 Bryan Vera |
These six gladiators boast a combined record of 142-13-5 (105 KOs) – a winning percentage exceeding 89% and a victory by knockout ratio of 74%.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cowboys Stadium, MP Promotions and Tecate, PACQUIAO vs. MARGARITO – boxing’s No. 1 event of the year -- will take place Saturday, November 13 in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX. The $1.2 billion stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Pacquiao vs. Margarito will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Margarito are priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, and can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium ticket office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com .
"In addition to the main event, which we believe is destined to be the Fight of the Year for 2010, we are presenting a tremendous undercard featuring some of the top boxers today,” said Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank. "From top to bottom this will be a sensational card and will keep the viewing audience entertained throughout the evening.
The principal undercard match features former World Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik, now on the comeback trail, against a dangerous middleweight in Brian Vera of Austin, Texas. Pavlik is on a quest for redemption after losing his world title to Sergio Martinez. Vera holds important wins over Andy Lee of Ireland and Sebastien Demers of Canada,” continued Arum.
“This is life and death for me as a fighter. I must win,” said Pavlik. “The future is now.”
“No disrespect intended to the card because it’s a terrific show to be associated with, but fighting on an undercard is not where we want to be,” said Pavlik’s trainer Jack Loew. “Kelly has been a headliner since he won the middleweight title three years ago. We dug this hole and now it’s time to climb out of it and Brian Vera is not going to prevent Kelly from becoming a two-time world champion. Youngstown always fights back when it gets knocked down.”
Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs), of Youngstown, OH, one of boxing’s most popular fighters and inspirational stories, returns to the ring for the first time since relinquishing his world middleweight crown via a 12-round decision to two-division world champion Sergio Martinez last April, ending his two-year reign. It was September 29, 2007 when Pavlik created a media and public frenzy by knocking out undefeated defending champion Jermain Taylor in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall to become the WBC and World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion in a bout selected as the “Fight of the Year” by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Pavlik defeated Taylor handily in their rematch in February 2008 to solidify his claim as one of boxing’s top pound for pound fighters. Pavlik successfully defended the title three times, all by knockout, with two of those victories coming against No. 1 contenders and mandatory challengers.
“Pavlik’s Cinderella story is going to end for good with me at Cowboys Stadium,” said Vera. “Rust never sleeps – even for a so called man of steel.”
Vera (17-5, 11 KOs), of Austin, TX, a former participant of The Contender reality series, has earned a reputation for being one of boxing’s most “upsetting” fighters -- most notably two upset victories. In 2008, he knocked the blarney out of previously undefeated and world-rated middleweight contender and Emanuel Steward protégé Andy Lee, blasting the 2004 Irish Olympian out in the seventh round. He followed that with a third-round knockout of top-10 super middleweight contender Sebastien Demers in June in front of Demers’ hometown crowd in Montréal. Demers entered that fight having won 11 of his previous 12 bouts dating back to 2007.
Raffa: Thumb is totally healed
