Former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall will fight Fres Oquendo of Puerto Rico for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental heavyweight title in the main event of The Heavyweight Factory’s “Backyard Brawl” card on Tuesday, December 7 at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
McCall, at 45, continues to turn back time in boxing in his quest to become the oldest heavyweight champion in the sport. His inspiration is former two-time world champion and 1968 Olympic gold medalist George Foreman who won a world title at age 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer, then 26, to reclaim the title he had held 20 years earlier.
McCall (54-10, 37 KOs) of Plantation will face a formidable opponent in Oquendo (32-6, 21 KOs) in the 12-round main event.
“George Foreman is my inspiration,” said McCall, who trains with former two-time world champion John David Jackson at The Heavyweight Factory. “I still have goals before I hang it up and I have George Foreman to thank for that.”
The star-studded card, the sixth and final show of the 2010 season, features an international lineup.
Cuban-born Richard Abril (13-2-1, 6 KOs) of Miami will head the “Cuban Connection” contingent that also includes heavyweight Luis Ortiz (4-0, 3 KOs) and light middleweight Inocente Fiz (4-0, 2 KOs). Former Hollywood PAL national and state champion Azea Augustama, a member of the Haitian 2008 Olympic team and undefeated cruiserweight (9-0, 6 KOs) will fight his second consecutive fight at Hard Rock Live.
Russian southpaw heavyweight Magomed Abdusalamov (8-0, 8 KOs) will make his second Hard Rock Live appearance.
Boca Raton crowd pleasing heavyweight Erik “The Viking” Leander (8-1, 6 KOs) will return to the ring in hopes of bouncing back from his first career-loss, a second-round knockout in March. Also on the card is former University of Miami football player and part-time model James Bryant (4-1, 2KOs). Bryant is a former product of the Heavyweight Factory, a program that turns former football and basketball players into heavyweight boxers along with opening its doors to all weight classes.
The Heavyweight Factory will spearhead a toy drive in conjunction with the Toys for Tots program. Fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy the night of the fight to be dropped off in the Hard Rock Live lobby.
The action-packed fight card is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Doors open 6:30 p.m.
The pre-fight press conference is set for Thursday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. at Renegade BBQ, 5720 Seminole Way located in Seminole Paradise at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
The weigh-in is scheduled for Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. at the Heavyweight Factory’s training facility across from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on 441 and Lucky Street.
Tickets cost $105, $55 & $30. All seats are reserved and available at the Hard Rock Live Box Office, open Tuesday – Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and on Sunday & Monday – only open on event days at noon. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open one-hour prior to show start time.