Here's one for the fam...
Joel 'El Cepillo' Casamayor vs. Azumah 'The Professor' Nelson
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Joel Casamayor
nationality: Cuba
alias: El Cepillo
residence: Miramar, Florida, United States
birth place: Guantanamo, Cuba
birth name: Joel Casamayor Johnson
stance: southpaw
height: 5′ 7″
reach: 69“
record: won 36 (KO 22) + lost 3 (KO 0) + drawn 1 = 40
rounds boxed: 281 - KO% 55
Joel "El Cepillo" Casamayor Johnson (born July 12, 1971 in Guantanamo) is a Cuban boxer, who turned pro after defecting to the United States on the eve of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The nickname "El Cepillo", literally translated to "the hairbrush", comes from his uppercut, which rakes his opponents across the face.
Casamayor is a two time champion, and current WBO interim Lightweight champion, as well as The Ring magazines world champion.
He won the NABF Super Featheweight title in 1999. Later that year, he won the WBA Super Featherweight title. In 2002, he lost that title in a controversial unification bout with WBO champion Acelino Freitas. Joel slipped and the ref called it a knockdown plus joel had apoint deducted, many believe Joel should have won the fight. In 2004, Diego Corrales, whom Casamayor stopped in 2003, defeated him for the vacant WBO Super Featherweight title via a very close decision. Casamayor failed to take the WBC Lightweight title from José Luis Castillo later that year because the judges scored what seemed to be a clear win for Casamayor for Castillo. After the loss to Castillo, Casamayor's career appeared to be in a downward spiral and he was set up with rising prospect Almazbek Raiymkulov in June 2005. In a spirited battle the bout ended in a draw, with many believing that Casamayor's best days were behind him. After two bouts against little known opposition, in October 2006, Casamayor yet again took on the popular Diego Corrales, and defeated him by split decision, winning the WBC Lightweight title and recognition as the world lightweight champion by Ring Magazine. He was stripped of the WBC title for signing to fight then WBO lightweight champion Freitas rather than defend against his mandatory challenger, WBC interim champion David Diaz. Diaz was named champion. (The Casamayor-Freitas lightweight title bout never took place. Freitas ended up fighting and losing to WBA champion Juan Diaz.) After Casamayor threatened the WBC with legal action,he was named as their interim champ.
He defended the interim championship as well as The Ring's title against Jose Armando Santa Cruz on November 11, 2007 and won a controversial split decision.
The WBC removed Casamayor's interim title when, instead of fighting a rematch with Santa Cruz, he signed to fight undefeated Michael Katsidis, the WBO interim lightweight titlist. On March 22, 2008, Casamayor became the first man to defeat the Australian Katsidis when he won the fight with a TKO in the 10th round. With the win, Casamayor retained his Ring Magazine world title and added the WBO interim championship to his collection.
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Azumah Nelson
nationality: Ghana
alias: The Professor
residence: Accra, Ghana
birth place: Accra, Ghana
stance: orthodox
height: 5′ 5″
reach: 68“
record: won 39 (KO 28) + lost 6 (KO 1) + drawn 2 = 47
rounds boxed: 398 - KO% 59.57
Amateur Record: 50-2
His TKO victory on March 1, 1992 over Jeff Fenech was recognized as the The Ring Magazine Upset of the Year.
Named The Ring Magazine Comeback of the Year fighter for 1995.
Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
Born July 19, 1958 in Accra, Ghana. A fine amateur boxer, he logged 50 wins in 52 contests before joining the paid ranks in 1979. In only his 14th pro bout, he was matched as a late substitute with Hall of Famer Salvador Sanchez for the WBC featherweight belt in Madison Square Garden. Nelson battled the Mexican legend valiantly before succumbing in the 15th round of their July 1982 contest. The previously unknown Ghanaian was now a recognized force in the 126lb division and on December 8, 1984 he captured the WBC championship with a 11th round TKO over Hall of Famer Wilfredo Gomez. He successfully defended the belt six times before winning the WBC super featherweight title from Mario Martinez in 1988. After four title defenses, he unsuccessfully challenged Pernell Whitaker for the WBC/IBF lightweight titles. Upon returning to the 130-pound class he defended his championship six more times, including a controversial draw with Australian Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech on June 28, 1991. In the rematch eight months later, Nelson ventured to Australia and stopped Fenech via 8th round kayo. Wins over Calvin Grove and Gabe Ruelas led to the first of four encounters with "Jesse" James Leija. Nelson drew with Leija in their first bout on September 10, 1993 before losing the WBC title to the tough Texan in the rematch eight months later. After regaining the belt from Leija's successor Gabriel Ruelas in December 1995, Nelson got revenge with a TKO win over Leija in the 6th round of their rubber match. In his next outing he lost the championship to Genaro Hernandez (L12) and then dropped a 12-round decision to Leija in what would be Nelson's last bout. A true world champion, he fought all over the globe, including England, Australia, Spain, Mexico and throughout the United States. A combination of technical boxing skills, power in both hands and a reliable chin enabled Nelson to compile a 39-5-2 (28KOs) record. A national hero in his homeland, Nelson still resides in Accra.
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This fight takes place at the Jr. Lightweight limit of 130 lbs. and will be a 12 round bout.