Filed under: WBC, IBF, Boxing Rumors
IBF light heavyweight (175 pounds) champion Tavoris Cloud (pictured above, at left), of Tallahassee, Fla., will attempt to demonstrate that he is the sport's premiere performer in his division on Saturday night when he pursues his 22nd victory without a loss, and his 19th knockout during that time in the second defense of his belt against 33-year-old Fulgencio Zuniga (above, at right) of Colombia at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla.
If he defeats Zuniga (24-4-1, 21 knockouts), the 28-year-old Cloud (21-0, 18 KOs) will likely target rivals such as southpaw former WBC interim titlist Chad Dawson (29-1, 17 KOs), a recent decision loser to WBC king Jean Pascal (26-1, 16 KOs), or else the winner of Saturday night's Showtime televised clash between the 28-year-old Pascal and the 45-year-old former world titlist, Bernard Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KOs) that is slated for the Pepsi Colesium in Quebec City, Canada.
Cloud made his intentions known on Wednesday during the final press conference for their clash at Emilio and Gloria Estefan's Bongos Cuban Café in Miami.
"I have had to listen to Zuniga and two other people in his camp talking about how they are coming for me. On Friday night, all three of them can come in the ring and I'll kick all of their a**es," said Cloud. "I'm coming in with the [IBF light heavyweight] strap, and I will be leaving with the strap. Other than that, have a Merry Christmas."
Cloud-Zuniga is part of a Don King-promoted card that will take place along with a WBC heavyweight final elimination bout featuring undefeated, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Odlanier Solis (16-0, 12 KOs) against Ray Austin (28-4-4, 18 KOs), the winner of which is in line to face WBC king Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KOs).
In another bout, former WBC welterweight (147 pounds) and WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) world champion Ricardo Mayorga (28-7-1, 22 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua, will meet Michael Walker (19-5-2, 12 KOs), the latter of whom has lost four straight, including two consecutive knockout losses.
Cloud's wins include those over England's Clinton Woods (42-5-1, 24 KOs) for the vacant IBF Crown, and, most recently, an August's triumph over 41-year-old former world champion Glen Johnson (50-14, 34 KOs) of Miami.
No comments:
Post a Comment