LAS VEGAS--Boxing returns to the Las Vegas Hilton with co-main events, one matching former World Boxing Council featherweight champion Kevin Kelley of Las Vegas against Abdul Malik Jabir of Washington D.C./Ghana for the Boxing Illustrated lightweight championship, the other featuring undefeated super middleweight Aaron Pryor Jr., of Cincinnati, on the inaugural, nationally televised “Tuesday Night Boxing Live from the Las Vegas Hilton” card July 8.

Ricco Rodriguez of North Hollywood, Calif., who stopped Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight championship, and unbeaten, 6-foot-9-inch, Las Vegas heavyweight Kaspars Kambala, who played basketball for UNLV, headlines the undercard.   

“Boxing has been part of the history of the Las Vegas Hilton,” said Ken Ciancimino, executive vice president.  “We’re delighted to be bringing it back and making it part of the mix of entertainment and special events here.”

This will be the first boxing card at the Las Vegas Hilton in six and one-half years, since February of 2002.

Pryor faces Arturo Ortega of Phoenix in a 10-round bout and Rodriguez meets Emile Whiterock of North Las Vegas in a four-round fight while Kambala takes on an opponent to be determined in another four-round contest.

Other bouts include super welterweight Lottery Smith of Denver against Mario Evangelista of Los Angeles in a four-round fight and a six-round fight between opponents to be determined.

Tickets for the card presented by Sterling Promotions of Las Vegas are priced at $25, $40, $60 and $75 and are on sale on-line at lvhilton.com, through Ticketmaster outlets and at the Las Vegas Hilton box office daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Pacific) or by calling 702-732-5755 or 800-222-5361 during those hours.

Doors to the Hilton Theater open at 5:30 p.m. with the first bout starting at 6:30. 

Kelley, a southpaw who has a record of 59-8-2 with 39 knockouts and has won eight of his past 11 bouts, was scheduled to fight on the Shane Mosley-Zab Judah card May 31.  However, when an injury to Judah caused the cancellation of that card, Kelley became available to fight at the Las Vegas Hilton July 8.

Kelley faces a stern test when he meets Jabir, who has a record of 11-6 with nine knockouts, but already has fought in nine 12-round title bouts.  Jabir, who trains with ex-WBC featherweight and super featherweight champion Azumah Nelson, is the former African Boxing Union featherweight champ.

The 6-foot-4-inch Pryor Jr., son of former World Boxing Association super lightweight and International Boxing Federation junior welterweight champion Aaron Pryor, has a record of 10-0 with seven knockouts.  Ortega has a mark of 12-7-3 with seven knockouts and twice last year fought Miguel Angel Espino, ranked No. 11 among middleweights by the WBC.

The Las Vegas Hilton has a long and storied history in boxing.  The list of legends and luminaries who have competed at the Las Vegas Hilton starts with Muhammad Ali, who fought there in 1978.

 

Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes also fought at the Las Vegas Hilton during the 1970s and 1980s. 

The biggest attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton during the 1980s was Mike Tyson, who fought there six times and in 1986 won his first title to become at age 20 the youngest heavyweight champion ever. 

Also fighting at the Las Vegas Hilton was Julio Cesar Chavez during the 1980s and 1990s and Thomas Hearns during the 1980s.

Rodriguez has a record of 1-0 with one knockout after leaving mixed martial arts for boxing.  Whiterock has a record of 0-1.  

Kambala has a record of 2-0-1 with one knockout. 

Smith, who’s making his pro debut, is the second boxer on the card who has a former world champion for a father.  He’s the son of Las Vegan Lonnie Smith, who was the WBC super lightweight champion.  Evangelista has a record of 1-1 with one knockout.

In addition to Kelley in the 10-round Boxing Illustrated lightweight championship, Pryor and Ortega are in a Boxing Illustrated Showcase Cup bout.  These Showcase Cup bouts are fights that spotlight boxers who well may be destined for world championship status later in their careers.

Boxing Illustrated, which resumes publication this year, was one of the two most influential boxing magazines for almost 40 years, from the late 1950s through the mid- 1990s, and was renowned for featuring the best boxing writers of the day.

Since 2004, the Hilton has spent more than $100 million in construction and renovation projects, creating a stunning new lobby; remodeled porte-cochere; enhanced and modernized casino; completely renovated and refurbished rooms; 221 executive level “Resort Club” rooms and “Resort Club” lounge; Tempo lounge; Fortuna, a coffee and wine experience; and an expansion of its legendary SuperBook.  The property also introduced a strong entertainment schedule led by superstar Barry Manilow in the Hilton Theater and the popular production show “Menopause the Musical” and The Scintas in the Shimmer Cabaret.