CLEVELAND -- 'Irish' Leroy Haley, virtually unknown before he won the World Boxing Council Super Lightweight crown with a defeat of Saoul Mamby in June, will make his first title defense tonight against No. 1 ranked contender Giovanni Giuseppe Gimenez.
Haley, who had fought virtually all of his fights in Las Vegas, Nev., over the past 10 years, has a 45-2-2 record entering the fight at Cleveland's Public Hall. Gimenez, a veteran Argentine fighter who has been fighting out of Italy for the past five years, is 94-8-6.
Before he defeated Mamby, Haley was considered just another journeyman fighter and only boxing devotees had ever heard of him.
Haley's first break came last year when he defeated Willie Rodriguez for the U.S. title, and met Mamby just two fights later.
'It was a dream come true,' said Haley, 27. 'I never thought it could happen.'
But Haley won't take anything for granted. Working at Don King's Orwell training camp for several weeks, Haley's plan is to take the fight to Gimenez, and keep a lot of leather in the challenger's face.
Haley has notched just 14 KOs in his 45 wins and is not considered to have a knockout punch.
Gimenez, a 32-year-old part-time geography teacher and disc jockey, has 14 years of experience in the ring, but has faced few Americans or contenders despite his No. 1 ranking.
He admits he knows little about the champion.
'I'm not familiar with Haley or his techniques,' Gimenez said through an interpreter. 'But it doesn't matter. I will be ready for him.'
Gimenez has 45 wins by knockout, most of them coming in the early rounds. He has never gone 15 rounds, and only twice lasted past the 10th, losing both of those bouts.
Featured on the undercard is Mamby, 32-13-5, who is hoping for a rematch with Haley next year. He faces Californian Monroe Brooks, 47-6-4.
