Fibroso
03-26-2015, 12:05 PM
Sadam Ali to fight on Garden cardRising welterweight contender Sadam Ali has fought many of his fights in and around his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, but his next one will be his biggest so far.
Ali will be in action in as prime a spot as an up-and-coming fighter could hope for -- the co-feature position on the card headlined by heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko's defense against Bryant Jennings on April 25 (HBO, 10 p.m. ET/PT) at Madison Square Garden.
Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, will face Francisco Santana in a scheduled 10-round bout, Golden Boy Promotions announced on Wednesday.
"I'm excited to fight in my home state of New York and at Madison Square Garden," Ali said. "Some of the greatest fighters in the sport have made their mark at this venue -- Muhammad Ali, Joe Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins -- and I'm ready to be part of that history. Francisco is a tough fighter and I'm ready to take him on."
Ali (21-0, 13 KOs) made his HBO debut in his past fight, in November, and opened a lot of eyes with an impressive performance in a ninth-round knockout of contender Luis Carlos Abregu.
"Coming off of an exciting match that saw him knock out a previously undefeated fighter, Sadam is now looking to take a next, crucial step up the welterweight ladder," said Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya, who recently signed Ali to a contract extension. "With lightning-quick hands, true knockout power and a hunger to be the best in the division, the 'World Kid' is a must-see for all fans."
Santana (22-3-1, 11 KOs), 28, of Santa Barbara, California, has won 10 fights in a row, including a unanimous 10-round decision in an upset of then-unbeaten Golden Boy prospect Eddie Gomez last June. Santana has not lost since dropping an eight-round decision to unbeaten Jermell Charlo in 2011.
"I've earned my way to the position I'm in because I've fought and beat fighters who were undefeated," Santana said. "Nothing has come easy to me on the way up. Fighting stiff opposition is what prepares a fighter for the next level and I'll be ready for anything Sadam Ali brings.
"My promoter Gary Shaw told me if I kept winning he would get me a big fight, and here we are getting ready to fight one of the best young contenders in the world. A win against Ali will sky rocket my career and that's exactly what I plan to do."
Said Shaw, who also promotes Jennings, "Francisco Santana is a warrior who grinded his way up the rankings and earned this fight against Ali on HBO. This is a feel good story about a kid who fought his way to the big stage and bright lights of Broadway. Those bright lights are now shining on his career.
"I've always said, a fighter who is hungry is very dangerous, and Santana is famished. He wants to win this fight and show the world he's worthy of a world title shot. I believe Santana is the underdog in the public's eye, but he will once again fool the public with a great win on April 25."
Here you can see his last fight, this kid can compete in his division with just about anybody!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_3kZG6iQVg
Ali will be in action in as prime a spot as an up-and-coming fighter could hope for -- the co-feature position on the card headlined by heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko's defense against Bryant Jennings on April 25 (HBO, 10 p.m. ET/PT) at Madison Square Garden.
Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, will face Francisco Santana in a scheduled 10-round bout, Golden Boy Promotions announced on Wednesday.
"I'm excited to fight in my home state of New York and at Madison Square Garden," Ali said. "Some of the greatest fighters in the sport have made their mark at this venue -- Muhammad Ali, Joe Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins -- and I'm ready to be part of that history. Francisco is a tough fighter and I'm ready to take him on."
Ali (21-0, 13 KOs) made his HBO debut in his past fight, in November, and opened a lot of eyes with an impressive performance in a ninth-round knockout of contender Luis Carlos Abregu.
"Coming off of an exciting match that saw him knock out a previously undefeated fighter, Sadam is now looking to take a next, crucial step up the welterweight ladder," said Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya, who recently signed Ali to a contract extension. "With lightning-quick hands, true knockout power and a hunger to be the best in the division, the 'World Kid' is a must-see for all fans."
Santana (22-3-1, 11 KOs), 28, of Santa Barbara, California, has won 10 fights in a row, including a unanimous 10-round decision in an upset of then-unbeaten Golden Boy prospect Eddie Gomez last June. Santana has not lost since dropping an eight-round decision to unbeaten Jermell Charlo in 2011.
"I've earned my way to the position I'm in because I've fought and beat fighters who were undefeated," Santana said. "Nothing has come easy to me on the way up. Fighting stiff opposition is what prepares a fighter for the next level and I'll be ready for anything Sadam Ali brings.
"My promoter Gary Shaw told me if I kept winning he would get me a big fight, and here we are getting ready to fight one of the best young contenders in the world. A win against Ali will sky rocket my career and that's exactly what I plan to do."
Said Shaw, who also promotes Jennings, "Francisco Santana is a warrior who grinded his way up the rankings and earned this fight against Ali on HBO. This is a feel good story about a kid who fought his way to the big stage and bright lights of Broadway. Those bright lights are now shining on his career.
"I've always said, a fighter who is hungry is very dangerous, and Santana is famished. He wants to win this fight and show the world he's worthy of a world title shot. I believe Santana is the underdog in the public's eye, but he will once again fool the public with a great win on April 25."
Here you can see his last fight, this kid can compete in his division with just about anybody!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_3kZG6iQVg