PHILADELPHIA (October 5, 2006)– The Year of Champions continues at The Legendary Blue Horizon on Friday, October 13th when emerging stars who have been staples in this, The Year of Champions, will compete in entertaining bouts on a card Promoted by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions.
In the main event, heavyweight, Joey “Minnesota Ice“ Abell will try to extend his undefeated knockout streak when he takes on Louis Monaco in a scheduled six round Heavyweight bout..
Abell, of Minneapolis, Minnesota has racked up eight consecutive knockouts to start his career that has taken the former Green Bay Packer training camp invitee just twelve rounds to dispose of those victims.
This will mark the sixth consecutive appearance for Abell at The Legendary Blue Horizon, which includes his last knockout win on September 15th over David Cleage in two rounds. With his devastating one-punch knockout ability, Abell has built up a solid fan base and has become the talk of Philadelphia boxing circles.
Monaco, of Denver, Colorado has a record of 15-33-4 with seven knockouts and despite his record he poses the biggest threat to Abell as he is far and away the most experienced foe that the undefeated Abell will have faced.
Monaco has a very deceiving record as he as been in with the whose-who of the Heavyweight division as he has faced former world champions, Trevor Berbick, Michael Dokes, Buster Douglas, Vitali Klitschko, and Lamon Brewster as well as many other top heavyweights over his twelve year career.
He holds wins over Dokes, and a then undefeated Kevin McBride.
This will not be the first time Monaco has been in the Legendary Blue Horizon ring as he dropped a ten round unanimous decision to undefeated Eddie Chambers in 2004. He is coming off a six round unanimous decision over Kenny Lemos on September 22nd in Denver.
An exciting undercard is currently being put together that will include separate bouts featuring middleweight Gee Edward Culmer (9-1, 3 KO’s) and Dave Peterson (5-0, 4 KO’s)
Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $125 for Presidential seats, $60 for VIP, $47 for Ringside, and $40 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA
For more information, log on to www.legendarybluehorizon.com
ABOUT VERNOCA L. MICHAEL
In 1994 Vernoca L. Michael became co-owner of The Legendary Blue Horizon™ and now serves as CEO/President. In 1998, she became the first African-American Female Boxing Promoter in the world and one of three women promoters in the United States. Ms. Michael is the Owner, President/CEO and Promoter of the Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions, Inc.™ which she established to assist in keeping boxing alive and well in Philadelphia. Her promotional company specializes in “Building Champions for the World”. In 2003, she launched the First Blue Horizon Championship Series. This year she launched the Philadelphia Boxing Museum designed to highlight Philadelphia’s great history in boxing, a ten year dream of hers. Also during 2006 she is celebrating the 36 World Champions who have fought at the “Blue”. While known for the ROCKY films, Vernoca™ was instrumental in getting Disney to film its most recent movie Annapolis at the “Blue” now playing in local theaters.
Also in 1994, she Founded and became President/CEO of NIA KUUMBA, a non-profit organization. As the President/CEO of the agency, she supervises students from eight high schools, women from the transitional work programs, the OIC trainees and college students in the Learning Center. Over the years, Ms. Michael and her volunteers have served over 854 individuals, students and adults. She is on site project supervisor for University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Temple University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality and Fox Business School’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute and SBA Development Center, Rosemont College’s Arts Management Project, Delaware Valley College Management Research Project, LaSalle and Drexel Universities’ Management School Projects and University of the Arts Programs. During 2004, she accepted the doctorial students from Harvard University’s Law Program and oversaw their dissertation.
Interested in both art and history, she spearheaded the effort to secure a historic marker for The
Legendary Blue Horizon which was unveiled October 24, 2003 and serves as the construction manager for it renovation project. She has also seen to it that the building has a mural of four of the greatest fighters on its North wall. Under her leadership, The Legendary Blue Horizon has undergone a $3.5 million renovation, been designated by President Clinton as a National Trust’s Save American Treasures Project and designated by Pennsylvania an historic site. Most recently the facility has won the prestigious Pennsylvania Preservations Award.
Vernoca is active in the community and has an office wall full of plaques, certificates, awards and news articles. She is a graduate of Girls’ High School of Boston, MA, attended Harvard University and MIT, completed her BA Degree at Livingstone College and received two Masters Degrees from the University of Pennsylvania . With all of this, she has been a second mother to twelve children.