Las Vegas, NV - "We'll fight anyone - Cotto, Margarito, Williams, Cintron - you name it," said Vinny Scolpino, manager of welterweight contender Joshua Clottey who will fight in an eliminator bout on the VERSUS Network on Thursday, Dec. 20.First, Clottey must deal with unbeaten lefthander Shamone Alvarez, 19-0, of Atlantic City, N.J. at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
The Top Rank/VERSUS fight card includes Las Vegas heavyweight Tye Fields who will take on Chris 'Special K' Koval of Youngstown, Ohio. That fight is scheduled for 10 rounds and will open the VERSUS telecast.
Unbeaten USA Olympian Vanes Martirosyan of Glendale, Calif. is scheduled for eight rounds. Martirosyan, one of Top Rank's most popular young contenders, has a record of 16-0.
Tickets are $85 VIP, $55 and $35 are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Hard Rock Box Office
Alvarez said he was in the arena when Clottey took on Antonio 'Tijuana Tornado' Margarito in Atlantic City over a year ago.
"Clottey is always in shape and he comes to fight. I look at this as a very interesting bout. I've been training at the Atlantic City PAL, hitting the beach, hitting the track, hitting the road," said Alvarez.
Alvarez is a four-time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion. In Atlantic City, he is called 'The Truth.'
"Alvarez is good, but Clottey is better. Look at who we have fought," said Scolpino. "It's a tough fight, sure, but we will win and move on to something bigger. That's what our game plan is."
Clottey has been training at John's Gym in The Bronx, N.Y. It has been very cold there, but Scopino said "...Joshua is used to it. He's only been to one training camp and that was in the Poconos. He has been training hard, his weight is on target and we're ready to head to Las Vegas."
Alvarez has already arrived into Las Vegas. He has been training at a local gym. "I am approaching this fight with all intentions of winning," he said.
Also on the card Canadian Olympian Donnie Orr, a 10-0 middleweight, will take on Enrique Gallegos of Medford, Oregon. Orr has been training in Tempe, Az.
"I grew up in the Vancouver area," said Donnie. "I had a lot of amateur fights with a record of 137-11. I was with the Canadian Olympic team in 1999, 2000 and 2001. For this fight I went to Arizona to train but now I am back working out in Richard Steele's new gym in Las Vegas. I am working with trainer Kenny Crooms.
Fan favorite Angel 'Baby Boy' Flores of Las Vegas will take on super lightweight Geoffery Spruiell of Pueblo, Colorado. That fight is scheduled for six rounds.
Doors will open at 5 pm. First bell, 5:30 pm
