Casino, ESPN make happy marriage
Today’s boxing card at Northern Quest Casino, beginning at 4:30 p.m., is the result of proper preparation meeting opportunity.
“What happened is this: ESPN had this open date, this date, and it was difficult to sell,” promoter Arthur Pelullo explained. “It’s for a 7:30 start on the East Coast, and those early starts are difficult to sell.”
It wasn’t a hard sell to the Airway Heights casino, which debuted its first professional fight card in December with an eye toward producing live boxing cards for ESPN several times per year.
“They wanted to do it and they have a great card for it, so everyone is happy,” Pelullo said.
As to when the fights will be broadcast, there is conflicting information. Local TV listings show the fights being broadcast live at 4:30 on ESPN2. Pelullo said the fights would be shown locally on tape delay beginning at 6. But an ESPN employee contacted in Bristol, Conn., Thursday night told The Spokesman-Review that her schedule showed the fights being shown live nationwide at 4:30 (Pacific).
Unlike most boxing cards, this one will begin with the two main events.
The opening bout will unify the WBC and WBA Fedelatin featherweight champions – the South American championship.
Valdemir Pereira (19-0, 14 knockouts), from Sao Caetano Do Sul, Brazil, won the interim WBA Fedelatin featherweight championship Dec. 11 in Sao Paulo by taking a 12-round unanimous decision from South American junior featherweight champion Pastor Maurin.
“We were able to make that fight for the interim title on the condition that, whoever won, the next fight would be with the WBC champion for unification,” Pelullo said.
“That’s what this fight will do.”
Pereira battles Whyber Garcia (15-2, 11 knockouts), from Colon, Panama, who holds the WBC Fedelatin title.
In the primary main event, Pelullo is hoping lightening does not strike twice.
On Aug.13, Pelullo had to locate a last-minute replacement to fight his world-ranked contender, J.C. Candelo, and found Eddie Sanchez. Not only did the New Orleans fighter accept the bout at the last minute, he dropped 10 pounds in 24 hours to make weight.
“Not only does he do that, he goes out and beats the heck out of Candelo,” Pelullo said. “And now, here I am again with Sanchez coming in at the last minute to take on another of my fighters.”
This time Sanchez (12-3-2, eight knockouts), who accepted the fight last week, takes on Teddy Reid (22-6-1, 16 knockouts), from Adelphia, Md., for the NABF interim super welterweight title.
The fight is nearly sold out, with less than two dozen tickets remaining as of Thursday afternoon. Doors open at 3:30 today.