Vasquez to highlight boxing event at CONSOL Energy Center
Mike Tyson enjoyed his time in Pittsburgh on Aug. 8. The former heavyweight champion of the world has decided to come back to the CONSOL Energy Center this Friday.
Tyson and Iron Mike Productions will host “The Pride of Pittsburgh II” in the Steel City.
“I’m looking forward to coming back to Pittsburgh,” Tyson said during a conference call Thursday. “We have sensational Sammy Vasquez Junior, plus two local fighters in Monty Meza Clay and Rod Salka going at it.”
Monessen native Vasquez will once again be the main attraction as the undefeated welterweight brings his 16-0 record into the ring against Panamanian Alberto Mosquera. Mosquera comes into the ring at 21-1 with 14 knockouts. The fight will be for Vasquez’s USBA welterweight title in a 10-round match.
Vasquez defeated James Stevenson in the “Pride of Pittsburgh” on Aug. 8 in his last fight via a ninth-round TKO in front of roughly 4,000 pro-Vasquez supporters.
“I’ve had a great camp and am ready to fight right now,” Vasquez said. “I will also be in the Veterans Day parade during fight week. It is such an honor to be able to come back and be in the parade, plus fight in front of another packed crowd near my hometown.”
Vasquez is 5-0 in 2014, and looks to finish the year off with another victory. Tyson did not know of Vasquez until he saw the U.S. Army National Guard veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq in action.
“I really did not know who Sammy was until I saw him fight live in person at an event in Pennsylvania,” Tyson said. “He was knocked down early but came back to knock the guy out. His determination and resilience definitely caught my eye. I have high hopes for Sammy.”
Tyson has been an influence on Vasquez’s career as the Monessen native is on the Iron Mike Productions team, and his nickname may need to be changed as the “Baddest Man on the Planet” has been referring to him as “Sensational.”
“I can’t really say on the name change,” Vasquez said. “Mike has been calling me “Sensational,” but I have always gone with the “Who Can Mexican.” Maybe I will go with the “Sensational Who Can Mexican.”
“I have been calling him “Sensational” because he has been just that,” Tyson said.
Clay and Salka will battle for the WBC FECARBOX lightweight title and to show who is the best lightweight in the Pittsburgh area in a 10-round bout. Clay (33-3, 22 KOs) was on the first event at CONSOL Energy Center and won a possible “Fight of the Year” bout in defeating Alan Herrera via TKO in the 10th round.
Salka (19-4, 3 KOs) challenged Danny Garcia (29-0) at the Barclays Center on Aug. 9 but was knocked out in the second round.
Since that fight, Clay and Salka have been ready for the grudge match.
“There is some pressure on me to win this fight in front of my hometown fans,” Clay said. “Salka wants to fight me and was talking trash after his loss to Danny Garcia.”
Salka was not available for comment at the press conference, but it appears neither fighter will be exchanging pleasantries before the fight.
In a junior middlewight bout, Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin brings his 7-0 record, with six knockouts, into the ring against veteran Norberto “Demonio” Gonzalez (20-5, 13 KOs) in a 10-round attraction.
Pittsburgh has not produced a plethora of fighters, although Tyson knows that the working-class town loves to see a good fight.
“At this time, there are not a lot of boxers coming out of the Pittsburgh area, but Pittsburgh is a fighting town,” Tyson said. “The banker down the street may not be a fighter by trade, but I’m sure he can mix it up. We know the crowd will be ready to see some great action, but it’s up to the fighters to give them a great show.”
Tyson will look to bring his boxers back to the home of the Penguins in 2015 with a dream matchup for Pittsburgh fight fans.
“My dream bout would be to see Sammy fight Paul Spadafora.”