VEGAS FRIDAY, JAN. 18, WITH LAS VEGAN SHUFFORD VS. GONZALEZ IN MAIN LAS VEGAS,
Nev.-Las Vegas heavyweight Charles Shufford faces hard hitting Jorge Luis Gonzalez, also of Las Vegas, in the 10-round main event on the nationally and internationally televised "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" boxing card presented by Cedric Kushner Promotions Friday, Jan. 18, at Paris Las Vegas.
The 10-round heavyweight semi-main event features Willie Williams of East Point, Ga., against Greg Pickrom of Houston. Four more heavyweight fights are on the card, including five-time U.S. and Golden Gloves national amateur champion DaVarryl Williamson of Denver against Kevin McBride, originally from Ireland and now living in Brockton, Mass., and undefeated Jean-Francois Bergeron of Montreal against Jason Nicholson of Tulsa, Okla. Willie Palms of Jersey City, N.J., faces unbeaten Tali Kulihaapai of Honolulu while participants in the fourth heavyweight bout will be determined. The card starts at 6:30 p.m. (Pacific) with doors to the Paris Theatre opening at 5:30. Tickets, priced at $35 and $50 with all seats reserved, are on sale at both the Paris Las Vegas and Bally's-Las Vegas box offices from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Tickets also are available by calling 702-946-4567 or 877-374-7469. Cedric Kushner Promotions of New York City is one of the leading promoters in boxing andpromotes, among other fighters, World Boxing Council welterweight champion Shane Mosley and the International Boxing Federation's No. 1-ranked heavyweight, Chris Byrd. Everlast has been at the forefront of boxing equipment for almost 100 years. Williamson and McBride, who's handled by Goodie Petronelli, who also had former world middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler, meet in an eight-round fight while Bergeron and Nicholson are in a six-round bout. Palms and Kulihaapai are in a six-round fight as well. A win here and Williamson may step up to 10-round main events. McBride already is a main event fighter with 10-round victories in his past two outings. The 28-year-old Shufford, who plays George Foreman in the recently released theatrical film "Ali," has a record of 17-2 with nine knockouts and is coming off a bout against Wladimir Klitschko Aug. 4 in Las Vegas. The 37-year-old Gonzalez, originally from Havana, has a record of 31-7 with 27 knockouts. Gonzalez, who has won six of his past eight fights, has been in with three former heavyweight world champions: undisputed champ Riddick Bowe, WBC and World Boxing Association title-holder Tim Witherspoon and WBA champion Greg Page, who he beat. The 35-year-old Williams has a record of 16-4 with 11 knockouts and is coming off a second-round knockout of Sean McClain on the Cedric Kushner Promotions "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" card Nov. 30 at Reno. The 32-year-old Pickrom has a record of 11-5-1 with 10 knockouts and is coming off a first-round knockout of Earl Hayes on the Cedric Kushner Promotions "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" cardOct. 13 at Lake Tahoe. Pickrom has faced WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz and has a win over highly regarded Jameel McCline. The 33-year-old Williamson has a professional record of 12-1 with 11 knockouts and won his mostrecent outing when he stopped Harold Sconiers in the first round on that Cedric Kushner Promotions "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" card Nov. 30. Williamson is nothing if not multi-talented. He played quarterback in college and tried out for the Indianapolis Colts, earned a Master's degree in administrative services, performed as a stand-up comic and now gives motivational speeches. The 28-year-old McBride has a record of 25-3-1 with 20 knockouts. The 28-year-old Bergeron, originally from Quebec City, has a record of 12-0 with nine knockouts. He's coming off a second-round knockout of Curt Paige on Cedric Kushner Promotions' Nov. 30 "Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" card. The 30-year-old Nicholson has a record of 16-15 with 10 knockouts and has faced IBF cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov. The 29-year-old Palms has a record of 9-1-1 with five knockouts. The 36-year-old Kulihaapai has a record of 8-0 with six knockouts. The card will be televised in more than 100 countries on both a live and delay basis.
