Credit: Main Events
An important eight-round light-heavyweight attraction has been added to the June 1 boxing card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
Hard-hitting Sergey Kovalev, of Chelyabinsk, Russia, and Darnell Boone, of Atlanta, GA, meet in an eight-round rematch which could jump-start one of their careers.
In the first fight between Kovalev and Boone on Oct. 10, 2010, in Atlanta, Kovalev was fortunate to escape with an eight-round split decision. All three scorecards were 76-75, two for Kovalev, one for Boone.
Credit: Main Events
The 29-year-old Kovalev is 17-0-1, 15 K0s, since turning pro in 2009 in Greensboro, NC. He currently resides is Arapahoe, NC.
Kovalev has beaten Dallas Vargas, of Toledo, OH; Julius Fogle, of Tacoma, WA; Douglas Okola, of Nairobi, Kenya.
He has boxed just twice in Russia, including his last fight Dec. 5, 2011, when he knocked out Roman Simakov (then 19-1, 9 K0s).
Boone (right), 32, has policed the super middleweight division for much of his eight-year career. His 19-18-3 record with 8 K0s belies his ability.
He has beaten Rasheem Brown and Lujuan Simon, both of Philadelphia, PA; Adonis Stevenson, of Quebec, Canada; Calvin Green, of Baytown, TX, Willie Monroe, Jr., of Rochester, NY.
In addition, Boone has lost to some of the best on some close calls, including Craig McEwan, of Edinburgh, Scotland; Fernando Zuniga, of Downey, CA; Brian Vera, of Fort Worth, TX; Erislandy Lara, of Cuba; Andre Ward, of Oakland, CA; Jean Pascal, of Montreal, Canada; Enrique Ornelas, of La Habra, CA.
Topping the card are two championship fights: Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia, PA, vs. Sechew Powell, of Brooklyn, NY, in a 12-round match for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental junior middleweight title, and Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, vs. Prenice Brewer, of Cleveland, OH, for the vacant WBC Continental Americas welterweight belt.
NBC Sports Network will televise the twin 12-rounders as part of its Fight Night series, broadcast begins at 9 PM ET. First of seven fights at the venue is 7PM ET.
