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WHEELING – Boxing enthusiasts in the Ohio Valley will want to circle Saturday, Sept. 26 on their calendars for what promoters are calling the “biggest night of boxing in West Virginia history.”
World Rank Boxing, based out of Pittsburgh, will be staging a 12-fight card on that night at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Casino.
J.D. Canterberry, owner of WRB, and his partner Mike Murray met with Bull Pen Fight Club owner Mike Napple and one of WRB’s newly signed fighters, Travis “The Terror” Clark, on Friday at the Wheeling Island facility to finalize plans for the event. Wheeling’s Ronell Green is the other fighter under contract with WRB.
“We have a contract with the island casino until Dec. 31, 2016,” Canterberry said. “We are drawn to Wheeling because it has a good (boxing) fan base. There’s also a lot of talent here, and we want to showcase that as well.
“Not only do we promote the fights, but we also manage the careers of our fighters,” Canterberry added.
Green (11-1-0) will serve as the main event when he meets Fidel Navarette (8-0-2) for the World Boxing Council’s featherweight championship, with Clark (7-0-0) fighting in the co-main event against Jeremiah Karpency (12-0-0) for the West Virginia state heavyweight championship.
“This could be the biggest card in West Virginia history,” Canterberry said. “The World Boxing Council (WBC) is the premiere governing, sanctioning body and has allowed us to put Ronell Green against Fidel Navarette. There has never been a West Virginia fighter compete for the North American Championship. That’s a huge fight. I think it’s an evenly matched fight and it should be 10 rounds of awesome boxing.
“We also have a couple of undefeated heavyweights doing battle. This should be another exciting fight. Both guys are big, powerful fighters. Either fighter has power in both hands and can put the other one to sleep real quick.”
Napple said this is not only a golden opportunity for Clark and Green, but for other fights in the Ohio Valley.
“This is a great chance for the Bull Pen Fight Club,” he said. “With Ronell fighting for a WBC belt and Travis fighting for the West Virginia championship, I don’t think there has been a bigger night than Rocky Young back in the 1980s.
“I think the sky is the limit for Ronell and Travis. This card not only benefits those two guys. They are the headliners for what they have done in their careers to get to this point, but it also will open some eyes nationally for what we are trying to do here in the Ohio Valley.”
A press conference is scheduled for sometime after Labor Day to formally announce the card.