Two super prospects will turn pro on Top Rank's best-ever VERSUS fight card which features welterweight Joshua Clottey in an eliminator against Shamone Alvarez at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday night.
Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler announced today that Las Vegas lightweight Diego Magdaleno will go into his professional debut as well as 13-time amateur champion Emily Klinefelter of Iowa City.
Both are regarded as top prospects.
"There is a never-ending hunt for talent," Trampler said. "I'm very interested how Diego and Emily will do in their first professional bouts."
Both are in four-rounders.
Magdaleno, a skilled lightweight with firepower, fought in the US Olympic Trials, was 111-16 overall and during 2007 was rated #1 in the USA at 132 pounds. He is a graduate of Clark High School in Las Vegas.
Emily Klinefelter, 22, is a featherweight who began her boxing career six years ago. She has won 13 senior national titles, more than any other U.S. woman, including the 2003, 2004, and 2006 U.S. Championships, 2003 - 2006 PAL National Championships, 2002 - 2005 Ringside World Championships, and the 2005 and 2006 National Golden Gloves. She has also won gold medals at the 2004 Women's World Invitational Tournament in Taiwan (110 pounds) and the 2006 Pan American Games in Argentina (119 pounds).
After winning her first bout on March 31, 2001, she has managed to rack up over 50 victories, including the last six U.S. tournaments in which she’s participated. She has represented the United States boxing in Russia, Sweden, Norway, Taiwan, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, and India.
Emily was ranked #1 in the U.S. at 110 pounds during 2003 and 2004, accumulating more ranking points than any woman in any weight division. She was named the Women's Boxing Archive Network's (WBAN) (www.womenboxing.com) 2004 amateur boxer of the year. Emily was the first senior Iowan, male or female, to win the U.S. National Championships tournament.
Emily moved up from 110 to 119 pounds (bypassing 114) in 2005 , but still managed to win Ringside, PAL, Golden Gloves and the 2006 US National Championships, achieving boxing's grand slam, winning all 4 tournaments in a row, something no woman has ever done.
Doors open 5 pm Thursday at the Hard Rock. First bell is 5:15 and the VERSUS telecast begins 6 pm local time. Tickets for the 'Holiday Fight Card at the Rock' are $85, $55, $35 and are available at the Hard Rock box office or on ticketmaster.com
