Pito will now face tough Juan Manuel Buendia

Press Release: Israel “Pito” Cardona’s comeback continues April 6, 2007 against Juan Manuel Buendia (13-1-1 with 8 KOs) in the eight-round co-feature on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Cardona-Buendia will serve as the co-feature to a cruiserweight bout between Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey against Felix “Bad News” Cora, Jr. at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Cardona (26-6, 28 KOs), a lieutenant for a security company in Hartford, as well as a boxing trainer at LA Boxing in Hartford, was supposed to fight former world champion Zab Judah on April 27, but Judah pulled out to fight WBO champion Miquel Cotto. “Judah was my break,” Cardona said. “I’m very disappointed not to be fighting him because beating him probably could have gotten me another world title shot. But I’ve been in this sport a long time and I know what it’s like. What I still haven’t figured out is why he wouldn’t fight me. Am I too dangerous? We still have a signed contract but he’s fighting somebody else April 13. Also on the undercard is 2004 U.S. Olympic heavyweight Jason “Big Six” Estrada (7-1), in a six-round bout. Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. is promoting and tickets are available through Mohegan Sun’s box office.