Don King presents; "Pride of St. Louis", IBF junior middleweight champion Cory Spinks & protege Devon Alexander

Don King presents; "Pride of St. Louis", IBF junior middleweight champion Cory Spinks & protege Devon Alexander, the WBC Continental Americas champion

Don King formally announced IBF junior middleweight champion Cory Spinks and his protege Devon Alexander, the WBC Continental Americas champion, will both be featured on the "Pride of St. Louis" card at Scottrade Center on Thursday, March 27. Spinks will defend his IBF junior middleweight crown opposing former three-time world champion Verno Phillips. Alexander will make the first defense of his World Boxing Council Continental Americas title, opposing Miguel Callist in a continental title unification match.

Cory Spinks


Devon Alexander 'The Great'


Contact: Alan Hopper, DKP

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Ladbrokes.com Fight Night - Murray a fighter even before he donned the Gloves

Ladbrokes.com Fight Night - Murray a fighter even before he donned the Gloves

Even before Andrew Murray put on a pair of boxing gloves it was obvious he was a true fighter. The Cavan man is the current Irish Light Welterweight champion and one of the country’s hottest boxing prospects but there were few signs in Murray’s childhood that a career between the ropes lay in store.

Andrew Murray


His early years were blighted by Perthes disease, a degenerative hip condition that left him wheelchair bound for extended periods. However Murray was transfixed by the epic battles between the likes of Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn on his TV screen and he was desperate to step between the ropes himself.

However Murray’s notions were discouraged by his doctor who insisted that if he boxed he would end up crippled for life before he reached 20. The determined youngster ignored his advice and joined Cavan boxing club. Now 25 Murray is unbeaten in 9 pro fights and a reigning Irish Champion.

He will put his Light welterweight title on the line on March 22nd when he defends against Belfast’s James Gorman on the Ladbrokes.com Fight Night at the National Stadium in Dublin. The contest is the chief supporting bout to the clash between Irish middleweight champ Matthew Macklin and former World Champion Yori Boy Campas.

Murray though will be determined to steal the spotlight in his Irish title rematch with Gorman. The two men clashed for the first time last December when they met at the Kings Hall. Murray emerged victorious but he wasn’t particularly satisfied at the outcome given the circumstances of the win.

A clash of heads left Murray with a nasty gash over his right eye and unable to continue in the fourth round. Under Boxing Union of Ireland rules the decision went to the referee’s scorecard and Murray was awarded the win but he admits it was something of a hollow victory.

“When you win you want to win in style so to win the way I did took a bit of the shine off it,” said Murray. “You never want to win a fight on cuts so I still don’t class myself as the champion yet. Hopefully I can beat Gorman in Dublin and leave no doubts this time around.”

Murray is probably the quietest, most unassuming professional boxer you could ever meet. In a sport often dominated by hype and hysteria the Cavan man is refreshingly understated. Regarded as one of the best kept secrets in the UK and Ireland Murray is more than happy to let his first do all his talking. His amateur accomplishments certainly speak volumes for his professional prospects.

A 3 time Irish Senior Champion Murray was also a fixture on the International amateur circuit winning numerous Gold medals for Ireland at Multi Nations events.

His amateur coach Brian McKeown remembers Murray’s first day in the gym as an 11 year old. “He was tall and gangly and you could see he clearly had a problem with his leg. He didn’t strike me as being special but what soon became apparent was how determined and dedicated he was. He actually lost his first fight but by the end of that season he was Irish Champion and he went on to win another 3 on the trot. In fact he was unbeaten for 4 and a half years in the amateurs.”

Murray took some impressive scalps in the unpaid ranks including current British Light Middleweight champion, Gary Woolcombe, who he stopped in 2 rounds. He also beat former British title challengers Femi Fehintola and Ricky Burns as well as English amateur star Michael Grant.

After the frustration of failing to qualify for the Athens Olympics in 2004 Murray decided to switch to the pro ranks and relocate to London under manager Michael Helliet.

“Andrew’s problem since going pro is that he’s been too good for his own good,” said McKeown. “He’s sparred the best in the U.K. in the gyms there and everyone there knows how good he is so nobody wants to fight him. Thankfully the professional boxing scene is very healthy in Ireland now so Andrew has a chance to make a name for himself back at home again.”

Certainly boxing in Cavan is on a real high right now with McKeown’s latest protégé John Joe Nevin having qualified for the Olympics.

“Andrew’s a real inspiration for all the kids boxing in Cavan," said McKeown. "He’s out running at 5 in the morning, into work for 7 and then he trains at the gym in the evening. He’s very popular in the area and travels around all the clubs here giving training sessions and helping out wherever he’s needed. You never want to look too far ahead but I think over the next 12 – 18 months with the right fights Andrew can start fulfilling the potential we all know he has.”

The Ladbrokes.com Fight Night also features Cuban heavyweight sensation Mike Perez and the pro debut of Irish amateur heavyweight champion Ian Tims amongst other bouts.


Tickets for the Ladrokes.com Fight Night priced from €60 are on sale now from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.

