it has
been questioned by the press. I’m out to knock
this guy out to let the people know that there is a
punch there. More importantly, I get to fight earlier
in the show. I am normally the main event on the card
for the last twelve fights, so now I can watch my mates
Shannan Taylor and Paul Briggs in action.”
None
of that mattered to Sclarandi. “I come here to
win,” he said.
The
vacant Australian cruiserweight title is also on the
line when Penrith local Brett Smith 8-1-2 (3) rematches
experienced veteran Tosca Petridis 8-5-1 (4) after their
two round technical draw last November. “I’m
so happy to be fighting in my hometown,” said
Smith. “I’m born and bred in the area and
looking forward to the local support. I’m fighting
for the Australian title, but hopefully one day I’ll
get to where these guys are here. It’s pretty
overwhelming sitting up here with them, but I’m
looking forward to it.”
A
handful of tickets are still available for the card,
but if you want to attend live, you need to buy your
tickets from Panthers now. The weigh-in will be held
at Panthers World of Entertainment on Saturday morning
at 11am and there will be eight fights on the card.
The first fight will commence at midday, while television
coverage will commence at 2pm AEDT on Main Event Television
and on Sky Channel at participating pubs and clubs.
Only the top five fights on the card are expected to
be televised.
