IBF Junior Lightweight Champion Roberto Garcia's Title Defense Against Diego Corrales to Headline Undercard of Mike Tyson-Orlin Norris On Oct. 23

Business Wire, Oct 14, 1999

NEW YORK--(BW SportsWire)--Oct. 14, 1999--

Live On Showtime From MGM Grand in Las Vegas

Highlights of David Tua vs. Shane Sutcliffe

Zab Judah vs. Manuel Gomez Bouts To Be Featured

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior lightweight championship pitting champion Roberto Garcia against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger Diego Corrales, has been added to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING'S live telecast on Oct. 23, from the MGM Grand/Hotel Casino - The City of Entertainment, in Las Vegas.

The announcement was made today by Jay Larkin, Senior Vice President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks, and promoter Dan Goossen, president of America Presents.

The 12-round battle of the undefeated boxers will be the featured undercard bout of the Mike Tyson against Orlin Norris 10-round heavyweight showdown. The telecast begins on SHOWTIME at 11 PM ET/8 PM PT.

Garcia (32-0, 24 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., and Corrales (28-0, 23 KOs) will collide in the first televised fight of the night, followed by highlights of two bouts that will have taken place earlier in the evening featuring IBF No. 1 heavyweight contender David Tua against Shane Sutcliffe and Interim IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Zab Judah against Manuel Gomez.

Rounding out the evening's live telecast, former undisputed heavyweight champion Tyson takes on former world champion Norris.

Garcia will be making the third defense of the 130-pound title he captured in a 12-round decision over Harold Warren on March 13, 1998. In his last outing, Garcia retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over John John Molina on the Tyson-Francois Botha undercard on Jan. 16, 1999, at the MGM Grand.

Corrales, a native of Columbia, S.C., has demonstrated devastating punching power since turning professional in 1996. The undefeated South Carolinian has stopped seven of his opponents in the opening three minutes and 18 within four rounds. In his last contest, Corrales scored a fourth-round knockout over Angel Aldama on June 12, 1999, in Indio, Calif.

The hard-hitting Tua of Samoa, a 1992 bronze medalist for New Zealand in the 1992 Olympic Games at Barcelona, Spain, will face Canada's Sutcliffe in a 10-round bout. Tua (34-1, 29 KOs), a former World Boxing Council (WBC) international heavyweight champion, has won seven in-a-row since suffering his lone setback to Ike Ibeabuchi in a close 12-round decision on June 7, 1997.

In his only fight this year, Tua, the IBF's No. 1-ranked heavyweight, stopped Gary Bell in the opening round on July 17.

Sutcliffe (21-8-1 12 KOs) has battled many talented fighters in a career that began in July 1992, including Tyrell Biggs, Trevor Berbick and Brian Nielsen. His most noteworthy victory came over former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks on Oct. 1, 1994.

Judah (21-0, 16 KOs, 1 NC), the IBF's No. 1-ranked junior welterweight who faces Mexico's Gomez in a 10-rounder, has not come close to losing since turning pro on Sept. 20, 1996. The undefeated IBF interim junior welterweight champion has won five straight by knockout, the last two in the first round. In his last start, he dominated David Sample on July 9 in Cape Cod, Mass.

Judah has defeated such fighters as Angel Beltre, Mickey Ward and Darryl Tyson. Judah flattened Wilfredo Negron in four rounds to win the IBF interim title on Jan. 16, 1999, on the Tyson-Frans Botha undercard at the MGM Grand.

Gomez (17-10, 15 KOs), of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is best-known for going 11 rounds with IBF Lightweight Champion Shane Mosley on Nov. 25, 1997. Gomez is coming off a 10-round decision loss to Diobelys Hurtado on Nov. 13, 1998. He fought two future world champions in his first four professional fights, dropping decisions to James Leija and Regilio Tuur.

Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $200 and $100 are on sale and can be purchased through any MGM Grand ticket outlet and all Las Vegas TicketMaster locations (Smith's, Robinsons-May, Tower Records and The Wherehouse). To charge by phone, call TicketMaster at 702/474-4000.

The MGM Grand Hotel/Casino - The City of Entertainment - provides a new dimension in destination resort entertainment. The 114-acre resort is comprised of 5,005 rooms and suites, 171,500 square feet of gaming, the Studio 54 nightclub and signature restaurants featuring world-famous chefs.

The fight card is promoted by America Presents in association with the MGM Grand.