Team Empire Management and DiBella Entertainment are taking over Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland area on February 8 as newly crowned IBF Junior Welterweight Champion “Merciless” Mary McGee (26-3, 14 KOs) returns to the ring for her hometown Gary, IN family and fans.
McGee inspired so much positivity to her NW Indiana town by fighting her way to becoming their first World Champion earlier in December when she demolished Ana Laura Esteche in New York to capture the IBF 140 pound title and enter the big time mix with Chicago’s WBC and WBA Champion Jessica McCaskill and Unified Lightweight Champion Katie Taylor.
On Indiana-based 4 Champs Promotions show at the Hammond Civic Center in nearby Hammond, IN and in front of all those that she influenced, McGee makes her first title defense against Australia’s Deanha “Silencer” Hobbs (8-1, 5 KOs).
The “Silencer” has silenced all of her opponents thus far in her career with exception to the Co-Main Event’s Christina “Medusa” Linardatou (12-2, 6 KOs) in June.
In the February 8 Co-Main Event, Linardatou looks to regain the WBO Super Lightweight Championship that she lost to Katie Taylor in early November in a hard-fought decision defeat in Taylor’s first 140 pound championship.
Soon after the win, Taylor relinquished the Super Lightweight belt in favor of retaining her Lightweight Unified Champion status.
By WBO’s regulations, “No female boxer recognized as World Champion in any weight category shall be permitted to hold more than one title at the same time… If she is to fight in another category, the female boxer, simultaneously submit a document agreeing to resign one of the two titles in the event of being victorious and obtaining the Champion title in another category. Her resignation shall be effective within ten days (10) following the acquisition of the new title.”
“Medusa” is out to take back what is her’s on February 8 when she faces multi-title Champion Prisca “Die Kriegerin (English: Female Warrior)” Vicot (11-6, 2 KOs) of France.
Vicot has been considered under-rated for years and here is her opportunity to show her metal, while obtaining GBU, WBF, WIBF, as well as national titles in France and Germany.
Vicot’s team insists that their champion is ready to make some serious noise in Indiana on February 9.
Also to be featured will be the charismatic former world champion Melissa “Lil Miss Tyson” St. Vil (12-4-4, 1 KO), originally from Haiti, now residing out of Brooklyn, NY. St. Vil has been in some vicious battles in the last year and a half, coming out of the wrong end of controversial score cards against WBC Super Featherweight Champion Eva Wahlström and then-WBC Lightweight Champion Delfine Persoon. St. Vil has been the holder of the WBC Silver Super Featherweight crown. Her opponent will be named soon.
Team Empire Management is also bringing newly signed Bantamweight Prospect Ebanie Bridges (3-0, 2 KOs) over from Australian for her US debut with opposition to be named soon.
“The female fights on the card are going to be awesome! It’s going to be………. iconic!” exclaimed Cohen.
“Mary wanted to fight for her family and friends. We wanted her title fight originally to be here but things fell short. Now I am getting what she wants, what she deserves, what Gary deserves… Iconic Fight Night with their champ!”
Cohen continued, “We have two of the four titles at 140 lbs up for grabs on one night. We have seats reserved ringside for the WBC and WBA champion, Jessica McCaskill, who only lives, work, trains miles away. This is the future of the division!”
Women of Boxing will be there for all the fireworks so stay tuned!
Jay Kemp, #NextGenChamp
Northwest Chicago Suburb native that has an aptitude for development of sports. Sports is my life, from youth to professional levels. I make things happen! I AM GOLDEN! Sports BIZness specialties include marketable presentation, public relations, sponsorship acquisition and retention, up-to-date marketing strategies, charitable projects and how they translate into positive public image. In addition to boxing, I am a nationally certified coach in the sports of lacrosse, soccer, and wrestling, with ties to many other sports. Telephone: 224-627-3777
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