Another exciting season of ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights will come to a close on Friday, August 28th, 2009 and Seminole Warriors Boxing has made sure that the best has been saved for last, as it presents a championship doubleheader at Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Live featuring the IBF Junior Welterweight Title bout between champion Juan Urango and challenger Randall Bailey, and the vacant IBF Light Heavyweight Title matchup pitting former champion Clinton Woods against unbeaten banger Tavoris Cloud.2 time junior welterweight World Champion Juan Urango (21-2-1, 16 KOs) is loved by fight fans for his always exciting performances in the ring, and his willingness to always move forward in search of victory. Looking to make the first successful defense of the belt he won against Herman Ngoudjo in January, the 28-year old southpaw from Monteria, Colombia has only lost 2 decisions in his career, one coming in a hard-fought decision loss to Andre Berto in a quest for the welterweight crown in May, and the other a 2007 loss to Ricky Hatton. Urango is eager to show Bailey who’s still the boss is at 140 pounds.
One of boxing’s hardest punchers, pound for pound, Miami, Florida’s Randall Bailey (39-6, 35 KOs) has waited a long time for another shot at the junior welterweight title he held twice over the course of his 13-year career. A knockout artist who has been in the ring with the likes of Carlos Gonzalez, Diosbelys Hurtado, DeMarcus Corley, and Miguel Cotto, the 34-year old Bailey is currently on a four fight winning streak that includes a blistering fourth round knockout of Francisco Figueroa in April earning him the #1 spot as the mandatory contender for Urango.
A no-nonsense warrior who always comes to fight, Sheffield, England’s 2 time World Champion Clinton Woods (42-4-1, 24 KOs) has beaten and competed with some of the best including his classic trilogy with Glen Johnson which ended with each fighter winning once and one ending in a draw. Clinton won the IBF light heavyweight title twice and has wins over Rico Hoye and Julio Gonzalez and also shared the ring with Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver. Fresh off a February win over Elvir Muriqi, vaulting him into the number 2 contender position, Woods has climbed the mountain once more and hopes to regain his title on August 28th.
Tallahassee, Florida’s Tavoris Cloud (19-0, 18 KOs) is a ferocious puncher who has torn through his opposition over the last five years in route to August 28th’s title shot. The current NABO, USBA, and NABA light heavyweight champion, the 27-year old has paid his dues on his way up the ranks, and following his tenth round TKO of Julio Gonzalez in his last bout on August 8, 2008, earning him the number 1 ranking in the division, Cloud is chomping at the bit to get at Woods and to take the world title belt back home with him.
The World Championship Boxing takes place on Friday August 28, 2009 at the Seminole Hard Rock Live (in Hollywood, Florida). Doors open at 7:00pm and the first bell rings at 8pm. The ESPN2 Friday Night Fights telecast begins at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.
