Irish middleweight prospect Andy Lee (15-0, 12 KOs) takes another step toward the middleweight championship when he faces The Contender’s Brian Vera (15-1, 9 KOs ) in the ESPN2/Friday Night Fights-televised main event of a Pugnacious Promotions’ boxing card at Mohegan Sun on March 21.

The 10-round fight tops a card of undefeated young prospects stepping up against tough competition, including light welterweight Wayland Willingham (13-0, 8 KOs), Irish featherweight Paul Hyland (9-0, 3 KOs) and super middleweight Aaron Pryor, Jr. (8-0, 6 KOs), son of Hall of Fame junior welterweight champion Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor.

“I am thrilled and honored to work with Emanuel Steward and Andy Lee on this exciting St. Patrick's Day card,” said Lisa Elovich, promoter of the event. “Andy is on his way to the middleweight championship of the world, so it brings me great pleasure to have the opportunity to work with Mohegan Sun and ESPN on his first national TV debut.”

Lee, of Limerick, Ireland, fights out of Hall of Fame trainer Steward’s Kronk Gym in Detroit. Considered by many to be a future middleweight champion, the 6’2” southpaw represented Ireland in the 2004 Olympics and has been guided by Steward to an undefeated record against increasingly difficult competition. His one-punch KO of former champion Carl Daniels (50-11, 32 KOs), last March at Madison Square Garden is a YouTube.com favorite.

Vera, of Austin, TX, was a popular fighter on ESPN’s The Contender last season, losing his only bout as a pro to finalist Jaidon Codrington (18-2, 14 KOs) in the tournament’s first round. His run up to The Contender included wins against veterans Etienne Whitaker (32-23-2, 21 KOs), Darnell Boone (14-9, 5 KOs) and fellow prospect Samuel Miller (18-2, 15 KOs ).

Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the premier entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the U.S. It’s situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut , 2 ½ hours by car from Albany or New York City and 1 ½ hours from Boston .

Tickets – $25, $40 and $75 – are available through Pugnacious Promotions at info@pugnaciouspromotions.com, 518-527-0160 or 518-312-2200.

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