Thursday afternoon J Russell Peltz co-promoter of Saturdays 2300 Arena show in South Philly held a press conference at the Holiday Inn’s Stadium with Olympian Felix Verdego, 15-0 (11), of PR, Jesse “Hard Work” Hart, 15-0 (12), of Philly, Samuel Miller, 28-9 (25), of COL, and Karim El Ouazghari, 16-5-2 (4), of SP, at the head table with Peltz. Top Rank and BAM Boxing are also co-promoters. Bruce Trampler, Brad Goodman, Brittany Rogers and Peltz will be doing the matchmaking.
In the two co-features Verdego will take on Ouazghari in an 8 round lightweight bout. Hart will take on Miller. All boxers spoke and were confident of victory. Both Verdego and Hart have world championship potential.
One member of the press told Hart “I understand you have predicted a tenth round knockout since Peltz is paying you by the round. A couple of smart asses corrected him saying “it’s only 8 rounds!” The same member of the press asked Verdego when entering the ring if he could have “I Want to Wish You a Merry Christmas from the Bottom of My Heart” played by Jose Feliciano played. The Latino’s along with Verdego smiled on that one!
“My phone has never been ringing off the hook for a show like this one. We are almost sold out,” said Peltz. Hart was an Olympic alternate. Peltz guaranteed a knockout in Hart’s fight with Miller.
There will be nine fights in all. Camilo Perez, 9-2 (4), of PR, takes on Toka Kahn Clary, 13-0 (9), a Liberian out of Providence, RI, in an 8 round super featherweight bout. Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna, 15-0 (7), of Vineland, NJ, takes on Gilbert Alex Sanchez, 4-5 (2), of Camden, NJ, in a 6 round middleweight bout. Fred Jenkins, Jr., 8-1 (3), of Philly takes on James Robinson, 3-1-2 (1), of York, PA, in a 6 round light middleweight bout. Lamanna and Jenkins were both at the press conference. The show will be on USA UniMas delayed until midnight. Doors will open at 6pm and the first bout is at 6:45pm.
