Showtime Boxing: Dawson, Perez Headline September 29 At Arco Arena

Promoter Don King, in association with Maloof Sports & Entertainment, will present two world championship boxing matches at Arco Arena on Saturday, Sept. 29. The main event will feature World Boxing Council light heavyweight champion “Bad” Chad Dawson making the second defense of his crown against Colombian knockout artist Epifanio “Diamante” Mendoza.

The second world championship showcases two once-beaten fighters with Luis “El Demoledor” Perez (25-1, 21 KOs), from Nicaragua, making the first defense of his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title opposing British Commonwealth champion Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko (24-1, 21 KOs), from Ghana.

Both world championships will be televised on Showtime Championship Boxing during the premium network’s Free Preview Weekend (live at 10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). From Friday, Sept. 28 through Monday, Oct. 1, the premium channel will be available in approximately 54 million homes nationwide, providing an opportunity for many non-subscribers to experience all of the hard-hitting sports and acclaimed original programming on SHOWTIME.

Dawson had been scheduled to meet his WBC-mandated mandatory challenger Adrian “The Shark” Diaconu, who was forced to pull out of the fight on Sept. 18 after damaging his hand while sparring.

Dawson (24-0, 16 KOs), a 25-year-old southpaw from New Haven, Conn., possesses the WBC 175-pound title Roy Jones Jr. held from 1997 to 2004. Dawson upset previously unbeaten Tomasz Adamek (31-0) to win the WBC crown on Feb. 3 in Kissimmee , Fla. In his most recent appearance, he made a successful title defense against Jesus “Chuy” Ruiz on June 9 in Hartford , Conn.

“The ring is my home,” Dawson said. It’s where I’m most comfortable. This is going to be my coming out party.

“They said Tomasz Adamek was tough and look what I did to him. I will have a tough fighter in front of me [on Sept. 29] but I will do what I have to do to win.”

Dangerous 31-year-old veteran Epifanio Mendoza (28-4-1, 24 KOs), from Barranquilla , Colombia , agreed to replace Diaconu and will face Dawson .

“This is a dream come true to have the opportunity to fight Chad Dawson for the WBC light heavyweight title,” an obviously enthused Mendoza said after flying into promoter Don King’s Deerfield Beach, Fla., headquarters to sign the match contract on Sept. 18. “I have fought in and won numerous national and continental championships but this will be my first world title fight. I plan on taking the title back to Colombia .”

Mendoza is currently riding a four-fight winning streak since being stopped by David Lopez on June 9, 2006. Career highlights for Mendoza include scoring two first round knockouts against previously undefeated fighters in Rubin Williams in June 2003 and Tokunbo Olajide in October 2002.

Fight promoter Don King likened the event to a Rocky movie, but this time it’s for real.

“Adrian Diaconu’s misfortune has become Epifanio Mendoza’s opportunity to make history,” King said. “ Adrian will recover to fight another day and Epifanio has a chance to become a real-life Rocky, just like in the movies. This type of thing happens from time to time in boxing and it adds another level of intrigue into our September 29 main event.”

Tickets priced at $30, $50, $75, $100 and $250 are on sale now and may be purchased most easily by calling Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at (916) 649-TIXS or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at the ARCO Arena Box Office and at all Sacramento-area Ticketmaster outlets.