Boxing Update: Joe Mesi Pulls Out Of August 18 Utah Card

Unbeaten heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi has pulled out of his August 18 fight against Sherman “Tank” Williams due to a back injury he suffered this week in training camp. The eight-round cruiserweight battle between former WBO heavyweight title challenger Jeremy “Half-Man, Half-Amazing” Williams (41-5-1, 35 KOs) and Salt Lake City favorite Gary “Pit Bill” Gomez (18-8-1, 7 KOs) has been upgraded to a pay-per-view fight.

Mesi’s advisor/father, Jack, reported that Joe’s back injury prevents him from training properly. Joe has been prescribed rest and continued therapy treatment and he will be able to beginning training properly within two or three weeks.

“I am very sorry I have to miss this opportunity in Utah on Pay-Per-View with Sherman “Tank’ Williams,” Joe said. “But as all professional boxers know a big part of our sport is overcoming the set-backs.”

Former WBO heavyweight title challenger Jeremy Williams (41-5-1, 35 KOs) has returned to the ring one division lighter than he fought in his first 47 pro bouts, coming back after 3 ½ years of inactivity, although he was a mixed-martial-arts fighter and coach on The Contender reality television series during this period.

An exciting fighter and much decorated amateur boxer who has knocked out 35 of his 41 victims as a pro, he has defeated Attila Levin, David Bostice, Jesse Ferguson, and Danell Nicholson. The diverse Williams faces Gomez (18-8-1, 7 KOs), who has held the Global Union and WBC Cruiserweight Americas cruiserweight championships, as well as holding the distinction of never having been stopped.

“We’re excited about showcasing Jeremy Williams’ comeback fight on our pay-per-view show,” Pinnacle FiteNite executive producer Ritch Danner commented. “His fight against Gomez should be an entertaining, action match.”

“Pinnacle FiteNite” is a pro boxing pay-per-view series emanating for a wide variety of venues. The Aug. 18edition at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy, Utah, promoted by C.A.M. Boxing, Inc. in association with Sports and Entertainment Media, Inc. and Gotham Boxing.

Samoan strongman David “Tuaman” Tua, ranked No. 12 by the WBC, takes on Mexican heavyweight champion Saul “La Cobra” Montana in the 10-round main event. Tua (47-3-1, 40 KOs), former world title challenger, has put 40 opponents to sleep including current WBC title-holder Oleg Maskaev and former world champions John Ruiz, Hasim Rahman and Michael Moorer. Montana (48-14, 42 KOs) has an even higher KO ratio than Tua, but the former world title challenger “Tuaman” has never been counted out.

Russian-born heavyweight sensation Roman Greenberg (25-0, 17 KOs), the No. 11 rated European heavyweight who was raised in Israel and fights out of England, faces former WBO heavyweight title challenger “Dangerous” Damon Reed (43-11, 30 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Undefeated New York City middleweight prospect Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (13-0, 11 KOs) is scheduled to fight in the opening PPV bout.

Also scheduled to fight on the Aug. 18 undercard is pound-for-pound the toughest lawyer in the world, Las Vegas high-profile defense attorney Marc “The Defender” Saggese (2-0, 2 KOs). All bouts and fighters are subject to change.

The Aug. 18 Pinnacle FiteNite event will be produced by 21 Lakes and distributed by Integrated Sports. The 3-hour, four-bout minimum Pinnacle FiteNite show will be available live on Aug. 18 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT on both cable and satellite PPV via iN Demand, DirecTV and TVN, as well as live in Canada via satellite PPV on Bell Expressvue, for a suggested retail price of $24.95.

Tickets, priced at $35.00, $50.00 and $75.00, are on sale and available at www.smithstix.com, South Towne Exposition Center box office, and local outlets. For additional information go to www.pinnaclefitenite.com. Doors open 5:00 PM/MT, first bout 6:00 PM/MT, first PPV bout 7:00 PM/MT.