Ali Baba Fights For IBAC Title

Highly regarded Cornelius Lock of Detroit takes on Ghanaian veteran Alex Ali Baba of Miami, Fla., in A 12-round title bout for the vacant International Boxing Association Continental junior featherweight championship on the nationally and internationally televised "Guilty Fight Night Boxeo de Campeones" professional boxing card presented by Guilty Boxing in association with Tecate Friday, Jan. 21, at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Six undefeated boxers also are in action on the first boxing card of the year at the Orleans.

Lock, who has a record of 13-2-1 with nine knockouts, and Ali Baba, who has a mark of 21-6 with 16 knockouts, battle for the title held by former World Boxing Association flyweight champion Eric Morel.

The undefeated boxers on the card are Dewey Cooper of Las Vegas (13-0-2, 9 KOs) in a six-round cruiserweight fight against James Brock of Long Beach, Calif.; Jamar Nolan of Detroit (12-0, 8 KOs) in a six-round middleweight bout; James Countryman of Detroit (4-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round middleweight fight; Avelino Chavez of Las Vegas (12-0, 7 KOs) against Alejandro Juarez of Tijuana (10-0, 7 KOs) in a six-round welterweight bout; and Avelino's younger brother, Dominic Chavez of Las Vegas, (2-0, 0 KOs) in a four-round super lightweight fight.

Other action features Mika Gergen of San Diego in a six-round heavyweight fight and Jeremy Arnold of Wichita, Kan., in a four-round middleweight bout.

Opponents for Gergen, Nolan, Countryman, Arnold and Dominic Chavez will be determined.

The eight-bout card starts at 7 p.m. (Pacific) with doors to the Mardi Gras Ballroom at the Orleans Hotel & Casino opening at 6:30. The Mardi Gras Ballroom is located on the second floor of the Orleans Hotel & Casino, which has been hosting boxing matches since 1999.

Tickets are priced at $20 and $30 with all seats reserved. Tickets are available at the Orleans Hotel & Casino box office Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or by calling 702-365-7070 or 702-365-7075 during those days and hours.

This is the 14th "Boxeo de Campeones" card to be held at a Coast Casinos property and the eighth at the Orleans. The innovative Guilty Boxing series was launched May 28 and has presented cards in Southern California, Arizona and Tijuana as well as Las Vegas.

The 26-year-old Lock won three times on Guilty Boxing cards at the Orleans last year.

The 34-year-old Ali Baba, originally from Ghana, fought Pongsaklek Wonjongkam for the World Boxing Council flyweight championship Oct. 26, 2001, in Thailand. In his next outing two and one-half months later Ali Baba met Morel in a non-title bout.

Ali Baba is trained by Lloyd Honeyghan, the former WBC and WBA welterweight champion during the mid- and late-1980s.

The 30-year-old Cooper has won seven times on Guilty Boxing cards at Coast Resorts properties during the past 13 months. The 26-year-old Brock has a record of 9-20-2 with three knockouts.

The 22-year-old Avelino Chavez is coming off eight straight wins on Guilty Boxing cards at the Orleans while the 20-year-old Dominic Chavez is appearing at the Orleans for the first time.

The 31-year-old Nolan is coming off two wins on Guilty Boxing cards at the Orleans.

The 24-year-old Countryman is coming off three wins on Guilty Boxing shows at Coast Resorts properties.

The 25-year-old Juarez is coming off a win on a Guilty Boxing card Dec. 3 in Tijuana.

The 27-year-old Gergen has a record of 6-1-1 with six knockouts.

The 25-year-old Arnold has a no contest verdict in his lone pro bout.