WEIGHTS AND QUOTES FROM HINCKLEY, MN
Two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez will take on former junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe in a 10-round main event Saturday, July 23, at Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minnesota. Gonzalez will put his WBO International belt on the line, with the fight also serving as a WBC world title eliminator.
In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, undefeated contender Giovanni “El Cabron” Cabrera hopes for a signature win against the flashy Gabriel Flores Jr.
Gonzalez-Dogboe, Cabrera-Flores and all undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Top Rank in association with Rapacz Boxing and ESPN will kick off the action at 5:15 CST. Boxers six locals made weight yesterday afternoon in Hinckley and shared words on tonight’s action below.
Joet Gonzalez 125.6 vs. Isaac Dogboe 125.8
(WBO International featherweight title & WBC eliminator)
Gabriel Flores Jr. 135.4 vs. Giovanni Cabrera 135.6
Javier Martinez 160.8 vs. Chino Hill 161
Guido Vianello 244.2 vs. Rafael Rios 250.4
Haven Brady Jr. 127.8 vs. Aaron Echeveste 126.8
Colton Warner 254 vs. Jimmy Barnes 265.6
Abdullah Mason 135 vs. Luis Fernandez 136
Antonio Mireles 269.2 vs. Dennys Reyes 228.6
Dante Benjamin Jr. 172.6 vs. Corey Thompson 174.8
Antonio Woods 161.6 vs. Darryl Jones 162
Cayman Audie 234.2 vs. Anthony Garrett 271.4
Venue: Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota
Promoter: Top Rank and Rapacz Boxing
TV: ESPN+ Beginning at 5:15 cst
CORY RAPACZ: “I’m grateful to Top Rank that they’re giving so many Minnesota fighters an opportunity to compete on the national stage at Grand Casino Hinckley. All these guys deserve it, they were all willing to take tough fights and I hope the local fans are going to get behind them on Saturday night.”
COREY THOMPSON: “This training camp has been very different for me. I wasn’t able to have my trainer with me, so I had to go on the road and get some much needed sparring in. I did get some work with a lot of different looks in sparring, including 6 ft 4 inch 230 lbs Anthony Smith with the UFC, 17-0 light heavyweight Steven Nelson Jr and former World Champion Maurice Hooker. I am conditioned like a wildman when I took some of our youth boxers to the Junior Olympic Nationals in Kansas and put the final preparations in with my trainer Mikey Faragon in the cities. I had a lot of good people looking after my gym, Nordic Warriors Boxing Academy (NWBA). Theresa McGinn, Ryan Dew, Kirsten Wessel, Leah Gist were our core group of gym coaches/managers along with my manager and promoter Nick Rogers. My sponsor, Lake Country Meats fully funded a 2 week sparring trip for me to go train to prepare for this.”
” I’ve watched a lot of tape on my opponent. He has over 100 wins as an amateur and 7 national titles. He’s 2-0 but hasn’t even been close to tested as a pro. He’s got good speed, a good jab and a couple of good moves, but he makes mistakes. I know how he likes to fight. I plan on capitalizing.”
“How could they not underestimate me? I’m in Central MN, 34 years old and I haven’t been on this big of a platform. What they don’t know about me, is I am a real prizefigher and I believe I will be at the top level one day, and I’ve been preparing for this opportunity mentally and physically for years.”
“I am asking all of Minnesota and other states in the Midwest to tune into this show. It’s either going to be a big flop or a coming out party for me, so it’s entertaining regardless. Call the Grand Casino Hinckley for tickets as I ran out, tune in on ESPN+ if you can’t make it in person and if you don’t have ESPN+ we will have a free will donation watch party with food provided at Nordic Warriors Boxing Academy in Alexandria. Thank you all for this opportunity. I am going to fight with everything I got.”
COLTON WARNER: “Jimmy and I go way back. We are both Pine City natives and have been friends since we were kids. He’s always been strong as an ox, he was a great wrestler and he’s always been able to punch. I remember Jimmy, my brothers, and our friends would box all day on our deck which was the perfect size/shape for a boxing ring.”
“I’m honored to share the ring with him now as an adult, especially in Hinckley at the Grand Casino, not far from our hometown. We will both have a lot of support and I’m excited to put on a show for our community. I wish him nothing but the best always and I call him my brother but that doesn’t change anything for me. It’s not personal, it’s boxing and I’m going for the knockout like I would with anyone else.”
JIMMY BARNES: “I’ve known Colton since we were kids. We hung out a lot and were very close. We would box on his dads deck messing around. We were both popular athletes from the area and will be a huge fight for this area. We continue to hold a great and close friendship! Even call each other brothers.”
“We have sparred and trained together a bunch of times over the years and have supported each others career. This fight made perfect sense because of the platform and location. This will be huge for the community and state!”
“I will bring absolute fire to this fight and will be in the best shape in my life. This fight will be absolute fire. Love him. But I’m coming for his head. July 23rd he’s mine.”
CAYMAN AUDIE: “Training camp went really well. I got the chance to adventure out and get good sparring in with Al Sands who is the current cruiserweight champion. I was also helping him prepare for his title fight in Germany before that got postponed because his opponent got Covid.”
“I don’t think I’ve worked harder prepping for a fight than this one. My opponent may have changed a couple times but my work ethic didn’t. The type of fight fans can expect from me is an exciting one. He’s got so much size on me so it’s going to make it more exciting. I just can’t get stuck at range against an opponent with such a reach advantage on me.”
“I may be undersized but my explosiveness and power will equalize the size advantage he has. Lastly I just want to put on a good show in front of my hometown crowd and show all the kids that come from the same place as me that things like this are possible.”
DENNYS REYES: “I feel good, in good shape. My coach and training partners at Valhalla worked with me twice a day! I know he is tall, he is from Iowa, and that he is undefeated. I am going to fight him like I do in every fight!”
ANTONIO WOODS: “This camp has been amazing and probably my best one yet. I’m feeling the strongest I’ve ever felt and in the best shape I’ve been in for any of my fights to this point. This camp has also been my longest one as well. I opened up camp 8 weeks ago to prepare for this fight and can say we’ve left no stone unturned. I didn’t travel at all but I was able to work with some talented local and world class fighters such as Caleb Truax , Cruse Stewart my big bro for the amateurs and also some talented amateurs.”
“As for my opponent Darryl, I think he’s the perfect dance partner for this type of fight on this stage. He’s been here before, he has fought some tough competition to get here, he’s durable and tough and I think he can bring out the best me yet so I’m look forward to showcasing my talents come Saturday night.”
“I can say I’m looking to make a statement on Saturday night. It’s my 2nd time fighting on a major promotion, so I’m looking to put on a great performance and show for all the fan and close the show in dramatic fashion.”