Boxing Conference Call Quotes For June 29 ESPN FNF Card

Duva Boxing will present Friday Night Fights: Staten Island Knockouts on Friday night, June 29, at the St. George Theater on 34 Hyatt Street, in conjunction with the Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation.

Duva Boxing president Dino Duva has announced that part of the proceeds from event ticket sales will go to the Atlas Foundation, which assists the needy and less fortunate in the New York area and throughout the country.

Staten Island native and renowned fight trainer Teddy Atlas will be in his customary position as ringside analyst on the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights broadcast, with Joe Tessatore delivering the blow by blow. The first bout of the evening is at 8:00 PM, and airtime for the broadcast is at 10:00 PM.

The main event will feature Nigerian import Emmanuel Nwodo against Darnell Wilson in 12-round USBA Cruiserweight Championship bout in a battle of knockout artists. Nwodo (21-3, 17 KO’s) is ranked no. 8 by the WBO, and has reeled off 10 straight victories. Wilson is a winner of three in a row, and has a ring record of 21-5-2, including 18 triumphs by way of KO. There will also be a tremendous undercard featuring local attractions, rising stars, and a possible surprise exhibition.

Lou Duva: “I think there is going to be a knockout, and I know that they are going to a be a lot of celebrities, including Pernell Sweatpea Whitaker, the newest boxing Hall of Famer.

“What the Atlas Foundation does for the people of Staten Island and New York is just fantastic, really something special.”

Teddy Atlas: “First, it’s nice to be doing something quite honestly with the Duvas, I go back a long way, I remember high school shows, and shows at the Harrah’s Marina, and the relationship turning into a friendly close relationship with the family.

“I have been with the Duvas so long, I have a trust and closeness with them. Lou and Dino have been part of the Foundation for 10 years; whether it’s a cancer treatment program for a family with no health care, or a family whose house burned down, the Duvas have always been there to support the Foundation, and I feel good being able to do this with them.”

Dino Duva: “This card is the start of a lot of great things that we are going to do on Staten Island with the Atlas Foundation in the future. The fight is going to be bombs away for the cruiserweight championship.

“Emmanuel Nwodo, the champ, is fighting the number one challenger, Darnell Wilson. These two guys are both from Maryland and are the two biggest punchers in the cruiserweight division, and maybe in the world. Wilson has four wins in a row and knocked out Kelvin Davis in sensational fashion. Nwodo is a great punching Nigerian fighter.

More from Teddy Atlas: “Staten Island has grown to a half million people, and they are passionate sports fans. They haven’t had the chance to see live boxing in years. And this will be the first time at the St. George Theater. There is a lot of excitement, and the ringsides are almost sold out already.

“They are excited about supporting the community, there are no administrative costs involved with the foundation. And because of all those elements the show is going to be well received by the people of Staten Island and beyond.

Emmanuel Nwodo: “I am happy to be on the show; it is going to be a wonderful figh. Dino Duva has been a very good friend and puts on a very good show. Come June 29, this is going to be a fight that I show the world what kind of cruiserweight I am.”

More from Teddy; how does ESPN put a show together? “First, you have to have a promoter that you can trust and that can put a card together for ESPN, for the Foundation. I have to trust the people We talked about doing something for the foundation.

“Along with helping the foundation, we wanted to bring some attention to Staten Island, a great, passionate sports fans, we go into one million homes a show. We wanted to show Staten Island, the hidden borough, off to the country.

“You can talk all you want about dynamite and TNT in their hands, and you don’t have to look for them. Darnell Wilson has been on our air on ESPN, and I have had the privilege of calling some of his fights.

“Darnell has had the opportunity to show what kind of character guy he is. When he is on the floor, which is a bad place in boxing, against Kelvin Davis, who is a banger, he came off the floor and beat Kelvin Davis. The quality of the fight was worth bringing the first fight on national television from staten island

Lou Duva: “Emmanuel can can punch like hell, wait until you see him punch.”

Atlas on Nwodo: “I have heard from Don Elbaum, one of the great old promoters, he has been around for 55 years, said that guy is a puncher, he can bang, he can hit you on the top of the head and you feel it on your toes.”

Lou Duva: “Will they be able to wear Jets helmets? ”

Teddy Atlas: “We plan to tape my Fight Plan segment with two NY Jets,h Vic Hobson and Clement, who stands about six foot eight.”

Dino Duva: “It is going to be an historical night on Staten Island.”