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Unbeaten NABO cruiserweight champion BJ “El Peligroso” Flores defends his title against former world title challenger Epifanio “Diamente” Mendoza in a 10-round bout to complete an entertaining, well matched “Hook City” 4-fight pay per view card, August 15 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.
The “Hook City” pay-per-view show, headlined by two of the best left-hook punchers in boxing, 8-time world boxing champion Roy “Captain Hook” Jones, Jr. (53-5, 39 KOs) and 2-time super middleweight title-holder Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy (25-2, 17 KOs), is presented by Square Ring Promotions in association with Left Hook Promotions and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.
Flores (23-0-1, 14 KOs), rated as high as No. 3 by the WBO and No. 6 by the WBA, captured the NABO crown by easily out-pointing Jose Luis Herrera in 10 rounds last March in Pensacola.
“It’s great fighting with a legend like Roy,” BJ said. “He was my favorite fighter growing up and he’s definitely still up on the list with the fantastic opportunities he is giving me. My opponent is very tough. He fought Chad Dawson for the light heavyweight championship of the world. He has been successful at a lighter weight. However, he will find out very early in the fight that the cruiserweight division is very different from light heavyweight.
“Many thought he beat Lacy in a very close fight. I will be bigger and stronger, although I know he punches well. But it will be just a matter of time before I break him down. I’m sure he will be competitive early but, if he gets too aggressive, I’m sure I will knock him out. If he tries to be smart and patient, using his speed, I will break him down in a battle of attrition.
“I know I need to be impressive. Look, this is a tough guy who is respected, but he is not a real cruiserweight. In the past other fighters have come up and done very well, but it’s my job to make sure that after this fight he realizes he made a big mistake and send him back down to light heavyweight.
“I respect him but he will not be able to hang for ten rounds. I am in a mental place I have never been in before. I will do anything to win. I am 100-percent focused on punishing him and making a strong point that I am ready for better opposition. The only fight I am thinking about is this one.”
Colombian knockout artist Mendoza (29-7-1, 25 KOs) is a dangerous puncher who has put 25 of 29 victims to sleep. He also specializes in knocking off undefeated opponents on the road having upset 17-0 Tokunbo Olajide in New York City and 19-0 Rubin Williams in Detroit.
Mendoza lost his only world title shot in 2007 to Chad Dawson for the WBC light heavyweight championship. Ten months later, Mendoza dropped a controversial 10-round majority decision to Lacy.
Living legend Jones defends his NABO light heavyweight crown in the 12-round main event versus Lacy to determine the best “hooker” in boxing. Hall of Fame-bound Jones has been a world champion in four divisions – middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight – and currently ranks among the top seven light heavyweights in all four major boxing organizations (WBO #2) and The Ring magazine.
St. Petersburg (FL) power-punching Lacy, rated No. 6 by the IBF and No. 9 by the WBO, is moving up in weight to fight as a light heavyweight for the first time. The former IBF and IBO super middleweight champ is coming off of a win by a 10-round decision against Otis Griffin this past April.
The 12-round co-feature for the vacant IBO cruiserweight title pits 2-time world champion Danny “Green Machine” Green (26-3, 23 KOs), the power-punching Australian rated No. 5 by the WBA, versus South American light heavyweight title-holder Julio Cesar “La Furia” Dominguez (20-4-1, 14 KOs). Green, the former WBA light heavyweight and interim WBC super middleweight champion, last fought in the United States seven years ago, while Dominguez will be making his U.S. debut.
Also scheduled to fight on the PPV telecast in a 10-round Special Attraction is top lightweight prospect Verquan “The Show” Kimbrough (21-1-2, 7 KOs), ex-NABA and USBA title-holder, against former world title challenger Jason “American Boy” Litzau (24-2, 20 KOs). All bouts are subject to change.
“Hook City” is being distributed by Square Ring Promotions, Inc. at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States on cable and satellite via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network for a suggested retail price of $34.95, as well as on Super Channel in Canada.
Tickets, priced at $150.00, $125.00, $100.00, $75.00, $50.00 & $25.00 are on sale and available at all Ticketmaster locations by calling 800.745.3000, on line at Ticketmaster.com and at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office.
