When promising lightweight prospects Karl Dargan and Mike Brooks square off on NBC national broadcast television, Saturday afternoon, November 16th, fans will see two very different prize fighters who happen to possess a distinctly similar goal – to make the most of their first opportunity to impress a national TV audience.
Dargan and Brooks will clash over eight rounds, at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY, right before the 10-round heavyweight fight between Tomasz Adamek, 49-2, 29 KOs, and Czar Glazkov, 15-0-1, 11 KOs, gets underway. The live NBC broadcast begins at 2:30PM Eastern time.
The disparities between Dargan and Brooks come in several categories.
Karl Dargan, 13-0, 7 KOs, is a proud Philly fighter, while Mike Brooks, 10-0-1, 2 KOs, hails from Long Island, NY. The ring rivalry between Philadelphia and New York has been brewing for about a century, and these 135-pounders are ready to add their two cents to the argument. After eight rounds, only one will leave with bragging rights for their city.
Dargan said he has everything he needs to win, “I am just going to listen to my corner. I didn’t study anything he (Brooks) does. My trainer does that and comes up with a strategy. My job is to execute it. We had a great camp so I’m sure they taught me everything I need to know.”
Dargan is right-handed, while Brooks is a southpaw. Lefties can often give an orthodox boxer fits in the ring, and are frequently avoided. However, Dargan has faced two other southpaws as a pro, and handled them both. Brooks believes his left-handed style is one of his biggest strengths, and even advertises it with his nickname of “Lefty”.
Brooks confidently asserts, “I’ll just say this – like with any fighter I’ve fought; I’ve found the medicine within the first three rounds. I’m ready.”
Their boxing styles are also at odds. Dargan is a stylist who fights intelligently. Brooks brings a more aggressive approach to his fights. He attacks the body and keeps his hands moving, while Dargan watches for defensive cracks that he can exploit.
When it comes to fight time, the differences between the combatants only adds to the intrigue of the match. What really matters is what happens in the ring. This fight, before a projected home TV audience of more than one million viewers, is the opportunity of their lifetimes.
Both Dargan and Brooks seek a definitive victory on their biggest platform to date. Different styles, different personalities, different backgrounds. However, underneath it all, Dargan and Brooks are the same – two talented fighters in a must-win situation. An impressive performance will propel the winner to the next level.
