Attila Levin Headlines Cedric Kushner Promotions' "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" Card On Fox Sept. 8

Highly regarded heavyweight Attila "The Hun" Levin of Pembroke Pines, Fla., returns after a four-and-one-half-month layoff to headline the main event on the Cedric Kushner Promotions monthly "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" card televised nationally by Fox Sports Net Sunday, Sept. 8, in Lawton, Okla.

Levin, who represented Sweden at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and now is trained by the legendary Angelo Dundee, meets Ross Puritty of Norman, Okla., in the 10-round main. The seven-bout card, presented by Cedric Kushner Promotions in association with Tony Holden Productions and the Fort Sill Apache Casino, will be held in the Great Plains Coliseum. Also on the card is Cedric Kushner Promotions' undefeated welterweight sensation Anthony "The Messenger" Thompson of Philadelphia. Thompson, who was the favorite to the win the gold medal for the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics before turning pro earlier this year, meets Jonathan Nelson of Oklahoma City.
The eight-round semi-main event matches undefeated heavyweight Dominic Guinn of Hot Springs, Ark., against Terry McGroom of Oshkosh, Wis. Two more heavyweight fights also are on the card, unbeaten Terry Smith of Little Rock, Ark., against Dan Ward of West Memphis, Tenn., in a six-round bout and undefeated Justin Blevins of Wichita, Kan., against 6-foot-11-inch Robert Bentley of Roseville, Ark., in a four-round fight. A women's bout matches unbeaten Casandra Giger of Fayetteville, Ark., against Karen Bill of Lawton in a heavyweight four-rounder.
The first fight starts at 4:30 p.m. (Central) with doors to the Great Plains Coliseum opening at 4.

Tickets, priced at $20 for general admission and $50 for ringside, are on sale at the Great Plains Coliseum administrative office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by calling 580-357-1483 during those days and hours. Tickets, of course, will be on sale at the Great Plains Coliseum box office Sunday, Sept. 8. Tickets also are on sale at the Fort Sill Apache Casino cage 24 hours a day and by calling 580-248-5905.

Everlast has been at the forefront of boxing equipment for almost 100 years. The 6-foot-4-inch, 240-pound Levin has a record of 24-1 with 20 knockouts and is fighting for the first time since March 29. The active Levin had won 10 straight, nine by knockout, during an 18-month stretch before an injury to his right wrist sustained while training sidelined him. The 35-year-old Puritty is more experienced and has faced better caliber fighters than the 25-year-old Levin. Puritty, who has a record of 27-16-3 with 24 knockouts, has gone the distance with former World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, former No. 1-ranked contenders Michael Grant and Kirk Johnson, current No. 1 challenger Chris Byrd and lasted 11 rounds with current world-rated contenders Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. The 21-year-old Thompson is fighting on his second Fox Sports Net card, this following two appearances on HBO-televised cards, including one at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The 5-foot-11-inch sensation has a record of 5-0 with three knockouts. The 23-year-old Nelson has a record of 6-5 with six knockouts. The 27-year-old Guinn has a record of 17-0 with 14 knockouts while the 36-year-old McGroom has a mark of 19-3-2 with 10 knockouts. McGroom also has a decided edge in experience and quality opponents. He's faced Johnson, former IBF middleweight and super middleweight champion James Toney and this March Vassily Jirov for the IBF cruiserweight championship.
The 31-year-old Smith has a record of 11-0 with nine knockouts while the 39-year-old Ward has a mark of 28-12-1 with 14 knockouts. The 25-year-old Blevins has a record of 3-0 with one knockout while the 25-year-old Bentley has a record of 0-1. Giger has a record of 1-0 with one knockout while Bill has a mark of 4-9 with two knockouts.