Totowa, NJ – July 13, 2012 – Gabriel “Chico Guapo” Campillo, 21-4-1, 8 KO’s, the #3 light heavyweight in the world, will take on Russia’s tough Sergey Kovalev, 18-0-1, 16 KO’s, rated #13, on Friday, September 21st when the critically acclaimed NBC Sports Network Fight Night Boxing Series returns to the Events Center at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The 2,000 seat arena was sold out with standing room only for the June 1st NBCSN Fight Night show at the Sands.
The show, which is slated to begin at 9 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, will be a co-promotion among Peltz Boxing, Sampson Boxing and Main Events.
Managed by World Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez, Campillo of Madrid was last seen in February losing a razor-close highly controversial split decision to IBF Champion Tavoris Cloud in Texas. In 2010 Campillo, (21-4-1, 8 KO’s) lost another disputed decision to current IBF Light Heavyweight title holder Beibut Shumenov in Las Vegas. Last year he drew with Karo Murat in a title eliminator in Murat’s adopted home of Germany.
“Campillo has arguably beaten two world champions and the number one contender without receiving the decisions,” said promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events. “After he stopped Darnell Boone on NBCSN in June, Kovalev stated that he is ready to fight for the world title. On September 21st he will get the opportunity to prove to the world that he is worthy in a very tough fight. A win for Campillo would put him right back into the title picture.”
Campillo’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz said, “Campillo is very happy about this fight. This is well deserved. He got robbed in his last 3 – 4 fights, including Vegas, Germany and Texas.” Lewkowicz added, “Campillo will spend the next two months training very hard with manager Sergio Martinez and trainer Pablo Sarmiento. He is a very tough fighter. This will be a great fight and I guarantee that no one in that arena will know who the winner will be until the end.”
In the twelve round defense of his WBC Continental Americas Welterweight belt, popular welterweight Ronald Cruz of Bethlehem, 17-0, 12 KO’s, will make his second “Fight Night” appearance when he faces Antwone Smith, 21-4-1, 12 KO’s, in a classic crossroads match-up. Cruz won his belt on the NBCSN Fight Night show on June 1st with a unanimous 12-round decision over Prenice Brewer, of Cleveland, OH. Smith is a walk-in styled fighter like Cruz and this fight promises to be a boxing fan’s contest. Cruz is currently ranked No. 12 IBF and No. 15 WBC as a welterweight.
The ticket prices and undercard will be announced shortly.
2012-2013 NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE
(All Times ET and subject to change)
Friday, September 21 9-11p.m. NBC Sports Network
Saturday, December 8 10 p.m.-12 a.m. NBC Sports Network
Saturday, December 22 4-6 p.m. NBC
Saturday, January 19, 9-11 p.m. NBC Sports Network
Saturday, March 9, 2013 9-11 p.m. NBC Sports Network
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
