Brick City Boxing

Broken Toe Sidelines Alaska Native, NYU Grad; Gunderson To Take On Horodecki For Lightweight Championship

NEW YORK, December 12, 2007 – John “Guns” Gunderson (Medford, Ore.), standout for the Lions, will replace Shad Lierley (Seattle) in the International Fight League World Grand Prix lightweight championship against undefeated (11-0) star Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (London, Ontario) on Saturday, December 29, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Lierley broke a toe in training and is unable to compete at the event, at which five Championship bouts, believed to be unprecedented in North America, will take place.

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Gunderson went 2-1 during the regular season for Coach Ken Shamrock’s Lions, defeating Josh Odom and Gabe Casillas via submission and falling in an exciting split decision to Bart Palaszewski. He is 15-5 in his mixed martial arts career, including a 2-2 mark in IFL matches. Horodecki has won all four of his 2008 matches and is 7-0 in IFL competition.

Tickets for the Finals can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun box office, online at www.Ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-860-886-0070.

Athletes were selected for the World Grand Prix based on their respective match records during the 2007 regular season. In the event of a tie, competitors with the fastest finishes or best strength of victories earned the higher seeds. The winners will defend their individual belts throughout the 2008 IFL season.

The updated card for the World Grand Prix Finals follows. Bout order to be determined prior to the weigh-in on Dec. 28.

Preliminary Bouts
170 lbs.: Rory Markham, Silverbacks (Chicago) (2-0 IFL 2008, 6-1 IFL overall, 12-2 MMA overall) vs. TBD
185 lbs.: Marcello Salazar (Brazil) (0-0, 0-0, 6-1-2) vs. Alex Cook (Whitehaven, England) (0-0, 0-0, 8-5)
185 lbs.: Elias Rivera (Meriden, Conn.) (0-0, 0-0, 3-2) vs. Tim Kennedy, Red Bears (Fayetteville, N.C.) (2-0, 2-0, 8-1)

Championship Bouts
145 lbs.: L.C. Davis, Silverbacks (Kansas City, Mo.) (2-0, 2-0, 9-0) vs. Wagnney Fabiano, Dragons (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (4-0, 4-0, 8-1)
155 lbs.: John Gunderson, Lions (Medford, Ore.) (2-2, 2-2, 15-5) vs. Chris Horodecki, Anacondas (London, Ontario) (4-0, 7-0, 11-0)
170 lbs.: Jay Hieron, Anacondas (Las Vegas) (3-1, 5-2, 13-4) vs. Delson Heleno, Pitbulls (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (5-1, 6-2, 13-3)
185 lbs.: Matt Horwich, Wolfpack (Portland, Ore.) (3-1, 5-3, 20-9-1) vs. Benji Radach, Anacondas (Coconut Creek, Fla.) (5-0, 5-0, 17-3)
265 lbs.: Roy Nelson, Lions (Las Vegas) (3-1, 3-1, 9-2) vs. Antoine Jaoude, Condors (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (4-0, 4-0, 8-2)

About the IFL

International Fight League™ (IFL) has its headquarters in New York and offices in Las Vegas. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv.