World Boxing Federation (WBF) North America Light Heavyweight Champion Shawn Miller will make his first title-defense on Friday August 15 at the City Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., when he takes on flashy lefty Frankie Filippone.
Miller, a 32 year-old from Troy, N.Y. with a 13-1-1 (5) record, won the WBF title last August with a unanimous decision over Yasin Rashid, and has since stayed busy with two low-key non-title victories while not being able to defend his crown due to various obstacles.
In Frankie “Freight Train” Filippone, 16-4-1 (3), he will be facing a difficult task, as the Norfolk, Virginia boxer is known to be a capable and difficult opponent for anyone with his elusive Southpaw style.
Filippone, a police officer by trade known as “Officer Friendly”, turned professional in 2008 and won the NABA Light Heavyweight title last year, before suffering unexpected back-to-back setbacks against Taneal Goyco and Aaaron Pryor Jr.
He has since rebounded with two straight victories, over the aforementioned Yasin Rashid by decision and a first round stoppage over the usually durable Willie Williams. At 34 years of age Filippone is aware that this is a major opportunity for him, and, as is always the case, he will be coming to win on August 15.
Saratoga is less than thirty miles from Millers hometown Troy, and a big turnout is expected to support the defending champion. Promoted by Take It Light Promotions, the WBF championship main event will be supported by a full undercard of well-matched bouts.
www.worldboxingfederation.net
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.
