By Mark Vester
The Worcester Telegram reports that WBA junior middleweight champion José Antonio Rivera is going to clash with unbeaten Travis Simms, on Nov. 4 in Phoenix's Chase Field, on the undercard to WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Lyakhovich (23-1-0, 14 knockouts) vs. Shannon Briggs (47-4-1, 41 KOs). Also on the card will be IBF junior middleweight champion Cory Spinks (35-3-0, 11) going up against Rodney Jones (37-3-1, 22), and former IBF junior middleweight champ Roman Karmazin (34-2-1, 21), against ex-WBO/WBU champ Daniel Santos (30-3-1, 21).
“I needed to fight,” said Rivera (38-4-1, 24), who last fought four months ago, “so I’m not going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs to get what I think I’m worth and end up with nothing. So I took the offer. I hope to be in great condition. I’m not happy about the seven weeks’ notice, but what can you do?
“I’m in good condition now, I just have to step everything up extra early. Normally, I’d step it up a little right now, but I’ll have to step it up drastically to get to where I want to be.”
Simms (24-0-0, 18 KOs) has not fought in almost two years, last appearing in the ring when he scored an a unanimous decision over Bronco McKart on Oct. 2, 2004. At the time he was the WBA 154 pound champ, but was later stripped for not facing Alejandro “Terra” Garcia in a rematch. Simms is trained by Nirmal Lorick, who also trains former WBA welterweight champ Luis Collazo, who won the title by way of 12-round split decision over Rivera in April 2005 at the DCU Center. Lorick hopes to help Simms duplicate the same winning effort.
