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Sergio Martinez – Darren Barker Undercard ANNOUNCED

While a national TV audience will see middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KOs) face undefeated European champion Darren Barker (23-0, 14 KOs) and the rematch between middleweights Andy Lee (26-1, 19 KOs) and Bryan Vera (19-5, 12 KOs), fans in attendance at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City can see an additional eight undercard bouts that feature a number of promising up-and-coming prospects including Isaac Chilemba, Steven Martinez, and J’Leon Love.

The South African Chilemba (17-1-1, 8 KOs) will be making both his DBE and U.S. debut when he takes on Jameson Bostic (23-4, 13 KOs) in what promises to be a stiff test for the current WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion Chilemba. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds in the light heavyweight division.

Puerto Rican prospect Martinez (10-0, 8 KOs), will take on his toughest opponent to date when he squares off against “Smokin” Jay Krupp (14-4, 7 KOs) in a six-round junior middleweight showdown. The Bronx-native Martinez, a National Golden Gloves Champion, and overall three-time New York Golden Gloves Champion, spent the last few weeks serving as one of the lead sparring partners in Sergio Martinez’ training camp, in Oxnard, CA.

The hard-hitting prospect, Love (8-0, 6 KOs), is scheduled to meet Eddie Hunter (5-6-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight match-up.

Two undefeated Irish-American New Yorkers will also see action on the card, when Kevin “Kid” Rooney (2-0, 1KO) faces Daniel Lugo (0-1), and Seanie Monaghan (8-0 5 KOs) challenges Kentrell Claiborne (2-3, 1KO). Rooney, the son of famed trainer Kevin Rooney Sr., also works full-time for DiBella and will be pulling double-duty on fight night. Rooney-Lugo is scheduled for four rounds in the junior middleweight division, while Monaghan-Claiborne is scheduled for six rounds in the light heavyweight division.

Also on the card will be West Point graduate, Boyd Melson (5-0, 3 KOs). Melson is the founder of “Team Fight to Walk”, and he donates his entire purse to the “Just a Dollar Please” organization, which is heavily involved in a pending stem cell trial focusing on research for spinal cord injuries. Melson will take on Russ Niggemyer (2-3, 2 KOs) in a six-round junior middleweight match-up.

Two of Sampson Boxing’s most promising prospects will also see action on the card when Magomed Abdusalamov (9-0, 9 KOs) battles veteran Kevin Burnett (13-4-1, 8 KOs) in a six-round heavyweight match-up, and Israel Duffus (2-0, 2 KOs) encounters Troy Artis (2-2-1, 1KO) in a four-round middleweight match-up.

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