On Friday night January 25th, ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights will be headlined by former WBO Jr. Middleweight champion Sergiy Dzinziruk. Dzinziruk will take on perennial contender and world ranked Brian Vera in a twelve round bout for the NABO Middleweight championship that will headline a night of boxing at the Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, New York that will be broadcast live as part of ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights.
Dzinziruk of the Ukraine by way of Hamburg, Germany has a record 37-1-1 with 24 knockouts. In 2005, He won the WBO Jr. Middleweight championship with a twelve round unanimous decision over Daniel Santos and made six successful defenses en route to compiling a perfect 37-0 record. On March 12, 2011, Dzinziruk moved up to challenge the great Sergio Martinez for the world Middleweight championship. Dzinziruk fought a valiant fight before being stopped in eight rounds.
In his last bout, despite giving up seven pounds in weight to undefeated Jonathan Gonzalez, Dzinziruk was able to box his way to a draw on September 1st as part of a card that was televised on HBO Boxing After Dark. Dzinziruk is currently ranked number-nine by the WBC and eleven by the WBO at Jr. Middleweight.
Vera of Austin, Texas has a record of 21-6 with 12 knockouts and is generally in some classic brawls that make his fights very television friendly.
The thirty-year old has some great wins over the likes of Samuel Miller (17-1); Max Alexander (14-1-1); Vera put the first loss on future world title challenger Andy Lee. Vera also has wins over Sebastien DeMers (31-2) and two victories over former world champion Sergio Mora with the latter coming in his last bout on August 11th.
The ten round co-feature will pit the undefeated Jr. Welterweight Tony Luis against Miguel Gonzalez.
The twenty-four year old Luis (15-0, with 7 KO’s) of nearby Cornwell, Ontario is coming off a spectacular first round stoppage over thirty-seven fight veteran Andres Ledesma on September 1st at The Turning Stone Resort and Casino.
Gonzalez of Cleveland, Ohio has a record of 20-3 with 15 knockouts and has had solid wins over Tyrone Harris and Humberto Toledo . Gonzalez will be looking to get back in the win column after dropping a ten round unanimous decision to Michael Dallas on February 17th.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first undercard bout starting at 7:30 p.m. The live ESPN2 telecast begins at 9 p.m. Tickets prices from $25 to $70. Call the Turning Stone box office at (315) 361-7469 or visit www.Ticketmaster.com.
