‘Business as usual!’
Lundy ready to take down Beltran; sets sights on Broner and others in weight class
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (July 26, 2012) – With his thinly-veiled threat to Adrien Broner having gone viral in less than 24 hours, No. 1-ranked lightweight “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy of Philadelphia is making sure he doesn’t lose sight of the task at hand.
“‘Hammerin’’ Hank will go out there being ‘Hammerin’’ Hank – no pressure,” Lundy said Thursday at the pre-fight weigh-in for his upcoming showdown against Mexican challenger Raymundo Beltran, scheduled for Friday, July 27th, 2012 on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights from Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
Friday’s show, promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, will air live beginning at 10 p.m. (EST) and also feature a 10-round super middleweight co-feature between Philadelphia’s Farah Ennis (19-1, 12 KOs) and Richard Pierson (11-2, 8 KOs) of Paterson, N.J. Tickets are still available at $40, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Resorts Casino Hotel Box Office.
“I’m just going to go out there and perform and use my God-given talent. I’m in [Atlantic City] – I’m not in Philly, but I’m still on the road. I’m a road warrior. I like to take that name from Glen Johnson – much respect to you, Glen Johnson – but I’m going there to do what I’ve got to do. Like I always end it, ‘‘Hammerin’’ Hank, coming to a city and town near you. It’s Hammer Time!’”
Even with a formidable challenge from the hard-hitting Beltran (25-6, 17 KOs) looming on the horizon – Lundy’s North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title will be up for grabs in the 10-round main event – most of the focus is on Broner’s jump to the 135-pound division, followed immediately by Lundy’s warning that all challengers in his weight class must go through him first.
Broner, the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) 130-pound champion, was stripped of his title last weekend for weighing in at more than three pounds over the limit. Lundy (21-1-1, 11 KOs), who was forced to sweat off an additional pound himself Thursday – “I’m a professional,” he said. “I worked to lose the weight” – called Broner “unprofessional” and questioned the legitimacy of his 24-0 record.
“I trained hard and left Philadelphia weighing 134 pounds; it happens,” Lundy said, “but you have to be a professional and lose the weight. All I can say is, ‘Hey, I had to do it.’ All it did was kill my morning run because I usually go for a run the morning of, but I can chill now because I already did it.
“I’m in great shape,” he continued. “I’m a throwback fighter. I’m doing 16, 17 rounds a day in the gym. A little run won’t affect anything. I’m ready to go.”
As for Broner, Lundy said, “I kind of like him, but the opposition that he’s fought? Nowhere near my level. [The] 135-pound division is a weight class where if you hit someone they’re going to hit you back. I’m more than welcome to having Adrien Broner move up, but there’s one thing about that – you’ve got to run through ‘‘Hammerin’’ Hank and it won’t be easy. I’m a warrior. When we meet in the ring, you’re going to walk through hell, just like I told Dannie Williams.
“It’s not a game with me.”
Broner is scheduled to fight again Oct. 6 in Atlantic City, according to his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions. In another fight of interest to Lundy’s camp, current WBC lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco will defend his title against John Molina in September.
“If they call me [in October, I’m ready to fight, but at the end of the day I’ve already run through everyone in this division they’ve put in front of me,” Lundy said. ‘I would like to avenge one loss [to Molina]. If this guy [beats DeMarco], let’s get it, but it’s like this – [Broner] is trying to take a shortcut and go straight to the top. You have to work your way up like the old-timers did. When you fight the best, then you can be considered the best. I’ve fought better competition than Broner.
“I’m at the top right now,” he continued. “I’m No. 1 in the [World Boxing Council] and I’ve got Beltran on Friday night. First, I’m going to take care of business and do what I’ve got to do, but let this be a lesson to you, Broner. Sometimes you come in overweight, but you’ve got to bite down and make that weight.”
Friday’s undercard also features a four-round welterweight bout between Anthony Young (4-0, 2 KOs) of Atlantic City and Richie Andrews (3-1-3, 1 KO) of Stuarts Draft, Va., while Josh Mercado (5-1, 2 KOs) of Cape May, N.J., will battle Korey Sloane (2-4-1) of Philadelphia in a four-round bout.
Also, Kenneth Moody (2-3-2, 1 KO) of Virginia Beach, Va., will face Ismael Garcia (3-0) of Millville, N.J., in a four-round middleweight bout and super middleweight Isaiah Seldon of Somers Point, N.J., will face Steven Tyner (3-5-2, 2 KOs) of Akron in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters subject to change. Bantamweight Miguel Cartagena (5-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will put his unbeaten record on the line against Jose Rivera in a six-round bout.
Comments
One Comment on ‘Business as usual!’
-
Gopal on
Fri, 27th Jul 2012 12:33 pm
I think Broner vs Lundy has been steadily gathering steam over the past six months.
Broner called out some big names after his last HBO appearance. However, I think Lundy is a more realistic opponent for him.
Still, Lundy has to do his part and take care of business on FNF this evening to keep the prospect of a Broner fight alive.
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