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When Amir Mansour and Epifanio
Mendoza square off for the
vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF)
Intercontinental Heavyweight
title on Saturday December 2 at
the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino
in Dover, Delaware, it is one of
those fights where the
spectators better keep their
eyes open at all times.
It is almost a certainty that
somebody is going to get knocked
out!
Southpaw-banger Mansour, 15-0
(11), has created quite a buzz
recently and is widely
considered one of the most
exiting heavyweights around, but
at age 39 time is not on his
side.
Nicknamed “Hardcore”, he turned
professional in 1997 and
compiled nine straight victories
before being incarcerated for
eight-and-a-half years between
2001 and 2010.
But while he spend all those
years in prison, Mansour never
stopped training, and eventually
he walked out the prison gates
in the same excellent shape as
when he walked in. One of the
first things he did as a free
man was return to a real boxing
gym.
In August 2010 he began his
amazing comeback, and has since
delivered one highlight-reel
knockout after another.
This past August he was taken
the distance for the first time
since he returned, when
perennial contender Dominick
Guinn managed to go ten rounds.
Before that Mansour had
destroyed five opponents in a
row.
Columbia’s former Light
Heavyweight World
Title-Challenger Epifanio
“Diamante” Mendoza, 32-12-1
(28), let his presence in the
heavyweight division be known a
few months ago when he knocked
out undefeated (13-0) Puerto
Rican prospect Carlos Negron in
three rounds.
Like Mansour, Mendoza has
travelled a very unusual road
towards their WBF Heavyweight
title showdown. He made his
professional debut as a Light
Middleweight in 1999, and
knocked out his first sixteen
opponents, including the highly
touted and undefeated (17-0)
Tokunbo Olajide. As he moved up
the divisions he captured titles
at Middleweight and Super
Middleweight, before losing a
bid for the WBC World Light
Heavyweight championship against
Chad Dawson.
Since the Dawson bout, Mendoza
has come second in Cruiserweight
title fights against undefeated
opponents BJ Flores and Lateef
Kayode, before making his way to
boxing’s most prominent weight
class, Heavyweight, where he is
2-0 with two knockouts against
undefeated opposition. Now the
question remains, will he be
able to make it 3-0 against
Mansour?
No matter who emerges victorious
in Dover on December 2, the fans
are sure to be in for a treat.
Mansour vs. Mendoza, DON’T
BLINK!
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