SAN JOSE
–– World champion Kelsey Jeffries has taken on all
challengers.
Her next opponent, Kelly Cofer, comes all the way from Willard,
Ohio for a 10-round title fight in the semi-featured main event of
the Fight Night At The Tank series at the HP Pavilion on Thursday
at 7:30 p.m.
SAN JOSE –– World champion Kelsey Jeffries has taken on all challengers.
Her next opponent, Kelly Cofer, comes all the way from Willard, Ohio for a 10-round title fight in the semi-featured main event of the Fight Night At The Tank series at the HP Pavilion on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
“She wants to come and take my title. If she’s going to take it, she’s going to have to go to hell to get it,” said Jeffries, a Hollister resident who trains at Gilroy Community Youth Center Gym. “I’m going to give her a tough fight. That’s not going to happen, not at my home.”
Jeffries boasts a 22-8 record with one knockout and holds five championship belts, while Cofer brings a flawless 10-0-3 record into the match with three knockouts.
“She’s a southpaw. She’s tall. She’s got a good left hand,” said Jeffries of Cofer. “She’s going to be a good opponent. She’ll be tough and give me all the challenge I need.”
In her third title defense, Jeffries is up against a bigger fighter in Cofer – who stands five-foot-nine.
“It’s going to be tough, but I’m ready for it,” said Jeffries, who is undefeated in four fights at The Tank. “I did see a little bit of her so I have an idea of what she’s got. It’s going to be a difficult fight. I have to get on her and get at her body. It’s going to be a very dirty fight for me. I’ve got to get inside and get her body.”
Jeffries – who will fight again in December against Michelle Heron in Yacama, Wash. – took a trip to Florida to get some tutelage from well-known trainer James ‘Buddy’ McGirt, a former welterweight contender out of Brentwood, N.Y. McGirt saw a fight of Jeffries and wanted to work with her. Jeffries took him up on the invitation.
“I got some good training up there. I also went to Fresno and sparred there for a week,” said Jeffries, who will have McGirt in her corner Thursday night. “I’ve never met a trainer as good as him. He knows his stuff.”
In just four short years in the sport, Jeffries, a great granddaughter of legendary heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries, has lived up to her nickname ‘Road Warrior’, having fought an amazing 30 times in her career. A decorated boxer with three pro titles to her name, Jeffries won the IFBA crown in November of 2002 with a ten round decision over Layla McCarter. This is her second title defense.
Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E) and Golden Boy Promotions will be hosting the event that will conclude the 2003 season at HP Pavilion.
Guillermo Saputo was scratched from the card due to a training injury. The other main event fight will be a 10-round light heavyweight fight featuring Librado Andrade.
Andrade (16-0, 12 KO’s) of La Habra, Calif. is hard-hitting and currently ranked 47 in the world by the IBO. He will face tough guy Thomas Reid of Jackson, Tenn. (30-11-1, 12 KO’s), who has gone the distance losing on points to Montell Griffin, Rodney Moore, Lou Del Valle – all ranked fighters.
Also on the card will be undefeated super featherweight prospect Arturo Quintero (7-0, 4 KOs), originally from San Jose, and Gary Owens (1-0-0, 1 KO) from San Jose in separate bouts. A fifth fight will be added to the card at a later date.
Also on the card, unbeaten prospect Arturo Quintero (7-0, 4 KOs) will face Arturo Quintero (7-0 4KOs) from San Jose in a six round junior lightweight bout.
A native of San Jose, Quintero went the distance in three of his first four pro bouts, but has recently shown power with knockouts in his last three matches, making him a fan favorite at ‘The Tank’.
In July, Owens, a world-renowned kick boxer and a former IKF US International Rules Champion, made his pro boxing debut at Miller Lite Fight Night at the Tank with a rousing third round stoppage of Carlos Espinoza.
Owens will face Israel Ornelas, who is making his debut.
The final fight will be a four-round welterweight bout with Oakland’s James Cook, who is making his debut and San Jose’s Israel Sandoval (1-6)
Golden Boy Promotions, owned by six-time world boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya, has scheduled more than 30 fights throughout California in 2003 alone.
For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.millerlitefightnightatthetank.com.
Individual tickets to Miller Lite Fight Night at the Tank are on sale now at the HP Pavilion Ticket Office, Ticketmaster Ticket Centers located in Wherehouse Music stores, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations throughout the Bay Area, online at ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at (408) 998-TIXS.
