The previously announced "Adrenaline III: Sylvia vs. Mercer" headline boxing match between former MMA champion Tim Sylvia and boxing champ Ray Mercer will be held in a mixed-martial-arts cage, Adrenaline MMA CEO Monte Cox confirmed in a Thursday press conference in Birmingham, Ala.
The same city hosts the June 13 Adrenaline MMA event, which features a headline six-round boxing match between Sylvia, a former longtime UFC champ, and Mercer, an Olympic gold medalist and WBO heavyweight boxing champion.
The night's undercard will consist of a full MMA fight card, so largely for logistical reasons, the headliners will box in a cage.
The event takes place at the 19,000-capacity Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena.
"It just makes sense on so many levels, and it adds another twist to the main event," Cox stated in reference to the cage.
Cox moved the fight to Alabama after the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board refused to approve the fight, which was initially targeted for Atlantic City. Alabama does not have a regulatory commission to sanction the fight, but as MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, Cox insisted the NJSAC's decision was not the reason for selecting the new locale. The longtime promoter instead said a "big sponsor" was the reason for the change.
Sylvia, meanwhile, wants to prove that his stand-up is just as good as any boxer's, and he's hopeful he could launch a second career with a strong showing over his veteran opponent.
"It's time that boxers learn that the guys in MMA are pretty good with their hands, too," stated Sylvia, who's 1-3 in his past four MMA fights. "This could open up a whole new career for me. I hope that beating Mercer will open the eyes of some boxing promoters."
Mercer, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist, is 36-7 with 26 KOs and most recently defeated Richel Hersisia (30-2). The 48-year-old faces Sylvia, 33, who makes his professional boxing debut.
Although Adrenaline MMA has a broadcast deal with HDNet, the all-high-definition cable station does not currently have plans to air the event.
