Before the legendary Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins defends his IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship against top contender Karo Murat on Saturday, Oct. 26, top talent from the East Coast and Puerto Rico will open the event on Showtime Extreme and put their stellar records on the line against hungry opponents looking to make a name for themselves at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
Taking to the ring in undercard action will be unbeatens Zachary Ochoa, Robert Easter, Dominic Wade and Bryan Cruz, as well as Puerto Rican prospect Braulio Santos.
With a perfect 4-0 (3 KO’s) record thus far as a pro, Brooklyn’s Zachary Ochoa is making plenty of noise in the area. Returning to the site of his first-round knockout of Michael Salcido last November, Ochoa recently scored a shutout four-round decision over Calvin Smith in April. He will face York, Alabama’s Michael J. Doyle (2-5, 1 KO) in a four-round junior welterweight bout.
In a six-round contest, it’s a clash of featherweight prospects when Carolina, Puerto Rico’s Braulio Santos (10-1, 9 KO’s) faces San Diego’s David “Thunder” Clark (6-2, 4 KO’s). The 23-year-old Santos is looking to rebound from the first loss of his career against Derrick Wilson in June, while two-time U.S. Olympic team alternate Clark has won four straight dating back to 2011.
One of the most highly anticipated bouts on the undercard will pit Toledo, Ohio’s Robert Easter (7-0, 7 KO’s) against 22-year-old Noel Echevarria (11-1, 6 KO’s), who hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina by way of Guayama, Puerto Rico, in an eight-round lightweight bout. The 22-year-old Easter has made short work of his professional opposition, only entering the third round once. The southpaw Echevarria gave unbeaten Emanuel Gonzalez a tough go in his last bout on September 30, earning him another big fight against Easter.
The only thing that kept Largo, MD’s Dominic Wade (12-0, 9 KO’s) from participating in the 2008 Olympics was his age. The four-time Golden Gloves champion was undeterred and turned pro in 2009. Now the 23-year-old is one of the top super middleweight prospects in the game. On Oct. 26, he will face Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico’s Roberto Ventura (13-7, 12 KO’s) in an eight-round bout.
Opening the event, will be two up and comers, as Port Chester, NY junior lightweight Bryant Cruz (7-0, 5 KO’s) and Newburgh, New York’s junior welterweight Wellington Romero, who will make his professional debut, will face opponents to be named in six and four round contests, respectively.
