Live boxing action in the Arena on Friday, March 6th
Top welterweight contender Delvin Rodriguez (23-2-2,14KOs), ranked #5 in the IBF, will face off against Shamone “The Truth” Alvarez (20-1-0,11KOs), ranked #15 in the IBF, in a must-see match-up of two of boxing’s top welterweights on March 6th at 7:00pm at Mohegan Sun. The bout, scheduled for twelve rounds for Rodriguez’s USBA Welterweight Championship, will be shown live as the main event on that evening’s ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” telecast.
Tickets are $75.00, $45.00 and $30.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. 
Rodriguez who hails from Danbury, CT is coming off a twelve-round draw to Isaac Hlatshwayo on November 17th in Hlatshwayo’s home country of South Africa. The fight was an official IBF eliminator for the #1 spot. Now Rodriguez will defend his USBA Welterweight Championship and look to put himself in the position to challenge for a world championship in 2009 when he collides with Alvarez. Unlike his battle with Hlatshwayo, Rodriguez will have a strong contingent of fans and supporters on-hand at Mohegan Sun.
“March 6th at Mohegan Sun is going to be one exciting night of boxing,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing. “This fight matches two of boxing’s top welterweights in the world going toe-to-toe in what promises to be an all-action affair.”
“I’m excited, this is going to be a great fight with Shamone,” said Rodriguez. “Shamone is very skilled and always comes to fight so I know I will have to be at my absolute best come March 6th. I am looking forward to returning to Connecticut and getting a chance to fight in front of all my hometown fans.  It’s going to be a great night of boxing that no one will want to miss.”
Alvarez is a very skilled, crafty southpaw, whose only loss as a professional came in an official IBF title eliminator to current world champion Joshua Clottey. Since that loss, Alvarez has rebounded, winning a decision in his last fight against welterweight contender, and U.S. Olympian Terrance Cauthen.
“Delvin is a heck of a fighter. I know what I am going to be up against when we face off against each other on the 6th,” said Alvarez. “But if I want to be the best I am going to have to beat the best, and I consider Delvin one of the best welterweights in the world. One thing that I do know though is that it’s going to be a great fight. I am going to be bringing my A game and I expect Delvin to do the same, which will only make for a great fight for the fans in attendance and the fans watching at home on ESPN2 to see.”
“Both of these guys are so hungry right now, they are both in the primes of their careers and they know what a win in this fight, which is going to be nationally televised on ESPN2, does for their careers,” said DeGuardia. “I foresee the winner of this fight challenging for a welterweight championship some time later on in the year. Delvin and Shamone are very similar in the sense that they are both very humble men outside of the ring, but once they lace up those gloves, both of these guys hit a switch and turn into warriors. With so much at stake, this is a must-see match-up for any boxing fan.”
An extremely exciting and talent-packed undercard, with Providence, RI native and 2008 Olympian Demetrius Andrade, will soon be announced.
For more information on Friday Night Fights and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.