FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 22, 2007

Cory Spinks to Defend Crown Against Mandatory Challenger Rodney Jones

Third World Championship Added to ‘Super Saturday’ at Silver Spurs Arena on Feb. 3

KISSIMMEE, Fla.—As if two boxing world championships were not enough to complete his history-making “Super Saturday” card on Feb. 3 at Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla., legendary promoter Don King has added a third world championship featuring Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks (35-3, 11 KOs) making a mandatory defense of his International Boxing Federation junior middleweight championship against IBF No. 1-ranked contender “Smooth” Rodney Jones (37-3-1, 23 KOs).

On the same evening,Tomasz “Goral” Adamek (31-0, 21 KOs) risks his World Boxing Council title against WBC No. 2 contender “Bad” Chad Dawson (22-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs) in the main event battle of the unbeaten, and International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Jesus “The Matador” Chavez (42-3, 29 KOs) will defend his belt against IBF interim boss Julio “The Kidd” Diaz (33-3, 24 KOs) in the second world championship, making this the biggest boxing event ever staged in the greater Orlando area.

Tickets priced at $27, $52, $102 and $202, with a limited number of $502 Golden Ringside seats, are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Silver Spurs Arena Box Office weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; by phone (407) 839-3900; on the Web at or at any Ticketmaster outlet. The event is being promoted by Don King Productions, with the main event presented in association with Gary Shaw Productions, LLC. Two of the world championship matches, Adamek vs. Dawson and Chavez vs. Diaz, will be televised on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The only place to Spinks vs. Jones will be live and in person at the Silver Spurs Arena. Spinks comes from a heralded American boxing family. He is the son of Muhammad Ali nemesis Leon Spinks and nephew of Michael Spinks, who gave “The Easton Assassin” Larry Holmes his first loss to become heavyweight champion.

The younger Spinks (34-3, 11 KOs) made boxing attendance history of his own in his hometown of St. Louis when 22,370 fans witnessed his rematch against Zab “Super” Judah on Feb. 5, 2005—the second-largest attendance for a boxing match ever at an indoor arena. Spinks defeated Judah by unanimous decision when they first met in Las Vegas in April 2004, but found out inside the ring he could no longer make the retain his strength at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds when he lost by ninth-round technical knockout in their record-setting second meeting.

Spinks made the bold move to take on IBF junior middleweight champion Roman “Made in Hell” Karmazin in his first appearance at the 154-pound limit. They met in St. Louis on July 8. Spinks delighted the crowd by winning a majority decision to win the championship.

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Spinks vs. Jones Joins “Super Saturday” – Page 2

Spinks avenged a suspect decision loss to Michelle Picirillo in Italy during 2002 by returning to Italy the following year and winning a clear-cut unanimous decision to win his first world title.

In his next appearance, he took on unified world welterweight champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga for the chance to become undisputed world welterweight champion in December 2003. Mayorga was coming off back-to-back wins against 2002 Fighter of the Year Vernon “The Viper” Forrest, but Spinks became undisputed welterweight king by boxing his way to a unanimous decision win in Atlantic City, N.J.

Like Spinks, Jones is also a ring-savvy southpaw, who earned his way to the IBF No. 1 position by winning a lopsided unanimous decision in a rematch against longtime contender Raul Frank on Feb. 24, 2006, in Dover, Del.

Jones captured the North American Boxing Federation continental title by knocking out Andres Pacheco in the ninth round when they met in 2004. Jones successfully defended the title that same year against Michael Lerma, winning a 12-round unanimous decision.

He successfully defended the NABF belt for a third time in 2005 when he won a split-decision over hard-punching Teddy Reid.

Don King Productions has promoted over 500 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including the top four: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.95 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995; and Bruno vs. Tyson, 1.4 million buys, March 1996.

DKP has promoted or co-promoted 16 of the top 25 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including the top five: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also highest live-gate gross for any event in the history of the world.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995; De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, paid attendance: 11,184, gross: $12,949,500 (Also garnered the most pay-per-view buys for a non-heavyweight fight at 1.4 million).

CONTACTS:

Alan Hopper/Bob Goodman, Don King Productions (954) 418-5839/5842 /

Chris DeBlasio/Ivy Moon, SHOWTIME (212) 708-1633/7319 /

John Beyrooty/DanClavadetscher, BZA PR (818) 344-6195 exts. 106/109 /

Fred Sternburg, Gary Shaw Productions (Dawson) (303) 740-7746

Jim Hunter, Sycuan Ringside Promotions (Diaz) (702) 880-8500

Jason Refermat, Silver Spurs Arena (321) 697-3321

Ed Keenan, Event Marketing & Communications (609) 399-1330