SATURDAY, WFC PRESENTS WFC 40: WORLD CLASS BOXING AT THE BELLE OF BATON ROUGE

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – June 4, 2015 – This Saturday, Baton Rouge transforms into a fight town yet again, when World Fighting Championships presents WFC 40, showcasing the top professional boxing talent that The Capital City has to offer.  Justin Thomas (12-0, 6KO) headlines the event, facing Sacramento’s Mike Guy (7-1-1, 3KO).  A tough test for Thomas, Guy’s sole defeat came at the hands of Berlin, Germany’s Tyron Zeuge (17-0, 10KO) in Zeuge’s hometown.

In the co-main event, the Baby Faced Assassin, Eric Johnson (10-0, 5KO) faces Texas’ K Lon Spencer (4-1, 3KO).  Johnson, a Baton Rouge native, gained most of his amateur experience competing as part of a prison league during a thirteen year prison stint.  Losing only one fight in his 61 fights in the league, Johnson became the captain of the boxing team at his facility.   The expectant father uses his experience to guide the younger fighters in his gym to nobler pursuits than those that landed him in jail.  “All my family is in Louisiana,” said Johnson on fighting in his hometown.  “It’s bigger than boxing.  When I fight here, we get a chance to come together as a family, and everyone can see me perform my craft.”

Lightweight prospect Chris Singleton (14-2, 7KO) returns to the Belle to face Chris Gray (13-20-1, 1KO).  Singleton will be contending with a much more experienced fighter in Gray, who has faced the likes of Erislandy Lara, Willie Nelson, Ishe Smith and Dusty Hernandez Harrison over the course of his career.  Singleton is coming off his second loss, a fourth round knockout at WFC 36 in March.  “Singleton is a throwback fighter,” said promoter Matt McGovern of the match-up. “He’s going up two weight-classes to fight a more experienced guy.  A lot of guys would have wanted an easy fight to bounce back after a loss. Not Chris.”

Standout amateur Manjaro Hills, Jr. makes his long-anticipated professional debut when he faces Tolutomi Agunbiande (2-3, 1KO) in a four round contest at super middleweight.  Agunbiande, who competes in both boxing and mixed martial arts, has over thirty fights to his name between the two disciplines.  “Hills’ extensive amateur experience took him all over the world to compete in international tournaments, and those experiences will come in handy when he faces the more experienced Agunbiande,” said McGovern.

Rounding out the card, cruiserweight Samotheous Parker (0-1-1, 0KO) faces fellow hometown fighter Tommy Manning (0-2, 0KO), and Keenan Hickman (1-0, 0KO) takes on Antonio Mignella (4-2, 4KO).

Tickets are priced at $60 for VIP, and $30 for general admission, and are available via the WFC website at www.worldfightingchampionships.com.

Doors to the Atrium at the Belle of Baton Rouge open at 7:00 p.m. on fight night. First bell is at 8:00 p.m.