On January 29th Jesse Brinkley (34-5, 22 KOs) will be in the national spotlight once again as he faces off against Curtis "Showtime" Stevens (21-2, 15 KOs) on ESPN II's "Friday Night Fights". The fight is for the IBF. #2 contender spot. The WBC-USNBC super-middleweight title, currently held by Brinkley, will also be on the line.
Like most athletes, the 33 year old Brinkley has experienced peaks and valleys throughout his career. As a promising young fighter, Brinkley was selected to be a part of the first season of 'The Contender' on NBC. He was known for his big personality and big punch. Under less than ideal circumstances, Brinkley became a semifinalist within that competition. In the time after 'The Contender', he had a few poor performances in the ring and was considering retirement. But that was not the end of the road.
In 2007, Jesse made the decision to work with trainer Peter Manfredo Sr. on a permanent basis. He also signed a long-term promotional agreement with Let's Get It On Promotions in an effort to reinvigorate his career. The changes proved to exceed everyone's expectations. Since then, Brinkley has ripped off eight straight wins. He has become wildly popular throughout Northern Nevada and is now ranked in the top 10 in the IBF and WBC. Now, he sees the opportunity to show the boxing world that he is back, better than ever, and ready for a world title shot.
"Everything has just been clicking lately." Says Brinkley. "I have the right team behind me, I've been working by butt off the last three years, and it's time to show the country that I am one of the best super-middleweights in the world."
The card, billed as Reno Xtreme Fights II, is promoted by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing and Let's Get It On Promotions. ESPN's "Friday Night Fights" will begin live coverage of the event at 10PM ET. The bout will take place at the Grand Theatre inside the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. Doors open at 6PM with the first bout scheduled for 7PM. Tickets are priced at $100, $75, or $40 and are available at www.GrandSierraResort.com or by calling 1(800) 648-3568. Tickets for a King's Row Booth for four are priced at $1000. Included in your V.I.P. ringside booth are light appetizers and one bottle of premium alcohol.