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“He never should have asked,” said super middleweight contender Jesse Brinkley. “He spent four years telling me no and then he calls and asks me to fight him. He never should have made the call because on Saturday, February 14th, I’m going to show all of Northern Nevada who the king in town is.”
Presented by “Let’s Get It On” Promotions and TKO Boxing Promotions, four years in the making since they both starred on The Contender Season One, super middleweights Jesse Brinkley and Joey Gilbert will battle at “Civil War” on Saturday, February 14th at the Reno Events Center.
The twelve round showdown will be contested for Brinkley’s WBC USNBC world title.
“We should have fought right after The Contender, but he kept on dodging me,” continued Brinkley. “Now he must think that I’ve had all these fights, that’s it’s a good time to fight me.
“The truth is, he wasn’t good enough four years ago and he won’t be good enough on the 14th. He was always fighting guys from out of town and bringing them to Reno instead of fighting me.”
Countered Gilbert, “Maybe we should have fought then, but the truth is this is the perfect time. We both have a lot to win and lose. For me the shortest distance is a straight line; if I’m going to reach my goal of becoming a world champion, I have to beat Brinkley.”
Brinkley has been training with Peter Manfredo Sr. in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in preparation for the showdown with Gilbert. “This is the best camp I’ve had. We sparred ten rounds today and it felt great. Normally, after a while in camp there’s always something wrong or that doesn’t feel right, but my body is in great shape for this fight.”
Responded Gilbert, “I feel outstanding, my training camp he been on point since day one. The fans have heard a lot about us for the last three years and they’re definitely going to get a great fight and I will be victorious.”
Hit back Brinkley, “It’s all about the ‘will to win’ and mine is much greater than his. One hundred years from now, all of Northern Nevada will remember that I kicked his butt. And there’s nothing he can do about it. Everything I’ve accomplished is on the line and there’s no way this guy wins next Saturday. Like they say in the casinos in Reno , ‘I’m all in’ with this fight.”
He’s underestimated me the whole time; he thinks this is a walk in the park. For him it will be more like a nightmare” concluded Gilbert. “He’s wanted to fight me since The Contender, well now he’s got his chance, all my chips are in the middle of the table.”
Brinkley, of Yerington, Nevada, brings a record of 32-5-0 (22) into the showdown with Gilbert. He is currently world ranked #13 by the IBF.
Reno’s Gilbert has a record of 17-1-0 with thirteen knockouts.
Tickets, available through Ticketmaster and the Reno Events Center box office, for “Civil War” are priced at $253.25, $153.25, $78.25 and $43.25.
A five dollar discount is available on tickets priced at $43.25 for students, active military, and police and fire department personnel with valid ID. Doors will open the night of the event at 6pm, with the first bell at 7pm.
