In a pair of pick ’em 10 rounders on the December 14th edition of NBC Sports Network’s FIGHT NIGHT, heavyweights Amir Mansour & Kelvin Price and light heavyweights Ryan Coyne & Lionell Thompson seek redemption from recent setbacks and the opportunity to prove that they have what it takes to compete at the elite levels of the sport.
For each of the four men, once promising ring careers came into question following events inside and outside of the ring. Now it’s make-or-break on the nationally televised Atlantic City show – a definitive victory could get half of the combatants back on track and silence their doubters; a loss could be the end of the road.
Knockout artist Amir “Hardcore” Mansour, 19-0, 14 KOs, of Wilmington, DE, has yet to lose a fight, but the buzz-worthy wrecking machine has a different sort of demon to overcome.His best years were spent behind prison bars instead of inside the ring so, at 41 years of age, Mansour has plenty of critics who think he’s just too old to be taken seriously.On December 14th, Hardcore is looking to put his struggles behind him and prove that he belongs in the successful over-40 club lead by current world title holders and pound-for-pound contenders Bernard Hopkins and Vitali Klitschko.
Amir will have to fend off another determined salvation-seeker in Klitschko-sized heavyweight, Kelvin “Price is Right” Price, 14-1, 6 KOs. After a win in his last fight (a 10-round decision over Danny Williams), the six-foot, seven-inch boxer from Pensacola, FL is still trying to erase the memory of the only loss of his career to undefeated, streaking heavyweight sensation Deontay Wilder almost one year ago.
Both heavies will enter the ring with the same goal, after 10 rounds (or less) we’ll find out which big man moves forward.
In the 10-round co-feature bout, redemption will also be the prize for one of two very hungry light heavyweights.
Southpaw Ryan Coyne, 21-1, 9 KOs, of St. Louis, MO, is out to prove that he is far better than his last fight, a loss to Marcus Oliveira by TKO.Prior to that setback, “The Irish Outlaw” topped everyone he faced. Returning to his previously winning ways is job number one for Ryan.He would like nothing more than to enter the light heavyweight sweepstakes that awaits the winner of this anticipated bout.
However, Buffalo’s Lionell Thompson, 14-2, 9 KOs, has the same objective.”Lonnie B” is on a two-bout roll, and rebuilding his reputation after his 2012 TKO loss to Sergey Kovalev.That defeat looks far better these days, given the fact that Kovalev became the WBO light heavyweight world champion less than one year later. Although Thompson took the fight with Kovalev on only two weeks’ notice, he clearly needs to register a big win to erase any doubts and move up in the star-studded 175-pound division.
This exciting night of redemption takes place at the legendary Superstar Theatre at Atlantic City’s Resorts International Hotel& Casino, and will be televised on NBC Sports Network Fight Night between 8-10 PM, which looks to be a stellar start to an eagerly anticipated night of boxing.
