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12/05/2006 Archived Entry: "Rivera-Simms Added to Peter-Toney II Card"
WBA 154-Pound World Championship Added to Peter vs. Toney 2 CardJose Antonio Rivera Puts His WBA Title on the Line Against Undefeated Travis Simms
HOLLYWOOD, Fla.—Don King is making the biggest boxing match ever staged in Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday, Jan. 6 an even more star-studded affair with the addition of a World Boxing Association super welterweight championship, which will join the World Boxing Council-ordered heavyweight rematch between Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter and James “Lights Out” Toney.
World Boxing Association super welterweight champion “El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera will make his first title defense against undefeated WBA super welterweight champion in recess “Tremendous” Travis Simms.
Tickets priced at $500, $300, $150, $100 and $50* are on sale now at the Hard Rock Live Box Office (open daily from noon until 7 p.m. ET), all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: Miami-Dade (305) 358-5885, Broward (954) 523-3309 and Palm Beach (561) 966-3309. *Additional fees and/or service charges may apply.
Rivera (38-4-1, 24 KOs), from Worcester, Mass., is a former welterweight world champion, who found out inside the ring that he could no longer maintain his strength at that weight. He became the WBA 147-pound champion when he beat German boxer Michael Trabant, in Berlin, during 2003.
A series of unfortunate events followed when Ricardo Mayorga couldn’t make weight when they were supposed to meet; Rivera subsequently suffered a hand injury while training to face his mandatory challenger Thomas “Lionheart” Damgaard; and Damgaard fell out on short notice prior to a televised meeting on April 2, 2005.
Luis Collazo took the match on two weeks’ notice and won a narrow split decision over Rivera.
Rivera said he felt drained during the match, so he made the bold move up to the 154-pound limit to regain his strength. He shocked the world by knocking down the very tough WBA super welterweight champion Alejandro “Terra” Garcia four times on the way to winning a lopsided unanimous decision and the championship in his last appearance on May 6 in his hometown of Worcester.
Rivera will have his hands full again when he faces Simms (24-0, 18 KOs), from Norwalk, Conn., an undefeated fighter who is the WBA super welterweight champion in recess.
Simms gave the aforementioned Garcia his first loss to win the championship in 2003. Simms went on to successfully defend his title again the following year against Bronco McKart. Simms is anxious to get back in the ring, and he wants to prove that he is the true WBA 154-pound champion.
“Peter vs. Toney 2… Redemption” is being promoted by Duva Boxing, Goossen Tutor Promotions, Warriors Boxing Promotions, and Don King Productions. The main event will be televised on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
