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NESportsTV.com online PPV presents John Duddy conqueror and former world title challenger Billy Lyell (21-8, 4 KO) vs. North Carolina veteran Martinus Clay (13-24-4, 5 Ks) in a junior middleweight fight Friday May 7th for $8 USD.
Lyell, a frequent sparring partner of former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and junior middleweight contender Harry Joe Yorgey, gained notoriety in 2009 after winning a decision over the previously unbeaten Irish middleweight John Duddy in a stunning upset in Newark, New Jersey.
Lyell followed that career best win with a 2nd round TKO over Ohio journeyman Chris Overbey and 8 round decision over Louisiana’s Chris Gray.
Those performances set Lyell up for a shot at IBF middleweight titleholder Sebastian Sylvester. Lyell took the title fight with Sylvester on less than two weeks notice and was TKO’d in the 10th round of a hard fought bout.
Lyell took the fight after original challenger Pablo Navascues had to pull out. He’s also been in the ring with former world champion Yory Boy Campos and contenders Vanes Matirosyan and James Kirkland.
Clay is a 10 year veteran who has been in the ring with titleholders such as Andre Berto and Kassim Ouma. He owns a victory over Minnesota fan favorite Matt Vanda and has held junior middleweight contender Harry Joe Yorgey to a draw.
The broadcast will also feature a full undercard including a junior middleweight fight between Morgantown, West Virginia’s Matt Berkshire (10-2-1, 5 KO’s) taking on Indiana’s Vance Garvey (8-31-5, 3 KO’s).
In a heavyweight fight, Adah, Pennsylvania’s Jason Bergman (10-9, 7 KO’s) meets Indianapolis’ Octavius Smith(4-6, 3 KO’s) in a rematch of their 2007 slugfest that Bergman won via unanimous decision.
In another heavyweight bout, West Virginia fan favorite Mel Bankhead (3-1) will be in action against an opponent to be announced.
Another West Virgina fan favorite, Todd Manning (6-5, 3 KO’s) will also compete in a junior middleweight fight with Akron, Ohio’s Dezi Ford (24-28, 9 KO’s).
The much more experienced Ford has been in the ring with former world champions Vernon Forrest and Sharmba Mitchell as well as contender Reggie Green and fan favorite Emmanuel Augustus.
Card subject to change.
You can preorder the PPV today at www.NESportsTV.com
