ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra, will originate from Newark, N.J. May 20 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 when former junior middleweight world title challenger Joel “El Predador” Julio (36-4, 31 KO’s, WBC#33) and undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian Sadam “The World Kid” Ali (12-0, 7 KO’s) are featured in co-main events. Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Amerihealth Pavilion describing the action. The card is presented by Main Events.
Prudential Centers’ Amerihealth Pavilion will bring Main Events back to the intimacy and excitement of its roots. Beginning in May 1978, and lasting through April 1986, Main Events made its name in the boxing business with a series of more than 50 fight cards at Ice World, a little known ice skating rink in Totowa, N.J. By 1980, ESPN had begun televising the “Fights on Ice” series. What started out as a local incubator for local boxing talent quickly grew into a nationally known phenomenon. The final show at Totowa in 1986 featured Mark Breland and was broadcast live on ABC.
This Friday Miami resident and Colombian native Julio will meet Buffalo’s Anges “Baby Face” Adjaho (17-5, 9 KO’s). After being TKO’d in the 11th round by Alfredo Angulo, Julio rebounded with a 10-round unanimous decision win against Jamaal Davis in his last fight.
“Joel’s been preparing for this fight for about three months,” trainer Anthony Hamm said. “I’ve been working with Joel since the Angulo fight. I didn’t want him to take that fight, especially at 154 pounds, because Joel’s a natural 147-pounder. He looks good at this weight and he’s punching harder now. He’s going to be a sight to see this fight.”
Brooklyn’s Ali, taking a step up in class, will meet “The Renegade” John Revish (9-3-2, 8 KO’s). Ali is coming off a third-round knockout over Javier Perez. After that fight, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote, “Ali looked very good in dismantling Perez. Ali, with a tremendous speed and power advantage, nearly had Perez out in the first round when he crushed him with a left hook to the jaw. The punch sent Perez’s head swiveling and knocked him to his rear end. In the third round, Ali landed another brutal left hook to the jaw that dropped Perez even harder. Perez was flat on his back and spread eagle as the referee stopped it at 2 minutes, 40 seconds. He remained on the floor for a few minutes, and Ali had himself an eye-catching victory.”
Studio host Brian Kenny will present all the latest boxing news and highlights.
“We plan to replicate the Ice World model in this new space and develop the champions of the future,” said Main Events CEO Kathy Duva.
World champions, including Breland, Rocky Lockridge, Bobby Czyz, Livingstone Bramble, Pinklon Thomas, Buddy McGirt, Tracy Harris Patterson, John John Molina, Robert Hines, Leo Randolph and Vinny Pazienza all made early career appearances at the Totowa rink. Also among the notables who fought there were eventual top contenders Alex Ramos, Chuck Wepner, Mike Quarry, Christy Elliott, Curtis Harris, James “Hard Rock” Green, Ramon Ranquello, Hilliard Edmonds, Jr., Francesco Damiani and Scott Frank.
