‘Rumble in the Heartland’ pits boxers against each other for silver lightweight title

When last Nebraska saw a championship boxing match held within its borders, the year was 1972.

Then champion and heavyweight legend, Joe Frazier, bloodied and bruised local contender, Ron Stander, over four brutally one-sided rounds, leaving Omaha's Civic Auditorium with his title and Stander with 32 facial stitches.

On Saturday, the sport will take center stage again at Grand Island's Heartland Events Center as Antonio DeMarco and Reyes Sanchez will square off for the World Boxing Council (WBC) silver lightweight title on a nine-fight card dubbed "Rumble in the Heartland."

The main event between DeMarco and Sanchez and the crowd of nearly 6,000 fans that are anticipated on Saturday night will be shown live on Showtime at 9 p.m. Central Standard Time.

As far as Alan Usher, the event promoter and the CEO of GI Family Radio Entertainment, is concerned, bringing a pair of the world's best lightweights to Nebraska was an easy decision.

"There is a tremendous upside based on the national exposure to a television audience," Usher said. "It's a neat event that highlights not only Grand Island, but the whole state, as well."

John Beninati, of Gary Shaw productions, which promotes DeMarco, recognizes the merit for fans of holding a championship fight away from the typical boxing venues of Las Vegas, New York or Atlantic City.

"I love putting fights in places that don't have them," he said. "I wanted to give them (Nebraskans) a treat."

The main event, which pits DeMarco (24-1-1, 18 knockouts) against Sanchez (20-3-1, 11 knockouts) is part of a package lightweight broadcast on Showtime, which will also feature a televised fight between Manuel Acosta and Brandon Rios on Saturday.

DeMarco, who hails from Tijuana, Mexico, will likely be the betting favorite when the lights hit the ring, though Sanchez, who's coming off a split decision victory over Daniel Estrada in September, has been the hotter fighter as of late.

DeMarco's only previous step up in class was a title bout with the undefeated Venezuelan, Edwin Valero a little over a year ago, in which DeMarco was battered around the ring for nine rounds by the stronger, more energized Valero before the fight was stopped. Despite claims from Beninati that his fighter "had the flu" during the Valero contest, DeMarco has taken a great deal away from the beating.

"I wouldn't change that experience for anything," DeMarco said. "Valero was very strong and very fast and made me grow."

DeMarco has had only one bout since the Valero loss (a second-round knockout victory over Daniel Attah) and some in the boxing world believe he may have trouble with Sanchez' straightforward, no-nonsense style, which is comparable to Valero's (despite Sanchez's clear lack of punching power).

"I expected him (DeMarco) to provide Valero with a real test, but he was completely overwhelmed," said Kieran Mulvaney, a boxing writer for ESPN.com. "That does make me wonder how he will fare against a pressure fighter like Sanchez."

DeMarco, however, has invested in the proverbial new leaf after a training camp that featured sparring with two-division champion, Humberto Soto.

"I am starting over to make my dream of becoming world champion come true," DeMarco said. "I've tried to see things positively."

But experts, like Mulvaney, remain skeptical as to the fight's outcome, citing an "interesting clash of styles" between DeMarco's technical skill and Sanchez's hard-charging tendencies.

"On balance, I'm picking DeMarco," Mulvaney said. "But with his inactivity, and possible concerns about his durability, I wouldn't be entirely shocked if Sanchez pulls off the win."

DeMarco's first impressions of Grand Island when he landed on Thursday afternoon was that the city was "a bit cold," though he also declared himself "motivated" to put on a good showing for the boxing-starved audience.

Saturday night's eight-fight undercard features a handful of local fighters, including a pair of former decorated amateurs looking to use Saturday night's big stage to move forward in the professional careers.

Terrence "Bud" Crawford (12-0, 9 knockouts), a two-time former national amateur champion from Omaha, will step into the ring with Anthony Mora (15-6, 11 knockouts) in a six-round lightweight bout. Mora, who has losses on his record courtesy of former titlists Randall Bailey and Jose Armando Santa Cruz, undoubtedly represents a higher caliber opponent than Crawford has faced to date.

"I think it is kind of a big step up," Crawford said. "But I know I'm ready for the test."

Crawford is currently on a six-fight knockout streak, though come Saturday night against the tall and mobile Mora, Crawford hopes to utilize his superior boxing skill and end the night early for Mora if it's prudent.

"I just box first," Crawford said. "That always comes first, and if the knockout comes, it comes."

The "Rumble in the Heartland" is also Crawford's first fight close to his Omaha home, as his previous dozen have required him to sojourn around the country in search of willing opponents at this early stage of his career.

"I'm really excited," Crawford said. "I've got a lot of friends coming out to support me."

Also on the undercard, is the decorated Omaha-based amateur Johnny Determan (1-0, 1 knockout), who will face Randy Ronchi (0-2, 0 knockouts) in a four-round bantamweight fight Saturday night. Determan, who fights out of the Victory Boxing Club in south Omaha and is a former United States Junior Olympic champion, acknowledged Ronchi's "stepping stone" status, but is eager to perform before the large crowd.

"I'm pretty pumped and ready to get in there," he said.

The weekend's nationally televised stage will provide an opportunity that Determan and his team hope will garner him the attention that often eludes young professional boxers.