Tickets to the WBA boxing event at Hard Rock Casino Rockford on April 19 are nearly sold out. The card will feature one main event and seven undercard fights, WIFR reports.
The headline fight will see Deontae “The Handsome Heavyweight” Pettigrew face Rochard Lartey for the WBA Heavyweight Championship. Pettigrew, a Chicago native, is undefeated with 14 wins to his name.
Challenger Lartey, of Ghana, has 16 wins and eight losses from his professional career.
Among the undercard bouts is a fight between Rockford-born Jonathan Cruz and Michigan’s Cameron Vallier. Cruz will be making his professional debut at the event, while Vallier is yet to register a victory.
Other undercard bouts include Marlon Harrington facing Cameron Krael, Rani Jalomo versus William Davis, and Lukas Moldenhauer against Manuel Guzman. Meanwhile, Everett Olivares will face Daniel Hilton, Kewin Gibas will fight Lamar Bolden, and Talia Halvorsen will face off against Jina Bynum.
Hard Rock Casino Rockford Boss Eyes More Boxing Events
Hard Rock Casino Rockford President Geno Iafrate said he is keen for the venue to host more boxing cards in the future.
“There is not a bad seat in the joint,” Iafrate says. “Just to be able to see this level of boxing entertainment up close and personal live versus on your TV, I think it’s really going to create a buzz and excitement.
“You’re going to see many more events in the future.”
Hard Rock Casino Rockford is located just outside the city of Rockford, around 80 miles west of Chicago. The venue features a casino floor with a range of slots, table games and poker, as well as various dining options, including a Hard Rock Café.
