PRESS RELEASE: The city of Tallahassee, Florida, known mainly for its support of college football with the likes of Florida State and Florida A&M Universities is getting on-board the sports bandwagon of another hometown athlete – as this weekend has been designated “Travis Walker Weekend.”

 

Due largely to a campaign started by the local Tallahassee Democrat newspaper, the city is jumping aboard the “Freight Train” (Travis’ nickname) in support of Walker, an undefeated heavyweight (21-0-1, 17 KOs) with championship potential, as its local son prepares for the biggest fight of his career to be televised nationally on Showtime “ShoBox:  The New Generation” against unbeaten 2004 U.S. Olympic super heavyweight representative Jason Estrada (6-0, 1 KO) in a 10-round co-feature scheduled on Friday night, November 17 in California.

 

The weekend will be kicked off tonight with a “Downtown Get Down” tonight usually reserved for FSU and Florida A&M football games, with the honoring of Walker. 

 

“The Democrat delivered a poster of Travis with every paper today,” Walker’s manager Steve Munisteri revealed.  “The paper has a booth for him tonight at the sports festival where 20,000 people are expected.  Travis will meet and greet his fans and sign the posters.  In addition, the Democrat is also running photos of his last fight – a 10-round unanimous decision over Andrew Greeley in Tampa – as well as the fight itself on the internet.”

 

Munisteri also pointed out that Tallahassee All-American Ford contributed $12,000 in sponsorship money and ran a full-page ad in the Democrat inviting people to come to meet Walker at the dealership tomorrow for more autograph signing.

 

Following that session, Walker will attend the Florida A&M/Winston-Salem State football game and be introduced at halftime to the expected crowd of 40,000 plus.

 

“I really appreciate the town getting behind me and supporting me for the fight with Jason Estrada,” said Walker, who stopped John Clark in two rounds in his most recent outing earlier this month at LA’s Staples Center. 

 

“It all got started when the reporter from the Democrat (St. Clair Murraine) came up with this idea to get behind me, and the newspaper, Tallahassee Ford and the entire city all got together. 

 

“I will sign posters downtown and give a lot of new people a chance to get to know me and what I’m doing in my career.  It is my goal to someday soon bring a world heavyweight championship back to Tallahassee.”

 

Munister and Walker’s promoter, Dan Goossen, are contemplating a potential fight for Walker to be held in Tallahassee in the near future.