3/23/06

FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
CONTACT: TAMARA CRONIN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
304-387-8335 (OFFICE) 304-479-8097 (CELL)

CHESTER, WV - The 2006 Boxing Schedule for Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort debuts April 13 with a card that features three title bouts with the Main Event being for the I.B.A. World Featherweight Championship. Also, the current World Champion will compete in a non-title bout to set up his first nationally broadcast bout.

The main event is a challenge to current I.B.A. Featherweight Champion Jose Gonzalez by Verquan Kimbrough. Gonzalez sports a 12-2 record that includes five victories by knockout. The Mexico City native won the title with an upset victory over Marcos Licona (24-5-2) on October 13, 2005 at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas. Other notable wins were the two decisive victories over Ivan Calvarez (12-6-2). Gonzalez has won seven straight bouts, with his two losses coming early in his career by split four-round decisions.

Kimbrough continues to make a name for himself as a professional, after winning five National championships as an amateur. Verquan has a 14-0-1 record as a pro with seven knockouts and has won four different America's Titles in his short but successful pro career. This will be the first twelve-round title fight for Kimbrough as he attempts to add a World Title to his list of accomplishments.

The other title contests will be ten-round affairs. The West Virginia Super Middleweight Championship will be on the line when current champ, James "The Heat" North of Weston, West Virginia, will attempt to defend his title against tough Billy Lyell (10-2, 2 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio. The vacant NABC America's Heavyweight belt will pit Akron's Nicolai Firtha (9-1-1, 5 KOs) against Dan "Mean Machine" Whetzel (7-5-1, 4 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio.

Current IBA World Super Featherweight Champion Monty Meza-Clay will be in action in an 8-round non title bout. The 19-0 Rankin native will take on Leo Martinez (8-7, 4 KOs) of Columbus, Ohio in what is Clay's first bout since defeating Shamir Reyes on December 30 at Mountaineer when he won the World Championship. Meza-Clay is scheduled to fight Edner Cherry (19-4-2) on May 12 in Tampa, Florida in a 12-round main event on ESPN2. That bout will be for the WBC Caribbean and NABA Titles. Zepeda, of Cocula, Mexico, recently lost a twelve-round decision to Antonio Davis in a World Title bid in Bejing, China.

Martinez has impressive decision wins over Eric Aiken (12-2) and Octavio Lara (5-1).

Also to be competing will be Heavyweights Dan Harvison (13-0, 8 KOs) of McKeesport and Mike Carr (15-1-2, 8 KOs) of Pittsburgh in a separate 6-round contest.

The event will be located at THE HARV. Tickets are Platinum - $125; Gold- $60 ; Reserved - $40; and $20 - General Admission and can be purchased at any Ticketmaster location or on site at Mountaineer at the Downtown Speakeasy Roarin' 20's Players Club.