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Former WBO World champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (36-13-1, 21 KOs) will fight 28-year-old Jermain “Too Sweet” White (17-4, 9 KOs) from Las Vegas for the vacant UBO World Light Welterweight title on May 29 at the D.C. Armory in Washington D.C.
Titanium Promotions headed by Garcia Staley Sr. will promote the UBO doubleheader which will also feature former WBC world champion Keith Holmes (41-5, 25 KOs) taking on an opponent to be announced for the UBO International Middleweight crown.
Seven years younger than Corley and with less than half as many professional fights, White has youth on his side but experience working against him in what will be his first world title fight. He turned pro in 2004 after going 45-15 in the amateurs and winning the National Golden Gloves, an accomplishment he has in common with Corley. He won his first thirteen pro bouts before loosing to fellow undefeated Lamont Peterson, then 16-0, in a fight shown live on Showtime Television in April 2006.
Less than four months later he received another big opportunity. After a comeback victory in July, White was picked to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (then 26-0-1) for the vacant WBC Youth title in August, but came up short again. He rebounded well in early 2007 by winning the Indiana state title with a unanimous decision over the tough Ruben Galvan (27-10-2).
White stopped Galvan in seven rounds when they rematched in December 2007. 2008 turned out to be a slow year as it only brought him one fight, a second round stoppage victory over journeyman Reggie Nash. After that another long spell of inactivity followed before another significant fight, against another undefeated major name, came along for White.
In September 2009 in Pittsburgh, White took on former IBF world lightweight champion, and local hero, Paul Spadafora (44-0-1) and proved his mettle. Despite the ring rust, White made a good account of himself before losing on points after eight entertaining rounds. With the experience of the Spadafora fight, White will be fighting Corley with confidence on May 29, knowing he can go to his opponent’s hometown and be competitive with world class fighters.
