The Jan. 24 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights will feature undefeated, up-and-coming Light Heavyweight southpaw Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs) and contender Cornelius “Da Beast” White (21-2, 16 KOS) in the 10-round main event.
Friday’s show from Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, and the card is presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
Main Event:
Washington D.C.’s Williams Jr. is coming off a November 10-round unanimous decision win over Yusaf Mack. Manager-trainer George Peterson, who also managed-trained former Welterweight titlist Paul Williams, said of Friday’s fight: “Cornelius White is rangy, he’s tall. He’s a good boxer. He’s got quite a bit of experience, and he’s somebody we’re going to have to contend with. We can’t look over him. But we’re going to prepare for it and we’re not going to have any trouble with him.”
White, who hails from Texas, is looking to rebound from a third-round TKO loss to current Light Heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev. “This is going to be my first test against a lefty,” White said of Friday’s fight. “I look at this fight as an opportunity for me to get to the next level. I wanted an opponent with an undefeated record, a young lion, somebody that didn’t want to lose that ‘0.’ My job is to take that ‘0.’ On the 24th, they’re going to see what I’m capable of doing. I’m coming prepared and am ready to go to war.”
Co-Feature:
Friday’s 10-round Featherweight co-feature will pit former Junior Featherweight titlist Rico “Suavecito” Ramos (22-3, 12 KOS) against Jonathan “Thunder” Arellano (14-2-2, 3 KOs). In his last outing, Los Angeles’ Ramos scored a one punch, 10th-round knockout win over previously undefeated Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Velázquez, while Arellano, of Ontario, Calif., is looking to continue his winning ways following an eight-round majority decision win over Charles Huerta.
