Ontario, California – ESPN and Lion Heart Boxing Productions announced today that they have decided to bring ESPN’s acclaimed Wednesday Night Fights series to Los Angeles. Wednesday Night Fights will be held on July 19, 2006 at the Hilton Ontario Airport Hotel in Ontario California and will air live on ESPN2.
The July 19, 2006 will be Lion Heart Boxing Productions’ first card on ESPN and in the State of California. It will also be the inaugural event of a new boxing fight series—King of the Ring Boxing. King of the Ring Boxing will serve as an ongoing elimination vehicle designed to identify the best in each weight class regardless of their rankings by the boxing sanctioning bodies. The ultimate goal is to identify a “True King,” a ‘King of the Ring.’
Says Lion Heart Boxing Productions Event Coordinator, Bob Rey, “The management of Lion Heart Boxing Productions is very pleased to be honored with an opportunity to promote an episode of ESPN2’s Wednesday Night Fights series and will use it as an occasion to introduce King of the Ring Boxing, a boxing series I believe will revolutionize the industry.”
In the main event, undefeated Brazilian Welterweight Contender Antonio Mesquita (32-0, 26 KO’s) will face New Zealander Santos Pakau (27-2). Loser goes home and the winner will get an opportunity to fight the winner of another King of the Ring Boxing elimination fight.
Thirty one year old Antonio Mesquita is a native of Guaruja, Brazil. He currently fights out of St. George, Utah and is trained by Luis Tapia, the renowned trainer, and the Owner/Operator of the Johnny Toccos Boxing Gym in Las Vegas. Mesquita’s highest rank was Number Two, before his leave of absence. Since turning pro in 1997, Mesquita (32-0, 26 KOs) of Guaruja, Brazil, has remained unbeaten and has knocked out more than 80 percent of his opponents, 21 KO’s within the first five rounds.
The native Brazilian Mesquita captured his first pro crown, the Brazilian State Light Welterweight championship, after less than one year of campaigning as a professional fighter with a 10-round KO over Valmir Gomes on December 6, 1997. His second major crown was the WBO Latin America Junior Welterweight crown which Mesquita won in his hometown by registering a first-round KO over Juan Urzua on January 15, 2001. In his sole title defense, Mesquita earned a 12-round decision over Luiz Da Silva on June 30, 2001, in Guaruja. Mesquita stayed active until 2001, when a shortage of opponents slowed his career.
In his sole 2002 appearance, Mesquita floored Rodrigo Villalba in the third round on April 20. After that Mesquita only fought four more times, racking on four more wins, before taking a leave of absence in August, 2004 for personal reasons.
Mesquita decided to return to Boxing and had his first comeback fight on February 16, 2006 at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center. Since his return in February, he has had two fights, all knockouts. On May 26, 2006, he destroyed former amateur standout Anthony Ivy in one round winning the NABC Welterweight title in the process. Mesquita is back, with a vengeance, and is on the hunt for a major title. First, he must go through Pakau.
Pakau, a New Zealander from Auckland, has been training in the United States for the last six months. With thirty fights under his belt, Pakau is more experienced than your average twenty three year old. Coming off a loss in a fight he thought was stopped too soon, Pakau is anxious for redemption and sees Mesquita an opportunity to re-establish himself as a serious contender.
Topping the undercard is Malcolm “The Showstopper” Tann (17-2) in an eight round fight with Derek Berry (12-5). Also on the undercard is “the grudge match of the century” according to promoter Stacey “Goodnight” Goodson. Stacey Goodson’s wife, Sarah Goodson (17-14) will seek to avenge her loss to Sandra Ortiz (7-3) in a ten round fight for the WIBF 100 pound title. Sandra Ortiz scored a six round mixed decision over Goodson on April 05, 2006 and Goodson has been fuming ever since. Apparently, Goodson underestimated Ortiz in the April fight but promise to come well prepared for this fight and to deliver a knockout win.
There are a total of six fights scheduled. Heavyweight standout James Toney will serve as Master of Ceremonies and Jimmy Buffer will be the ring announcer. Lion Heart Boxing Productions, Ltd. will promote King of the Ring Boxing events at the Ontario Hilton on a quarterly basis.
The official weigh-in for the fight is open to the Media and the general public and will be held at the Hilton Ontario Hotel, on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at 4:00 P.M.
Tickets are $2,500.00 for VIP Suites, $1,500.00 for VIP Tables, $80.00 for Ringside, $60.00 for Contender Reserved Seating and $40.00 for General Admission. Seating is limited as the venue holds less than a thousand people. Tickets can be purchased at the Hilton Ontario Hotel, www.tix.com or www.KingoftheRingBoxing.com.
The doors of the Hilton Ontario Hotel will open at 4:00 P.M. and the first bout will start at 5:00 P.M. promptly with the televised bouts starting at 6:00 P.M., all Western Standard Time.
