BOXING McPherson sets TV card at Packard

The Niles High graduate will stage a pro boxing show with two of the bouts televised.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NILES -- A local guy who has made good has come home to share.
Sterling McPherson, a former two-sport athlete at Niles McKinley High, announced Friday that he will stage a fight card on July 13 at Warren's Packard Music Hall. Two of the bouts will be televised by the Showtime premium cable channel.
"This should be a first time for the Mahoning Valley to have a fight show televised by Showtime or HBO," said McPherson, who compiled a 24-1 amateur record and a 31-3-1 professional mark.
The 1974 Niles graduate played football and basketball before turning to boxing.
Fifteen years ago while he still was fighting, Sterling became a fight manager. Among the boxers he has worked with are Michael Dokes and Francois Botha.
This past January, McPherson was granted a boxing promoter's license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, McPherson's company, Sterling Promotions Inc., formed an alliance with Showtime because the cable channel's president, Jay Larkin, is a friend of McPherson's.
"I could have put this show anywhere in the United States, but I wanted it here as a Saturday afternoon special and an event for the Mahoning Valley," McPherson said Friday in announcing the show.
Five pro bouts
The card will have five pro bouts, with the main event being a 10-rounder between cruiser-weights Guillermo Jones (28-2-1, 23 KOs) and Sione Asipeli (17-4-2, 8 KOs).
Showtime also will televise the co-feature 10 rounder between junior welterweights Antonio Mesquita (26-0, 21 KOs) against Joe Hutchinson (22-3-2, 9 KOs).
"Any form of success with this show could have us come back to the area at any venue for Showtime boxing, McPherson said.
The fight site coordinator is Youngstown's Pat Nelson, who will showcase some of his KO Drugs High School boxers.
Tickets cost $50 for ringside and $30 for reserved and general admission seats. They are on sale at Packard Music Hall, Mickey's Army/Navy store, McMenamy's, The Razor's Edge and area Subway shops.