Boxing is returning to Joplin. Only six weeks after having scheduled matches at Missouri Southern's Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, Tony Holden of Holden Productions at a press conference last Thursday announced the scheduling of a seven bout card to be held at Joplin's Memorial Hall, beginning at 8 p.m., July 20.

The 10 round junior featherweight fight will feature Mexican-born Jorge Lacierva from Atlanta (25-5-4 record with 17 knockouts)pitted against Colombia-born Jesus Perez of Miami, FL (23-5-3, 11 knockouts). Lacierva, alias "Baby Face" Medina, 27, is ranked 15th in the world. Perez, who is four years older, holds a ranking of 112.

Allan "True Dream" Green (13-0 9KOs) from Tulsa, whose promoter is Sugar Ray Leonard, will fight in the co-feature against an opponent to be determinded.

A trio that fought at Leggett & Platt will return as the undercard. They are lightweight Isaac Mendoza (10-0 5 KOs) of Tulsa who won a decision, light welterweight Nick Cassall pf Buffalo, NY (1-0 1KO) who registered a third-round TKO, and Stephanie Dobbs of Oklahoma City (10-13-2 5 KOs) who had fought to a draw. Cassall will fight a 4-round match against Steve Verner of Tulsa in his pro debut; Dobbs will fight in the women's flyweight division against Addie Erb (4-1-1 2KOs) of Fort Smith. Mendoza's opponent is yet to be announced.

Rounding out the undercard will be a four round heavyweight match between Matt Godfrey (2-0 1KO) of Providence, RI and Seth Kleinbeck (1-1) of Independence and a four round junior welterweight match between Joplin's own Adam Capo (1-0 1KO) and Lance Moody of Purcell, OK (1-1-1).

The feature fights will be televised nationally on ESPN2 from 9 to 11:30 p.m.

Tickets which range from $15 to $50 may be purchased at the Memorial Hall ticket office, the Book Barn on Main at 32nd St. in Joplin, or the Peoria Gaming Center, 8520 S. Highway 69A, Miami, OK.

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