Michael Coffie To Face Jonathan Rice in Newark

Coffie was initially scheduled to face former title challenger Gerald Washington, who was compelled to withdraw after a optimistic COVID-19 check.

The FOX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also will see James Martin battle welterweight prospect and New Jersey-native Vito Mielnicki Jr. in an eight-round rematch within the co-main occasion and unbeaten prospect Joey Spencer tackle Dan Karpency in an eight-round showdown.

At 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT following the FOX broadcast will probably be FS1 PBC Struggle Evening topped by veteran contender and Olympic bronze medalist Andre Dirrell competing for the second time at gentle heavyweight as he faces Philadelphia’s Christopher Brooker in a 10-round battle. The FS1 telecast additionally options unbeaten featherweight prospect Maliek Montgomery dueling Ángel Contreras in a 10-round attraction and high welterweight prospect Paul Kroll squaring off in opposition to Justin DeLoach in a 10-round showdown.

The non-televised undercard will function unbeaten Patterson, New Jersey-native Norman Neely (8-0, 7 KOs) in a six-round heavyweight attraction in opposition to Texas’ Juan Torres (6-3-1, 3 KOs), Philadelphia-born tremendous light-weight contender Karl Dargan (19-1, 9 KOs) battling Los Angeles-native Ivan Delgado (13-3-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round attraction, Maryland’s Keeshawn Williams (7-0-1, 2 KOs) taking up Missouri’s Noah Kidd (6-3-2, 5 KOs in a six-round welterweight tilt and Newark’s personal Michael Anderson (20-3-1, 14 KOs) in a six-round welterweight bout going through Tennessee’s DeMarcus Rogers (14-3-1, 5 KOs).

Rounding out the night time of motion is Denville, New Jersey’s Nicky Vitone trying to stay unbeaten in a four-round welterweight battle in opposition to Jordan Rosario, unbeaten Philadelphia-born prospect Quadir Albright taking up Jared Tallent in a six-round tremendous welterweight tilt and the professional debut of Avenel, New Jersey’s Malik Nelson in a four-round tremendous featherweight duel versus Alejandro Ramirez.

A Marine Corps veteran who picked up boxing after getting back from abroad, Coffie (12-0, 9 KOs) shortly impressed in beginner tournaments sufficient to earn sparring assignments with Deontay Wilder and Adam Kownacki. The 35-year-old was born within the Bronx, however now trains in Orlando, Florida. Coffie broke by means of in 2020 by stopping beforehand unbeaten Luis Pena within the fifth spherical of their August matchup earlier than incomes a TKO over Joey Abell in November. Coffie added a highlight-reel knockout over beforehand unbeaten Darmani Rock in January of this 12 months.

Born in South Carolina and now preventing out of Los Angeles, Rice (13-6-1, 9 KOs) gained six of seven fights from 2018 by means of 2019. The 34-year-old will look to bounce again from a pair of losses in 2020 in opposition to unbeatens Efe Ajagba and Demsey McKean. In a professional profession that dates again to 2014, the blemishes on Rice’s information have all come in opposition to beforehand unbeaten fighters as he seems to be to supply a stiff check to the to this point undefeated Coffie.

An achieved veteran contender within the 168-pound division, Dirrell (34-2-1, 25 KOs) returns to the ring for the second time at gentle heavyweight after a profitable debut in December 2021 wherein he knocked out Juan Ubaldo Cabrera in spherical 5. The Flint, Michigan native and brother of two-time champion Anthony, Dirrell gained a bronze medal on the 2004 Olympics and misplaced slim choices in world title fights in opposition to Carl Froch and James DeGale. Dirrell will probably be opposed by the 30-year-old Philadelphia-native Brooker (16-7, 6 KOs), who has scored a pair of victories to this point in 2021. Previous to these two triumphs, Brooker’s earlier two outings noticed him drop a June 2019 contest to Michael Seals and defeat Lanell Bellows in September 2018.

The 25-year-old Montgomery (10-0, 10 KOs) turned professional in 2017 after a powerful beginner profession that included two nationwide Golden Gloves titles and victories over recognizable names akin to Edgar Berlanga, Keeshawn Williams and Joseph Adorno, to call a couple of. The Macon, Georgia born fighter has stopped all 10 of his opponents inside the gap in his professional profession so far. He’ll face the 27-year-old Contreras (10-4-2, 6 KOs), who most not too long ago fought unbeaten prospect Jalan Walker to a attract April. The Monterrey, Mexico native’s earlier outing had seen him drop a slim split-decision in opposition to tremendous bantamweight contender Ramon Cardenas in February.

A adorned U.S. beginner from the fighter-rich metropolis of Philadelphia, Kroll (8-0, 6 KOs) turned professional in August 2018 with a first-round stoppage of DeAngelo Alcorn. The 26-year-old ended his first 4 fights inside two rounds earlier than going the gap and beating then unbeaten Shinard Bunch in August 2019. Most not too long ago, Kroll’s 2020 marketing campaign noticed him rating a TKO victory over Marcel Rivers in January and a unanimous choice over Luke Santamaria on FS1 in October. He will probably be opposed by DeLoach (19-5, 10 KOs), who will look to return to the win column after dropping his final contest to unbeaten welterweight Eimantas Stanionis in November. The 27-year-old from Augusta, Georgia put collectively a powerful run in 2017, defeating three-straight unbeaten fighters in Dillon Cook dinner, Junior Castillo and Domonique Dolton, earlier than knocking out Christopher Pearson in 2017.