ESPN Friday Night Fights at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel

SALAMANCA, New York -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Kassim Ouma and Cornelius "K9" Bundrage, two junior middleweights looking to regain lost stature, collide in the scheduled ten-round main event Friday March 28, 2008, at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel. This marks the first-ever boxing card at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel.

The Ouma-Bundrage fight as well as the eight-round semifinal between Mike Jones and Gilbert Venegas will be televised live by ESPN 2 as part of its popular Friday Night Fights series. The televised card begins at 9 p.m. while the first of seven live fights begins at 8:00 p.m.

Ouma, 29, originally from Uganda, now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. He won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world junior middleweight title by out-pointing Verno Phillips late in 2004 in Las Vegas, then lost it in his second defense to Roman Karmazin in the summer of 2005, also in Las Vegas.

After winning his next four fights, Ouma challenged Jermain Taylor for the world middleweight title, but lost a 12-round decision on December 9, 2006 in Little Rock, AR. In his only fight since then, Ouma was shockingly upset by underdog Saul Roman, losing a 10-round decision last November 2 in Carbazon, CA.

A pro since 1998, Ouma is 25-4-1, 15 knockouts. He has beaten Alex Bunema, Angel Hernandez, Carlos Bojorquez, Marco Antonio Rubio and Sechew Powell.

Bundrage, 34, of Detroit, MI, made a name for himself as a finalist during the second season (2006) of The Contender reality show on ESPN.

After defeating Michael Clark and Walter Wright on the series, he dropped a decision to ex-world champ Steve Forbes in the championship match. He has won four of his fights since, losing only to world-rated Joel Julio. A pro since 1995, Bundrage has a record of 27-3, 16 K0s.

The semifinal features one of the top prospects in the 147-pound division in his toughest test as a pro. Unbeaten Jones, 24, of Philadelphia, PA, has won all twelve of his pro fights by knockout since turning pro late in 2005. In his last fight November 9, 2007 at the New Alhambra in Philadelphia, he stopped former world-title challenger Israel "Pito" Cardona in three rounds.

Venegas, 30, originally from Eagle Pass, TX, now resides in East Moline, IL. A pro since 1999, he has a 10-5-3 record with seven K0s and he has fought some of the toughest young welterweights in the country.

Last year, Venegas boxed a 12-round draw with world-rated Jesus Soto-Karass and also knocked out Ed Paredes, who is 18-2. He has boxed a draw with Henry Crawford, currently 17-0-1 and he recently lost a 10-round decision to another young prospect, Michel Rosales, who is 15. Venegas has been stopped once, on cuts, by Francisco Rincon.

-- Henry Lundy, Philadelphia, PA, vs. Darnell Jiles, Rochester, NY - 6 rounds, lightweights

-- Danny Rivera, Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, vs. Mustafa Johnson, Indianapolis, IN - 6 rounds, middleweights

Seneca Gaming Corporation brought boxing back to Western New York on August 31, 2007 to a sold-out Seneca Niagara Events Center. The non-televised fight was the first-ever boxing event held at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. The event featured the Edwards-Hernandez title fight, as well as a six-fight undercard headlined by welterweight Mike Jones and Martinus Clay.

Tickets for the March 28th card, which is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., of Philadelphia, PA go on sale Tuesday February 19, 2008 at NOON and are priced at $25 and $50. Tickets can be purchased at all TicketMaster outlets and at The Logo Shop at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel, as well as Eight Clans Gift Shop at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. To charge by phone, call 716-852-5000. From Canada, call 416-870-8000.

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ESPN Friday Night Fights at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel