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Gary, Ind. (June 20, 2000) -- Holden Productions, in
association with the Majestic Star Casino and Trump Hotel Casino,
will present "The Angel's Homecoming" - live
professional boxing featuring former WBU jr. lightweight champion
and Gary, Indiana native Angel Manfredy - in the main event on
Sunday, June 25, 2000. Manfredy, 32-4-1 (25 KOs), will face
former Mexican champion Augustin Lorenzo, 25-11-2 (20 KOs).
"The
Angel's Homecoming" will feature a special guest appearance
by former two-time heavyweight world champion Michael Moorer.
The co-main event will feature the International Female Boxing
Association (IFBA)
Continental jr. welterweight champion and Women Boxing Archive
Network's "1999 Fighter of the Year" - Sumya "The
Island Girl" Anani, who recorded a major upset victory over
previously undefeated Christy Martin. The
first bout will begin at 3 p.m. CDT. Doors open to the
public at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the Casino
Pavilion Box Office or online at www.majesticstar.com
or www.trumpindiana.com.
"Majestic Star Casino and Trump Hotel Casino are excited to
be hosting this world class boxing event and to feature Gary,
Indiana's own Angel Manfredy in the main event and the best female
boxer in theworld - Sumya Anani - in the co-main event," said
Michael Kelly and Bruce McKee, general managers of Majestic Star
Casino and Trump Hotel Casino respectively. "We're also
excited to be celebrating our 4th Anniversary and look forward to
welcoming former two-time heavyweight world champion Michael
Moorer as our very special guest."
Angel
Manfredy, 32-4-1 (25 KOs), born in Gary, Ind., now residing in
Hobart, Ind., is the former WBU jr. lightweight champion and is
currently the IBF's No. 7 world-rated lightweight. Angel's
aggressive style and exceptional skills have made him a fan
favorite, wearing down opponents with nonstop punching. He
has recorded strong performances against top opposition, including
wins against Arturo Gatti, Ivan Robinson and John Brown.
Angel began boxing at the age of 10. Raised in a tough
neighborhood in East Chicago, Ind., Angel's father introduced him
to the sport for his protection and to teach him discipline.
A natural in the ring, Angel secured an outstanding amateur record
of 47 wins, against 8 losses. He fought in many regional
amateur tournaments in the Chicago area, including the Junior
Olympics.
Angel began his professional career at the age of 18. He got
off to a rough start, suffering a 2nd round technical knockout in
June 1993 against Charles McClellan. Angel went 2-2-1 in his
first five
fights before stringing together nine consecutive victories,
including an 8-round decision win in November 1994 against Charles
McClellan, avenging his first pro loss.
Since then, Angel has matured in the ring and has become one of
the most feared jr. lightweights in the country. In November
1995, Angel won the WBU jr. lightweight title in Atlantic City
against former
world champion Calvin Grove (TKO 7). He made seven
successful title defenses, including an impressive victory over
former world champion Jorge Paez in August 1997. Angel
dominated the fight, winning every round, and knocked down Paez
for the finish at 1:06 of the 8th round.
One of his greatest victories was recorded on Jan. 17, 1998 in
Atlantic City when Angel fought IBF jr. lightweight champion
Arturo Gatti in a highly-anticipated showdown. Both fighters
had 130-pound
titles, but the match was over the weight limit and neither title
was at stake. Gatti, (29-1), was typically aggressive, but Angel
gave a great performance, consistently scoring with accurate
punches. Angel cut Gatti in the 1st round and knocked him
down in the 3rd. Gatti rallied in the middle rounds, but
Angel rocked him with several hard punches in the 7th, and the
referee stopped the fight at the end of the 8th due to Gatti's
severely cut and swollen left eye.
On Dec. 12, 1998, Angel challenged WBC jr. lightweight champion
Floyd Mayweather, (18-0), for Mayweather's world title. Mayweather
rocked Angel late in the 2nd round, and the referee stopped the
fight at 2:47 of the round. Angel, and many observers, felt
the
fight was stopped much too quickly.
Angel rebounded from the loss to Mayweather on April 17, 1999,
when he won a 10-round unanimous decision against Ivan Robinson
(27-2). Angel dominated the action in an exciting fight and
won by near shutout scores of 100-90, 99-91, 99-91.
On Aug. 14, 1999, Angel challenged WBC lightweight champion Stevie
Johnston for the world title. It was an exciting matchup,
very competitive and close. But, Angel broke his hand in the
5th round, and Johnston rallied in the second half of the fight to
win by scores of 116-112, 116-112, 118-111. Angel considers
the loss to Johnston the biggest turning point in his life.
He reportedly had considered
suicide, but made it through his crisis by giving his life to
Christ.
Michael Moorer, 39-2 (31 KOs), of Detroit, Mich., a former
light heavyweight world champion and former two-time heavyweight
champion of the world, will make a special guest appearance at
Majestic Star Casino/ Trump Hotel Casino. Moorer became the first
left-hander to win the heavyweight title when he scored a majority
decision over Evander Holyfield on April 22, 1994.
Moorer was training at the Kronk Gym, in his hometown of Detroit,
in preparation to make his first comeback fight in the main event
on June 25, but suffered a minor shoulder injury that will require
orthopedic surgery. Rehabilitation will take an estimated 8
to 12 weeks. Moorer is determined to regain the world
heavyweight title and hopes to reschedule his first comeback fight
at Majestic Star Casino/ Trump Hotel Casino in the near future.
The co-main event will feature the undefeated IFBA Continental jr.
welterweight champion Sumya "The Island Girl" Anani.
Anani, of Kansas City, Mo., is 15-0 with seven knockouts and was
named
the Women Boxing Archive Network (WBAN) "1999 Fighter of the
Year." The Jamaican born boxer scored a major upset by
defeating previously undefeated Christy Martin, winning a 10-round
unanimous decision against
Martin on Dec. 18, 1998. On March 12, 1999, Anani recorded
another impressive victory by defeating former U.S. amateur
champion Denise Moraetes in a clear 8-round unanimous decision.
Anani also scored an
impressive victory over veteran Dora Webber on June 11, 1999.
Anani is a professional masseuse and yoga instructor who began
boxing professionally as a form of exercise in the summer of 1996.
Time: 3 p.m. CDT, Sunday, June 25, 2000 outdoors (in a
covered tent) at Majestic Star Casino/ Trump Hotel Casino (One
Buffington Harbor Drive, Gary, Ind., 46406). Doors open to
public at 2:30 p.m. CDT.
Please note: A press conference to announce the final fight
card will be held at the casino on Friday, June 23 at 2 p.m. CDT
in the Lakeshore Lounge. The official weigh-in will be
held at the casino on Saturday, June 24 at 2 p.m. CDT.
Ticket Sales: Tickets are on sale at the Casino Pavilion Box
Office at Majestic Star Casino/ Trump Hotel Casino or online at www.majesticstar.com
or www.trumpindiana.com.
Ticket prices are $25 for
General Admission and $50 for Preferred Seating. Discounts
are available to "Club Card" Members of both the
Majestic Star Casino and Trump Hotel Casino. Call Majestic
Star Casino at 1-888-2B-LUCKY (1-888-225-8259) or Trump Hotel
Casino at 1-888-21-TRUMP (1-888-218-7867) for more information.
Card Subject to Change. For more information on the featured
fighters and remaining undercard bouts, please contact Matt
Palmer, vice president of Holden Productions, at (816)454-1041 or
(913)484-6288 or
Tony Holden, president of Holden Productions, at (918)299-4120.
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