Chattelle, Howard gear up for tonight's middleweight showdown at Twin River
LINCOLN, R.I. (April 12, 2012) – On the eve of his most significant fight, Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle has come to the realization that his title defense Friday night against John “Doomsday” Howard will be a success regardless of the outcome.
“Today, I’m the champ, but tomorrow we’re both champions,” Chattelle said at Thursday’s weigh-in. “We’re fighting for the same cause. I’m ready to leave it all in the cage.
“Whatever happens, happens. My family and friends will still love me, and the haters will always hate.”
After winning Classic Entertainment & Sports’ inaugural middleweight championship in November, Chattelle (10-6, 8 KOs) – a native of Pawtucket, R.I. – will put the belt on the line Friday, April 13th, 2012 in front of what is expected to be a sold-out crowd at the Twin River Event Center against Howard (15-7, 4 KOs), a former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran from Boston who was released from the promotion in July following his third consecutive loss.
The winner of Friday’s five-round main event will move one step closer to reaching the sports’ grandest stage, an elusive step for many fighters who step foot inside the cage.
“For me, it’s another day at the office,” said Howard, who compiled a 4-3 record in the UFC between 2009 and 2011. “I’ve put all the work in. I’ve treated this like another UFC fight.
“I respect him a lot. He’s got a ton of talent, and I think he’ll do big things down the road. With that being said, I need to make sure my game is on point. I can’t be half-assed out there.”
Earlier this week, Howard expressed concern over fighting at 185 pounds rather than 170, where he built his career in the UFC. Chattelle is accustomed to competing at 185 and is typically the bigger fighter in most of his bouts, but Howard feels more comfortable heading into Friday’s showdown after standing toe-to-toe with his opponent at Thursday’s weigh-in.
“I think he’s bigger, but only by a couple of pounds – maybe two or three pounds,” Howard said. “This is comfortable for me. By [Friday], I should be between 195 and 200 – probably over.
“It’ll be a wash in the end, and the fight will depend more on cardio and skill, which is how it should be. I actually feel stronger at 185. I’m a lot leaner. I was able to lift weights and keep my muscle mass, whereas at 170 I burned a lot of muscle. I’ve been able to keep my size this time; I’m happy about that.”
Nothing’s changed for Chattelle, particularly his outlook, which has remained the same since the fight was officially announced several months ago.
“I feel I’ve done everything I can do to win the fight,” Chattelle said, “so the outcome should be a win.”
Tickets are $35.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
The undercard also features a dynamic light heavyweight showdown between two of the Top 3 fighters in the northeast, No. 1-ranked Mike Stewart (6-3, 2 KOs) of White Plains, N.Y., and No. 3-ranked Cody Lightfoot (6-2, 4 KOs) of Somersworth, N.H.
Pawtucket lightweight Tom Evans (2-0, 1 KO) will battle Dominic Warr (1-2) of Maynard, Mass., and middleweight Brennan Ward (1-0, 1 KO) of Providence, a former Johnson & Wales University wrestling standout, will face his toughest test to date against unbeaten Amsterdam, N.Y., veteran Harley Beekman (4-0, 2 KOs).
Pete Jeffrey (5-4, 2 KOs) of Pawtucket will face Lucas Cruz (3-0) of Boston, ranked No. 10 among 145-pounders in the northeast, in a lightweight bout. The undercard also includes a battle between Abe Pitrowski (5-1, 2 KOs) of Pawtucket and Brett Oteri (8-3, 1 KO) of Dedham, Mass., at a catch weight at 175 pounds; and welterweight Zach Costello (1-0) of Scituate, Mass., will face Leon Davis (1-0) of Springfield, Mass.
Bantamweight Dinis Paiva Jr. (1-2) of East Providence, R.I., will take on Boston newcomer Sergio Cabrara and Carlos Rivera (1-3, 1 KO) of Meriden, Conn., will battle Bob Burton (1-1) of Brockton, Mass., at a catch weight of 195 pounds. For more information, visit www.cesboxing.com.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Never Surrender.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance).
– CES –
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