Stamford, Conn. (Nov. 14, 2006) – Bobby “The Sniper” Pacquiao (27-11-3, 12 KOs) defends his WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship against Hector “El Artillero” Velazquez (45-11-2, 1NC, 32 KOs) in the 12-round main event of the next VERSUS Fight Night card in conjunction with Top Rank Boxing on Thursday, November 16 at 9 p.m. ET from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
The under card will feature an 8-round Super Welterweight showdown between Jose Luis Cruz (33-2-2, 28 KOs), the former Mexican champion against Archak “Shark Attack” Meliksetian (16-4, 13 KOS).
As an added bonus, Fight Night viewers will be able to score the bouts from home through the VERSUS website at VERSUS.com. These viewer scores will be posted throughout the telecast.
Pacquiao, who hails from General Santos City in the Philippines, is a 26-year-old southpaw and the current Continental Americas super featherweight champion. He has tallied three straight big wins, defeating former world champions Kevin Kelley (June, 2006), Carlos Hernandez (October 2005) and Carlos Navarro (June, 2005). In his last fight on June 10 at Madison Square Garden, he knocked out Kelley in the fourth round.
Velasquez, from Tijuana, Mexico, has been fighting professionally for 13 years. He also sports a three-fight winning streak. In his last fight on September 1 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he won a 12-round unanimous decision against left-hander Yuri Voronin. He also won a 10-round decision over Guadalupe Hernandez (June 17, 2006) and TKO’d Adnan Amador in the second round (May 20, 2006). Prior to those three wins he lost to Manny Pacquiao by knockout in 2005.
Cruz, from Mazaltan, Mexico is the former Mexican welterweight champion. A 10-year veteran, Cruz, has been in the ring with some of boxing’s best. He has lost two fights in a row, both by 10-round decision to former world champions Sharmba Mitchell and Shane Mosely. He TKO’d Vince Thompson in the 8th round on June 14, 2005. He also sports a draw with Carlos Baldomir and a knockout victory over WBC welterweight champion Jorge Vaca on his ring record.
Meliksetian, from Armenia, replaces Anthony “The Messenger” Thompson, who suffered an eye injury and had to withdraw from the card. A powerful puncher, Meliksetian, who fights out of Paterson, NJ, earned a four-round TKO over Dillon Carew there in his last fight on September 15.
Fight Night is hosted by Wally Matthews, a veteran boxing writer who has covered the sport for two decades, and Bob Papa, who has called boxing for ESPN and currently for NBC. Michael Buffer, the tuxedoed announcer who coined the catchphrase “Let’s get ready to rumble!” serves as the ring announcer.