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Shoulder injury temporarily sidelines Mesi; Mesi returns vs. Smith Olympian Estrada battles Whitaker ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, April 4

Shoulder injury temporarily sidelines Mesi; Mesi returns vs. Smith Olympian Estrada battles Whitaker ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, April 4 at Twin River Event Center, RI

PROVIDENCE– A shoulder muscle tear has forced “Baby” Joe Mesi to withdraw from his April 4th fight against Terry “Hurricane” Smith, headlining an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights pro boxing show, at Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Mesi is under doctor’s orders to rest his injured shoulder for three to four weeks.

Joe suffered a posterior and interior labral tear. The labrum is a cuff of cartilage, or thick tissue, in the shoulder joint that forms a cup for the end of the arm bone (humerus) to move within, allowing for a very wide range of movements. An injury like this restricts a boxer from throwing an effective punch with proper movement or without pain.

“Joe is terribly disappointed,” Mesi’s father/advisor Jack Mesi reported. “His promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, positioned Joe back on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, which is the plateau we hoped Joe would reach at this stage. This is just a temporary setback, that’s all. Joe will continue training to stay in good shape and keep his weight down, but he can’t do anything that involves using his shoulder. He’s still running and exercising. In three weeks he’ll be reevaluated and once the doctor clears him, Joe wants to get back in the ring as soon as possible.”

Buffalo sports icon Mesi (36-0, 29 KOs), former NABF heavyweight champion, currently rated No. 17 by the WBC and the WBC No. 1 contender in 2004, has beaten the likes of Vassiliy Jirov, Monte Barrett, DaVarryl Williamson, and David Izon.

“Joe’s shoulder injury isn’t too serious, but it’s a situation where he just couldn’t train because of it, and still be ready in time to fight April 4,” Burchfield, president of Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., explained. “We’re thankful for the support and understanding at ESPN2 and Twin River. Next week, we’ll announce who’ll be fighting on the April 4th ESPN2 show. 2004 US Olympian Jason ‘Big Six’ Estrada is still fighting 6-foot, 8-inch ‘Mount’ Whitaker in a 10-round heavyweight bout. Joe’s worked so hard in his comeback and it’s a shame that he can’t fight April 4. His time will come, though. Joe Mesi is going to be heavyweight champion of the world.”



April 4 Mesi returns vs. Smith Olympian Estrada battles Whitaker ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, April 4 at Twin River Event Center, RI

PROVIDENCE– Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. president Jimmy Burchfield has formally announced unbeaten world heavyweight challenger “Baby” Joe Mesi’s returns to the ring on April 4 against Terry “Hurricane” Smith, headlining an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights pro boxing show in the 10-round main event, at Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Mesi will make his first defense of the WBC USNBC title belt he won last October with a first-round stoppage of Shannon Miller.

2004 U.S. Olympian and top heavyweight prospect, Jason “Big Six” Estrada, steps up in class to take on former world title challenger Lance “Mount” Whitaker in the 10-round co-feature.

“This is a major league show on ESPN2,” promoter Burchfield said. “These four heavyweights have a combined record of 109-9-2 with 76 knockouts. These are big men, real heavyweights, averaging 6’ 3” and 238-pounds. Joe is on a mission to fight for the world heavyweight title and Smith will be a solid test. Nobody has stopped him and he’s been in against a lot of top heavyweights like world heavyweight challengers Calvin Brock and Jameel McCline. Jason is going to make a lot of noise in 2008, starting with Whitaker, who fought (Luan) Krasniqi for the WBO belt, and knocked out world champion Oleg Maskaev. Mesi is going to be a force again in the heavyweight division very soon; Estrada’s a future world champion in the making.”

Buffalo sports icon Mesi (36-0, 29 KOs), former NABF heavyweight champion, currently rated No. 17 by the WBC, was the WBC No. 1 contender in 2004, before an injury and controversial suspension sidelined him for two years. Mesi’s 36 victims include Vassiliy Jirov, Monte Barrett, DaVarryl Williamson, and David Izon.

Unbeaten in his first 21 pro defeats, former NABO title challenger Smith (30-4-1, 18 KOs), fighting out of Little Rock (AR), defeated former world champion Kelvin Davis last May.

Estrada (11-1, 2 KOs), 27, completed his amateur career in the U.S. with a remarkable record of 261-14, going unbeaten in America four years after the 2000 Olympic Trials. The Providence-native became the first boxer to win both the U.S. Nationals and U.S.Challenge three years (2001-2003) in a row. In only his seventh pro fight, Jason went the full 10 rounds against veteran Robert Wiggin, winning a complete shutout (100-90 three times). Estrada won a unanimous 10-round decision versus former world title challenger Charles Shufford in his last fight on January 25.

In addition to his win against Maskaev, the 6’ 8” Whitaker (32-4-1, 27) has also beaten former world title-holder Al “Ice” Cole, previously unbeaten Robert Davis (22-0), and 2-time world title challenger Monte Barrett.

Tickets will go on sale March 15. Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Twin River Events Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information.

CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press
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