The “Championship Boxing on CBS Sports Network” event on Friday, April 17, from the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minnesota, is taking shape. The card is headlined by Ireland’s “Hurricane” Dennis Hogan (20-0-1, 7 KOs) taking on Philadelphia’s hard-punching Tyrone “Young Gun” Brunson (22-4-1, 21 KOs).
In the 10-round televised co-feature, Canada’s Tony “Lightning” Luis (19-2, 7 KOs) will go against Memphis, Tennessee, veteran Ira Terry (26-13, 16 KOs).
In the eight-round televised opener, undefeated Saint Paul, Minnesota, middleweight Rob “Bravo” Brant (14-0, 8 KOs) will face Miami via Colombia’s Dionisio “Mister Nocaut” Miranda (22-10-2, 19 KOs).
30-year-old Dennis Hogan was a four-time national amateur champion with over 150 fights in his native Kildare, Ireland. He now lives and trains in Queensland, Australia. Hogan is the current WBA Oceania Light Middleweight Champion. In his four-year pro career, Hogan has also won the Queensland State Super Middleweight, Queensland State Middleweight and Australian Middleweight Championships.
30-year-old Tyron Brunson holds the boxing record for consecutive first-round knockouts with 19. The previous record was held by former world champion Edwin Valero. As an amateur, Brunson won the youth tournament Silver Gloves and the Pennsylvania State Golden Gloves. His amateur record was 82-12.
27-year-old Tony Luis, from Cornwall, Ontario, is enjoying an amazing 2015 thus far. In January, Luis pulled off a dominant 10-round unanimous-decision upset victory over then IBF #15 rated Karl “Dynamite” Dargan. Then on February 20, he and fiancé Manon Latulippe welcomed the birth of their first child, a son named Miguel. Luis is rated #11 in the world by the WBA and #14 by the IBF.
24-year-old Rob Brant was a heavily decorated amateur boxer before turning professional in 2012. After starting boxing at age 16 in 2007, just two years later, Brant went on to win the 2009 and 2010 National Golden Gloves, as well as the 2010 Upper Midwest Golden Gloves. Brant was also the 2009 USA National Champion and a 2008 Platinum Gloves Runner Up. As a professional, Brant trains with fellow Minnesota native and upcoming world-title challenger Caleb Truax at the Minnesota Top Team Eagan facility.
“This superb card will get the CBS Sports Network series off to a tremendous start and I’m happy we were able to put it together,” said Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions. “Dennis Hogan is a future star in boxing and what better way to introduce him to the United States and the world than to have him face a deadly puncher such as Tyrone Brunson? Tony Luis will be defending his championship and we’ve got Minnesota’s boxing prodigy, Rob Brant in the opener. I want to thank all the tremendous team at the Grand Casino Hinckley for their tremendous support and we look forward to a groundbreaking world-class event.”
Tickets for “Championship Boxing on CBS Sports Network” start at $35 and can be purchased at the Grand Casino Hinckley Box Office or online at www.ticketmaster.com.