Vanda Stalking Kost For Minneapolis Boxing Bragging Rights

ByBoxing Press

Matt “The Predator” Vanda is actively stalking his bitter rival Kenny “KO” Kost for their 10-round main event, headlining “The Brawl In St. Paul: A Father’s Day Special,” on June 15 at “The Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St.. Paul.

Vanda (36-3, 21 KOs), former IBA Americas light middleweight champion, and Kost (11-3, 6 KOs) clearly don’t like each other and they haven’t for a long time. Vanda is from the tough East Side of St. Paul, while Kost lives in the more affluent suburb of St. Paul, White Bear Lake. Matt turned pro in 1996 at 17-1/2; Kenny became a decorated amateur and went pro only four years ago.

“We’ve known each other since we were 13 or 14,” Vanda said. “I don’t like him and I’m going to whoop his ass on June 15. He kept saying that he’s been calling me out for years. That never happened and I told him so at the press conference. He’s just a punk. I’m in the best shape of my career and he doesn’t have a shot.

“I’ve rededicated myself to boxing. After the loss to (Anthony) Bonsante, I didn’t think I was a world champion type fighter. I’ve gone through a lot and we’ve been working on some things that everybody will see June 15. After I take care of Kost, I’m hoping to get a big fight, make a run at the title.

“Kost was a good amateur but that doesn’t mean anything to me. It’s totally different as a pro; you have to man-up. He has a big nose and a face that hasn’t been busted up. I’m going to take care of that June 15. I’m looking to end his career. He thinks he’s going to be bigger and stronger than me. We’ll both be 160 pounds and he’ll just be fatter. I don’t have much respect for him and I don’t like his big mouth manager, either.”

Unbeaten featherweight knockout sensation Wilton “Pretty Warrior” Hilario (8-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of St. Louis Park (MN), returns in the six/eight-round co-feature against former NABF super bantamweight champion Ricardo “El Rayo” Medina (30-17-4, 17 KOs), of Mexico.

“The Brawl In St. Paul: A Father’s Day Special” will be shown on CrystalClearSports.net for those unable to attend the show. A special pre-fight show begins at 6:00 PM/CT with the first bout at 7:00 PM. All of the action will be available via the “Crystal Clear Instant Replay” archive following the event. Crystal Clear Sports is a web-casting company covering sporting events across the Midwest. Visit CrystalClearSports.net for more information.

Also scheduled to fight on the card is super middleweight Jon Schmidt (2-0, 2 KOs), of Blaine (MN), against Robert Kliewer (2-2, 2 KOs), of Maplewood (MN); Minneapolis heavyweight Drew Peterson (1-1) versus James Taylor in his pro debut, Osseo (MN) super middleweight Caleb “Golden” Truax (1-0, 1 KO) takes on Nick Whiting (0-4), of Bemidji (MN), and Minneapolis cruiserweight Phil “The Drill” Williams (3-0, 3 KOs) faces Vernon Washington in his pro debut.

Minneapolis featherweight Hassan Wassawa (4-6-2, 1 KO), as well as light welterweight Paul Fernandez (0-0-1) and heavyweight Brian O’Loughlin (0-1-1), are all slated to fight on the June 15 undercard against opponents to be determined. All bouts and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $32.00, $57.00 and $102.00, are on sale at The Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium, all TicketMaster locations, on line at Ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 651.989.5151. Doors open at 6 PM/CT, first bout at 7 PM/CT.

To view the web reality series “Behind The Brawl,” filmed and edited by critically-acclaimed and award-winning documentary director Michael Wilson, go to http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfmfuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=20301256.
For more information about “The Brawl in St. Paul” go to www.theroy.org or www.soboxing.com.