ESPN’s Friday Night Fights: Former Featherweight Titlist in Main Event
Studio Interview with Timothy Bradley
Ali 70 from Las Vegas to Air February 25 on ABC & ESPN2
On February 24, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature two top contenders — Ring Magazine’s No.10 ranked Junior Lightweight Juan Carlos “Mini” Burgos (28-1, 19 KOs) and former featherweight titlist Cristobal “Lacandon” Cruz (39-12-3, 23 KOs) in the 12-round main event. Friday’s show will air at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Dover, Del. The card is presented by Banner Promotions.
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, to describe the action for ESPN2 and ESPN3, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. Friday’s show will feature an in-studio interview with current Junior Welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Lindsay Casinelli in the studio on ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights).
Main Event:
Mexico’s Burgos has won his last three fights, including a career-best 10-round upset decision over previously undefeated Luis Cruz.
ESPN Sent Out The Following:
After the fight, ESPN.com’s boxing expert Dan Rafael wrote, “This was all Burgos, who was the harder puncher and more aggressive. He attacked Cruz’s body and landed enough shots to swell his right eye. It was a hard-hitting fight, but Burgos seemed in control the whole way, including rocking Cruz in the ninth round.”
Mexico’s Cristobal Cruz enters Friday’s fight with experience having fought former titlists Orlando Salido, Luisito Espinosa and current interim world champion Jorge Solis.
Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit Junior Welterweights Edgar “La Melasa” Santana (26-3, 17 KOs) against Manny “Manos” Perez (16-7-1, 4 KOs). Bronx, N.Y.’s Santana is coming off a fifth-round TKO win over Omri Lowther, while Perez of Denver, will look to rebound after a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Mercito Gesta.
Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like on Facebook.
Ali 70 from Las Vegas February 25 on ABC & ESPN2:
Ali 70 from Las Vegas, a special birthday celebration for boxing legend Muhammad Ali, will air Saturday, February 25, at 4 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on ABC. ESPN2 will reair the event at 10 p.m. ET that night. The show which took place last weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, included performances and tributes from some of the world’s top entertainers and sports icons. Boxing greats include Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Tommy “Hitman” Hearns, Manny Pacquiao and Chuck Wepner.
The list of performers and celebrity supporters included Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, John Legend, Cee Lo Green, Slash, Joe Perry, Kelly Rowland and many more.
In addition ESPN Classic will pay tribute to Ali, beginning February 25, at 2 a.m. ET. The schedule:
Date
Time (ET)
Program
Network
Sat, Feb 25
2 a.m.
Ali Rap
ESPN Classic
3 a.m.
SportsCentury: Muhammad Ali
ESPN Classic
4 a.m.
1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman
ESPN Classic
5 a.m.
SportsCentury: Muhammad Ali
ESPN Classic
10 a.m.
1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner
ESPN Classic
11:30 a.m.
SportsCentury: Muhammad Ali
ESPN Classic
12:30 p.m.
1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman
ESPN Classic
1:30 p.m.
1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier-III
ESPN Classic
3 p.m.
Ali Rap
ESPN Classic
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Dover Downs Casino sent the following:
Tickets are still available for the Feb. 24 Friday Night Fights series at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. To purchase tickets online by Wednesday, Feb. 22, visit www.doverdowns.com/entertainment. Otherwise, available tickets may be purchased now through VIP Services at 800-711-5882 or at will call on Feb. 24 between 4-9 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The first bout will begin at 7 p.m.
The night’s tripleheader title event headlines super featherweights Juan Carlos “Miniburgos” Burgos (28-1, 19 KOs) and Cristobal “Lacandón” Cruz (39-12-3, 23 KOs) for the WBC Silver Super Featherweight Championship Title in a 10-round bout.
Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana (26-3, 17 KOs) and Manny “Manos” Perez (16-7, 4 KOs) will battle for Santana’s NABA Junior Welterweight Championship Title.
“Mighty” Mike Tiberi of Smyrna, Del., will fight for the WBF Intercontinental Super Middleweight Championship Title. This is Tiberi’s first title shot. His opponent is to be named.
NABF Female Super Featherweight Title holder, “Queen” Ronica Jeffery (8-0, 1 KO) of Bronx, N.Y., will go against Evette Collazo (4-3, 2 KOs) of Chicago, Ill.
Undefeated light heavyweight “The Bull” Anthony “Caputo” Smith (12-0, 10 KOs) of Kennett Square, Pa., is pitted against Adam “The Atom Bomb” Collins (10-5, 7 KOs) of Ironton, Ohio.
Crowd favorite, light welterweight “Rockin” Ryan Belasco (16-5-3, 3 KOs) of Wilmington, Del., and lightweight Omar “Super O” Douglas (3-0, 2 KOs) of Wilmington, Del., are still waiting for opponents to be named.
