Rising Canadian Star Asselstine Gets Tough Italian Test

One of Ontario’s best amateur boxers, undefeated featherweight prospect Tyler Asselstine (8-0, 5 KOs), has a second home in Montreal, where he fights Saturday night for the sixth time during his young pro career, against unbeaten Italian boxer Nicola Cipolletta (8-0, 2 KOs).

Asselstime-Cipolletta is part of the “Fast & Furious” undercard, presented by Groupe Yvon Michel, in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, at the famed Bell Centre.

Super middleweight sensation Adonis “Superman” Stevenson defends his IBF Inter-Continental title in the 12-round main event, also an IBF voluntary eliminator for the No. 2 position, versus former NABF champion Jesus “El Martillo” Gonzales (27-1, 14 KOs).

The entire show will be available to watch in the United States on Fight Now TV – America’s only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel.

“I love fighting in Montreal,”25-year-old Asselstine said. “The fans are great and so is the atmosphere. Training camp went very well and I’m right on weight. I’m very happy to be on this great card. This is absolutely my toughest test as a pro. My opponent is a tall, slick fighter from Italy who doesn’t know how to lose, yet. It’s going to be a fun, action-packed fight.”

A member of the 2009 Canadian National Team, Tyler represented his country as a decorated amateur (70-10) in many International matches, including a gold-medal performance at the 2010 Ringside World Championships.

Asselstine is a talented southpaw who started boxing at 18 after being a kick-boxer. He has been favorably compared is a smaller, younger version of his boxing idol, IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute. Asselstine’s promoter, Hennessy Sports, believes Tyler is well on his way to becoming the next great Canadian boxer.

“We’re very high on Tyler,” his promoter Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports) said. “Fighting another 8-0 opponent gives you an indication of how strongly we believe in him, as well as the type of young fighter Tyler is. He’s getting better with each and every fight and this will certainly be a good fight to gauge his progress and future prospects.”

Other members of Hennessy Sports Canada’s’ growing stables of champions, contenders and prospects include NABA super featherweight champion, 2011 NABO Fighter of the Year, WBA #8 Logan Cotton McGuinness, former WBC International Silver welterweight champ Victor Lupo; new Canadian welterweight champion Samuel Vargas, undefeated light heavyweight prospect and Lionell “Lonnie B” Thompson.