Ipitan poised to move up
Nigerian-born heavyweight, under new manager, set to fight McCline in main event tonight
by Royce Feour, Review-Journal
If King Ipitan wants to make a move in the heavyweight division, he should start tonight against Jameel McCline in the 10-round main event at the Hard Rock.
Ipitan, a native of Nigeria, is 29 and has had only six fights in the past five years. But he is hoping to be busier under new manager Bobby DePhilipis of San Diego.
"I was with Don King for a few years," Ipitan said. "I got out of that contact. I didn't think that contract was in my best interests. I went a couple of years not having a manager. I didn't have anybody around."
DePhilipis said he is close to promoter Cedric Kushner, who is staging tonight's card. Kushner promotes many heavyweight bouts, and DePhilipis said Ipitan can get fights on Kushner's cards.
The 6-foot-5-inch Ipitan, of Los Angeles, is 19-2-1, and the 6-6 McCline, of Port Jefferson, N.Y., is 23-2-3.
"Ipitan and McCline are at the same point in their careers," said Eric Bottjer, Kushner's matchmaker. "This is their most important fight. They are both stepping up, so to speak. The winner of this fight could get an HBO fight down the road. They both have good records. They have both developed. Neither of them has fought a high-quality fight. They have taken the long road."
Ipitan is coming off a loss by disqualification to Zuri Lawrence in Worley, Idaho, on Aug. 24. Ipitan was disqualified for low blows after having two points deducted from his score.
"It was a very strange fight," Bottjer said.
"Ipitan knocked Lawrence down three times in three separate rounds, but he kept hitting the guy low. I don't think he was hitting the guy low on purpose. Lawrence was also 6-5. (Ipitan) kept getting warned. One or two of the shots were not low, but the referee had a bad angle and called them low. Part of it was bad luck, and it cost him the fight."
Ipitan shrugs off the result of that bout.
"I don't see that as a loss," Ipitan said. "I see it as it was -- a disqualification. I beat him."
Ipitan's other loss came in 1994. He suffered a broken ankle while being knocked down by Bobby Crabtree in the first round and could not continue on a card in Monterrey, Mexico.
McCline, who lost two of his first five bouts, has not lost in almost five years.
The six-fight card is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. |
