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10/05/2006 Archived Entry: "Peter Manfredo, Jr.-Joey Spina headlines "The Contender Special - Put Up or Shut Up""
Peter Manfredo, Jr.-Joey Spina headlines "The Contender Special - Put Up or Shut Up"
Green turning red over Ravelo - Gomez in action
ESPN2 show Oct. 14 in Providence
PROVIDENCE (October 4, 2006) - The countdown has started for "The Contender Special - Put Up or Shut Up" on October 14, headlined by The Contender I star Peter "The Pride of Providence" Manfredo, Jr. against Providence cross-town rival Joey "KO Kid" Spina, on ESPN2 from the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The Tournament of Contenders is promoting "The Contender Special - Put Up or Shut Up" in association with Classic Entertainment & Sports. The promoters hope to parlay the success of the recent finale of The Contender 2 series at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which drew more than 12,000 fans and earned a 1.9 rating on ESPN, representing more than 1.7 million house holds and 2.3 million viewers. It was the highest rated boxing telecast on ESPN in nine years dating back to January 1, 1997.
There's definitely no love lost between Manfredo and Spina. Manfredo (25-3, 11 KOs), rated No. 14 by the World Boxing Council and No. 15 by the International Boxing Federation, was a finalist in the original season of The Contender. The former NABO super middleweight title-holder plans to embarrass Spina in front of their families and friends at The Dunk. WBC USNBC and IBF Intercontinental super middleweight champion Spina (19-0-1, 14 KOs), now rated No. 14 by the IBF and No. 16 by the WBC, has promised to knockout his former Providence neighbor Manfredo in the middle of the ring with all their supporters watching. Unbeaten super middleweight contender Allan "Sweetness" Green is building a rage towards his opponent, Jerson "SuperJerz" Ravelo, in their highly anticipated eight-round co-feature.Green (22-0, 15 KOs) is one of the most feared punchers in boxing today; his 13-second demolition of high-regarded New Yorker and previously unbeaten Jaidon Codrington (9-0) serves as testimony to Green's powerful reputation. Green-Codrington was the ESPN and The Ring 2005 Knockout of the Year. Green, however, is upset that he hasn't gotten a high profile or world championship fight, yet. Now rated No. 5 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 18 by the World Boxing Council, "Sweetness" plans to take out his frustrations on Ravelo (17-1, 12 KOs), the 2000 Dominican Olympian who holds an amateur win against former world champion Jeff Lacy. "I can't say that this is my biggest fight or he's my toughest opponent," Green said from training camp. "He's nothing. I'm going to kill him. I'm the best fighter he's ever fought. After this win I'm hoping bigger things will happen for me, but it seems like I hear that after all my fights." An equally confident Ravelo is taking the high road, though, only saying, "This fight is very important to me because it's going to put me back to where I should have been two years ago. Green is one of the best super middleweights out there right now and this will be a great win for me." Also featured on this card in a Special Light Middleweight Attraction is The Contender I favorite Alfonso Gomez against Juan Pablo Montes de Oca. The Mexican-born Gomez, now fighting out of (Whittier) California, is rated No. 7 by the NABF. The fights will be televised on ESPN2 from 10:30PM - 12:30 AM/ET. It will be tape-delayed as the main event will begin LIVE at 9:00 PM/ET inside the Dunkin' Donut Center.On the undercard against opponents to be determined are three Rhode Island fighters - Pawtucket light welterweight Eddie Soto (5-0, 4 KOs), Providence lightweight "Hammerin'" Hank Lundy (2-0, 1 KO) and Pawtucket featherweight Jose Sanchez in his pro debut. Tickets priced at $57.00, $152.00, and $302.00 (ringside) are on sale through www.Ticketmaster.com, all local Ticketmaster outlets or by calling Ticketmaster direct at (401) 331-2211 or (617) 931-2000. Tickets are also available through CES Boxing at (401) 724-2253, www.cesboxing.com and the Dunkin' Donuts Center Box Office. For more information visit www.tournamentofcontenders.com, www.cesboxing.com, www.cesboxing.com or www.dunkindonutscenter.com.
