PEARSON THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS HIS OPPONENTS' BELL TWICE!
(INSIDE BOXING) ELGIN, IL (September 27, 2001) – Postman by day, puncher by night, undefeated IBF No. 1 jr. lightweight contender, LAMONT PEARSON, 16-0-1 (9 KOs),from Capitol Heights, MD, will make his first USBA jr. lightweight title defense against Jesse Gutierrez, 16-5 (9 KOs), from Castroville, TX., Sunday, October 7, at the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, IL. The championship fight will be televised nationally as the main event of "Sunday Night Fights," on FOX Sports Net, 6 to 8 P.M. in all time zones. The co-main event will feature WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight champion, JASON ROBINSON, 14-2 (7 KOs), from Chicago, in a 10-round rumble against Jose Luis Rivera, 18-5 (14 KOs), from Cleveland.
Pearson returns to the ring coming off his best win ever as a professional, where he has skyrocketed in the world ratings. On June 3, at the Grand Victoria Casino, he captured the USBA jr. lightweight title and the IBF's No. 1 rating, by knocking out world-rated Carlos Navarro, who entered the fight with a sterling 23-1 record.
Gutierrez enters the fight riding a seven-bout winning streak, including two against previously undefeated punchers, southpaw Jesse Lara in his last fight on June 1, and Rolando Reyes, July 1, 2000.
Robinson has won eight of his last nine bouts, including three of his best victories as a professional. He captured the WBC Continental Americas title in February, winning a 12-round unanimous decision over former two-time world title challenger Saul Montana. Last year, he scored consecutive victories over undefeated prospects Gary Wilcox and Talmadge Griffis, who had combined records of 22-0-2 when they fought Robinson.
Rivera, an eight-year professional veteran, is a fan favorite who makes for exciting fights with his aggressive, straight-ahead style. Career highlights include victories over former world title challenger, Ka-dy King, 21-2, former champion Rocky Gannon, and Dan Thorton.
The undercard will feature a host of rising stars, including undefeated heavyweight and 2000 U.S. Olympian, Cal Brock, 7-0; former U.S. National Amateur heavyweight champion, Terry Owens, 1-0; and undefeated flyweight Ramases Patterson, 6-0.
