Former world light heavyweight champion Lou “Honey Boy” Del Valle views his 10-round main event fight Saturday evening, headlining the “Fright Night At The Sun” pro boxing card against world rated Joey “KO Kid” Spina, as a golden opportunity to get back into the big picture.
“Fright Night At The Sun,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), will be taped live at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and air on NESN at a date and time to be announced.
Spina (25-1-1, 17 KOs) is rated among the top 15 in all four major boxing organizations – WBC and WBA #12, WBO #14 and IBF #15.
The 41-year-old Del Valle (36-6-1, 22 KOs), who has never been stopped as a pro, captured the vacant WBA light heavyweight title in 1997, stopping European champion “Fast” Eddy Smulders in the eighth round. Lou was the first to floor the great Roy Jones Jr. in their 1998 WBC/WBA unification bout, which Jones won by a unanimous 12-round decision. Del Valle also went the distance in three other world title fights, losing to Virgil Hill and Bruno Girard, as well as fighting to a draw versus Girard.
“I’m feeling fabulous,” Del Valle said from training camp in Middletown (CT). “I don’t lose fighting under 190 (pounds), only once to Jones. I fought a draw against Girard and then dropped him but they gave him a decision. Both fights were in France. I’m fighting this at a catch weight (181, plus 2) and he’s (Spina) in trouble. I’ve never been knocked out because I’m a slick fighter who can take a punch. I never get hit with big punches.
“I’m doing this (vs. Spina) because I still want to fight. I believe I’m like Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones and Glenn Johnson. I feel young and still have my speed and power. This is a great opportunity for me, perfect because I’m going to win against a rated opponent. I’ll be right back in the picture. He (Spina) is a one-handed fighter with no skills and a big heart. But that (big heart) will get him in trouble against my experience. I’m too smart and a better fighter than him. He’s going to pay the price. He’s in trouble.”
UBC junior welterweight champion “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (15-0-1, 9 KOs), one of the hottest prospects on the East Coast, is scheduled to fight an opponent to be determined in the 10-round co-feature.
Promising Connecticut prospects from Puerto Rico -- Hartford junior middleweight David Bauza (2-0, 2 KOs) versus Vaughn Anderson (0-1), and New Haven light welterweight Edwin Soto (1-0, 1 KO) against Deroy “Guyanase Gladiator” Beaton (1-0) -- are showcased in 4-round matches.
In other 4-round fights on the undercard, 2008 Olympian Sadam Ali (3-0, 2 KOs) faces welterweight Osvaldo Rivera (2-1, 1 KO), Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczewski (5-0, 2 KOs), 2008 National Golden Gloves Tournament runner-up from Quincy (MA), meets Israel Suarez (2-2), 2008 New York Golden Glove champion Joe Smith, Jr., of Long Island, and David Brown make their pro debuts in a light heavyweight throw-down. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets for “Fright Night At The Sun,” priced at $27.00, $50.00 and $80.00, are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going online at www.cesboxing.com or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Ticketmaster customers may log on to www.ticketmaster.com, call Ticketmaster’s national toll-free charge by phone (1.800.745.3000) or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.
For more information contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Mohegan Sun (www.mohegansun.com). Doors open at 6:30 PM/ET, first bout at 7:30 PM/ET.
