Coffie to face Rice after Washington contracts coronavirus
Coffie to face Rice after Washington contracts coronavirus
Source: PBC
27/07/2021
Source: PBC
27/07/2021
Heavyweight Gerald Washington was forced to withdraw from a July 31st main event after a positive coronavirus test. He was scheduled to face unbeaten Michael Coffie this Saturday, July 31st at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Coffie will instead headline against Jonathan Rice on Fox PBC Fight Night and Fox Deportes. The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will also see welterweight James Martin battle New Jersey-native Vito Mielnicki Jr. in an eight-round rematch plus unbeaten Joey Spencer taking on Dan Karpency in another eight-round showdown.
Born in South Carolina and now fighting out of Los Angeles, Rice (13-6-1, 9 KOs) won six of seven fights from 2018 through 2019. The 34 year-old will look to bounce back from a pair of losses in 2020 against unbeatens Efe Ajagba and Demsey McKean. In a pro career that dates back to 2014, the blemishes on Rice’s records have all come against previously unbeaten fighters.
A Marine Corps veteran who picked up boxing after returning from overseas, Coffie (12-0, 9 KOs) quickly impressed in amateur tournaments enough to earn sparring assignments with Deontay Wilder and Adam Kownacki. The 35 year old was born in the Bronx, but now trains in Orlando, Florida. Coffie broke through in 2020 by stopping previously unbeaten Luis Pena in the fifth round of their August matchup before earning a TKO over Joey Abell in November. Coffie added a highlight-reel knockout over previously unbeaten Darmani Rock in January of this year.
