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Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 10 AM/ET, for the November 13 “Tough & Tested” pro boxing show, headlined by an IBO super middleweight title fight between “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr., runner-up in Season One of The Contender, and Sakio “The Scorpian” Bika, winner of Season Three of The Contender, at the newly renovated Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
“Tough & Tested,” co-promoted by the Tournament of Contenders and Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), will air nationally live on Versus television.
“Tough & Tested” will feature at least five fighters who are “Contender” alumni: Manfredo and Bika in the main event, Grady “Bad Boy” Brewer, winner of Season Two of20The Contender, versus fan favorite in Season Two of The Contender, Cornelius “K9” Bundrage, in the IBO light middleweight title eliminator co-feature; runner-up in Season Three of The Contender, Jaidon “The Don” Codrington, in a super middleweight special attraction.
“CES, The Contender, Peter and Sakio all want to celebrate the grand re-opening of ‘The Dunk’ by bringing in the IBO world championship title fight between Manfredo and Bika,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield said. “This will be the first pro boxing show at the new Dunkin’ Donuts Center as well as the first major world title fight held there in 17 years, since Vinny Paz stopped Gilbert Dele [at the Providence Civic Center as it was known then] in the 12th round for the WBA light middleweight belt.
Manfredo versus Bika is going to be a very tough fight. We also have a good co-feature, the Brewer-Bundrage IBO title eliminator, and we’re putting together a strong, competitive and entertaining undercard starting with Codrington.
“We all want to give something back, too. ‘Tough & Tested’ will benefit the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation (www.gloriagemma.org). We’re calling for a ‘Pink Out’ [everybody wearing something colored pink] to show support for this great cause. A portion of the proceeds from ticket and T-shirt sales will go to the Gloria Gemma Foundation for research into early breast cancer detection.”
Manfredo and Bika have combined to fight in four world title fights and one of them will walk away with the IBO world title belt on Nov. 13.
“The Co ntender is pleased to stage its third fight in Providence, Rhode Island,” The Contender executive producer Jeff Wald commented. “Providence feels like our second home and we’re grateful for the support Providence has given The Contender and ‘The Pride of Providence.’ Peter Manfredo fought two fan friendly fights against Sergio Mora, as well as two great fights in Providence against (Scott) Pemberton and (Joey) Spina.
“Fans can always expect action and excitement when Peter Manfredo fights. Sakio Bika went the distance in two world championship fights and won The Contender, Season Three in what many believed was the Fight of the Year against Codrington. Bika’s also an exciting fighter. Manfredo and Bika should be dynamite.
“Grady Brewer won Season Two of The Contender against Steve Forbes, who has gone on to fight Oscar De La Hoya and Andre Berto. His opponent, ‘K9′ Bundrage, just beat former world champion Kasim Ouma. Brewer-Bundrage looks like another exciting fight. Jaidon Codrington knows how to=2 0box and he also has knockout power.
“He was the other half of the Fight of the Year candidate with Bika. Everybody working on The Contender is a big supporter in the fight against breast cancer and we’re thrilled to be associated with the Gloria Gemma Foundation. Fighters aren’t the only ones who are Tough & Tested – women who’ve survived breast cancer are Tough & Tested, too.”
Manfredo, 31-5 (16), the reigning NABF Interim champion, is the WBC No. 13 rated super middleweight. Fighting in front of his hometown fans, “The Pride of Providence” sports a perfect 16-0 (10) record in Rhode Island, including 3-0 (3 ) in the same Providence building as his Nov. 13 showdown against Bika. Manfredo’s five pro career losses have all come at the hands of world champions.
IBF Pan Pacific super middleweight title-holder Bika, a 2000 Cameroon Olympian now fighting out of Australia, won The Contender III with a dramatic eighth round stoppage of Bridgeport, Connecticut native Codrington, 18-2 (14), in the finale in Boston. Bika, rated No. 5 by the IBF and No. 8 by The Ring magazine, hasn’t been stopped in 31 pro fights.
In the 10-round co-feature, Brewer, 23-11 (13), former IBA light middleweight champion, takes on Bundrage, 28-3 (16), IBF rated No. 13, in the IBO junior middleweight title eliminator.
Some of New England’s most talented and popular fighters will be on the soon to be announced undercard.
Tickets, priced at $18.00, $23.00, $58.00, $79.00, $107.00 and $222.00, go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 10 AM at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Box Office or through CES Boxing at 401.724.2253/2254 or www.cesboxing.com. Tickets will also be on sale through www.Ticketmaster.com and at all local Ticketmaster outlets by calling Ticketmaster direct at 401.331.2211 or 617.931.2000.
For more information call 401.724.2253/2254 or go online to www.cesboxing.com, www.tournamentofcontenders.com or www.dunkindonutscenter.com.
