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“HARD KNOCKS AT THE HARD ROCK”
QUILES vs. CHERRY
BROWN vs. GROSS
ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
February 5, 2005 - LIVE -- from The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino-Hollywood,
Fla.
Veteran IBF #12 ranked Powerhouse Ricky Quiles and IBF #9 ranked Edner Cherry
battle to improve their World Ranking and for a future shot at the World
Lightweight Title
IBF\WBC\WBO #2 ranked contender “Cowboy” Dale Brown defends his ranking and
takes on up and coming prospect Shelby Gross in a clash of Cruiserweights.
Friday, February 5, 2005 - Friday Night Fights on ESPN2
HOLLYWOOD, FL - (February 1, 2005) World Class Boxing at its finest returns to
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. This Hard Knocks
at The Hard Rock event will consist of six scheduled bouts, beginning at 8:15
PM. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights and features
two main events, Puerto Rican Powerhouse, Ricky “Showtime” Quiles, takes on
Edner Cherry and Canadian Warrior – “Cowboy” Dale Brown, battles, up and coming
prospect Shelby Gross.
The Main Event features, Veteran IBF #12 ranked fighter, Ricky “Showtime” Quiles
[36-6-3 (8 KO’s)] versus up and coming IBF #9 ranked contender Edner Cherry
[17-2-2 (7 KO’s)], as they battle to improve their World Rankings, with hopes of
a future shot at the World Lightweight Title. NABA Lightweight Champion, Ricky
Quiles (Ohio), fought Vince Phillips (former IBF World Lightweight Champion) to
a draw, and defeated former WBA Featherweight World Champion Eloy Rojas in an
exciting Lightweight bout at The Seminole Coconut Creek Casino in December of
2003. With a win against Cherry, Quiles will return to the ranks of the top
contenders in the Lightweight Division. At this stage in his career Quiles is
looking to fight only the best and Cherry is among the best young Lightweights.
Edner Cherry, a Florida Gold Coast prospect, is a crowd favorite who is looking
for his first shot at a World Title. Cherry hopes, by defeating Quiles, he will
be able to take the next step in his four-year career and be recognized among
the best in the Lightweight Division.
The Co-Main Event features IBF\WBC\WBO #2 World ranked Cruiserweight “Cowboy”
Dale Brown [32-3-1(20 KO’s)] as he takes on, up and coming prospect Shelby Gross
[15-1 (12 KO’s)] in a clash of Cruiserweights. Dale Brown (Calgary, Alberta) is
ready willing and able to take on any opponent at any time. Last year Brown took
on former WBA World Cruiserweight Champion Robert Daniels and beat him
convincingly. Next, he took on the slick and crafty former NABO Cruiserweight
Champion Jermell Barnes and handily defeated him also. Despite being in the
position for a title shot, Dale Brown has chosen to risk it all by taking on
hard punching prospect Shelby Gross. True to his nickname, “Cowboy” Dale Brown
never backs down from a challenge. South Carolinian, Shelby Gross (Fort Jackson)
took on a very tough assignment in his fifth fight by challenging the 1996
Olympic Light Heavyweight Bronze medalist, Antonio Tarver. Although he was
unsuccessful, he has never looked back. Undeterred, Gross went on to knockout
his next six opponents and has eleven straight victories since. Gross, the
“Bonetown Brawler,” hopes to cause a stampede in the Cowboy’s plans to take on
one of the Cruiserweight World Champions, while, Brown intends on corralling
Gross’ march toward the top of the cruiserweight division.
This exciting evening of boxing begins with a very special Heavyweight
attraction featuring Chicago Native, Thomas Hayes [18-1 (12 KOs)] against local
hard-hitting challenger Joe Johnson (Miami) [6-5(4 KOs)]. Hayes is sure he is
ready for the next step in the competitive Heavyweight Division, but he must
first get by the hard punching slugger in Johnson. The under card also features
a battle of undefeated Junior Middleweight prospects with Hollywood, Fla.
favorite Ed Parades [1-0 (1 KOs)] against New Yorker Roberto Irrizarry (1-0). In
the evening’s Junior Welterweight action, Philadelphia slugger Johnny Pawlowski
[1-1-1 (1 KOs)] takes on the Dominican Republic’s Agino Perez (0-1) and at
Welterweight, Jorge Hernandez, in his pro debut, challenges Joseph “Spiderman”
Benjamin [1-7-1 (1 KOs)].
Tickets priced at $30 General Admission, $60 and $100 Ringside Reserved are
available through Ticketmaster Outlets and Ticketmaster.com. To order tickets by
phone, call (954) 523-3309, (305) 358-5885 or (561) 966-3309. Doors open at 7:30
PM. First fight is at 8:15 PM.