TKO Boxing: Brewer vs. Thompson For IBO Title

World ranked junior middleweight Anthony Thompson will now face Grady Brewer, winner of The Contender, Season Two, for the IBO Junior Middleweight title on Saturday August 22nd at “TKO World Championship Boxing at the Pala Casino”.

Brewer was originally scheduled to face former European Champion Zaurebek Baysangurov.

Said Chet Koerner, President of TKO Boxing Promotions, “As soon as he heard that Baysangurov was out, Anthony stepped right in and took the fight. He’s a very exciting, world class boxer and the Southern California fans are in for a terrific matchup between him and Grady Brewer.”

The 27 year old Thompson, a native of Philadelphia, PA, brings a record of 24-3-0 with eighteen knockouts into the 12-round battle with Brewer. In his only bout this year, Thompson scored a crowd stunning first round stoppage of veteran Luis Lopez on May 2nd at the War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania .

On August 15, 2008, Thompson was involved in an ESPN2 televised, highly controversial bout against Ishmail Arvin in Washington, DC. Despite dropping Arvin twice in the third round, Thompson was kept from victory when the bout was stopped after the sixth round due to a cut he suffered from an earlier head butt and was awarded to Arvin.

As shown on replays, and viewed by the referee and members of the local commission the cut was clearly caused by a head butt and Thompson, who was way ahead on the scorecards should have been awarded the victory.

Prior to the Arvin bout, Thompson lost a very close split decision ten round bout to Yuri Foreman at Madison Square Garden on the Miguel Cotto/Zab Judah PPV undercard on June 9, 2007.

Since defeating former world champion Stevie Forbes in 2006 for The Contender, Season Two championship, Brewer, 24-11-0 (13 KO’s), has fought twice since fully recovering from knee surgery.

Amongst the most popular boxers in the sport, Brewer is coming off a 10-round decision win over Cornelius Bundrage in Providence, Rhode Island this past November.

Other outstanding prospects previously announced include San Diego middleweight K.J. Noons, 8-2-0 (5KO’s), Mexican junior featherweight Rafael Valenzuela, 12-1-0 (6KO’s), Los Angeles based bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz, 9-0-1 (2KO’s) and Mongolian lightweight standout Bayan Jargal, 12-0-1 (8KO’s).

Further details of “TKO World Championship Boxing at the Pala Casino” will be announced shortly.

Presented by TKO Bboxing Promotions and the Pala Casino Spa and Resort, tickets for “TKO World Championship Boxing at the Pala Casino”, starting at $25, are available through Star Tickets www.startickets.com phone 1-800-585-3737).