Davao City to host ‘Thrilla in Davao’ heavyweight title fight

DAVAO CITY -- A world heavyweight boxing championship, dubbed “Thrilla in Davao”, will be held on June 22.

The fight will feature the undefeated Christopher “Pretty Boy” Lovejoy of the United States against double championship holder Zhiyu Wu of China in the main event.

The boxing promotion is brought by the US-based Global Boxing Organization (GBO) and the RED Boxing International headed by Rey “Cacoi” Rodis.

“We are teaming up to energize the sport on both sides of the Pacific,” Rodis said on Wednesday.

Lovejoy, 35 (17W, 0L, 17KO), however, is still scheduled to fight against David Gonzalez Mendoza in Tijuana, Mexico on March 22. He recently TKO’d Aron Alexis Franco in the first round on Dec. 1, 2018, in Tijuana.

Lovejoy had a total of nine bouts in 2018 all via a TKO or a knockout. His victims were Miguel Salvador Ramirez, Edgar Montejo, Juan Luiz Lopez Alcarez, Omar Nunez Valderrama, Martin Rodriguez, Freddie Castillo Jr., Roman Borquez, Esteban Sosa Vazquez and Franco.

Wu, 36 (9W, 2L, 2KO) is a double championship belt holder - WBC Continental heavyweight and WBC Asian Boxing Council cruiserweight title.

Wu last beat Kotatsu Takehara via a unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental heavyweight title in Qinzhou City in Guangxi, China on Sept. 15, 2018.

He won the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council cruiserweight title by knocking out Bruce Glozier in Round 1 on April 15, 2006. He lost to Ian Lewison by a second-round knockout on June 24, 2016 in the battle for their vacant WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title in Nanning.

Wu lost again to Razvan Cojanu in the WBO China National heavyweight title by a knockout in the second round on Dec. 10, 2016.
The “Thrilla in Davao” will be a red-carpet dinner boxing affair in the country’s southern capital.

“It is guaranteed to be a world superpower showdown,” said Rodis. (PNA)