PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland Exposition Building turns 100 this month, and one of its staple events — professional boxing — will return to the venerable arena Saturday night in honor of that observance.
North American middleweight champion Russell Lamour Jr. of Portland will headline the seven-fight card promoted by the Portland Boxing Club, with former undisputed world heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe also making an appearance for photos and autographs from 6 to 8 p.m.
Doors to the event open at 6 p.m. with the first fight set to start at 7:30.
Lamour (11-1, 5 KOs) is scheduled to fight veteran Eric Mitchell of Vero Beach, Florida, in an eight-round middleweight test.
The 32-year-old Lamour, nicknamed “The Haitian Sensation,” is coming off his first loss since fighting as an amateur at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, an eight-round unanimous decision to Thomas Falowo for the USA New England middleweight crown at the Foxwoods resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut, on Jan. 31.
Mitchell, 45, is 23-12-2 with 11 knockouts and like Lamour is coming off a loss, in his case via a third-round TKO to undefeated Jarrett Hurd on April 18 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Lamour’s PBC stablemate, Jorge Abiague, will seek to improve on his 8-1 record in a six-round super bantamweight bout against Jesus Gonzalez.
Abiague is coming off a split-decision victory over Josh Crespo on Jan. 17 that earned the native of Las Tunas, Cuba, the vacant USA New England super bantamweight title.
Among other fighters on the card are middleweight Jason “The Fighting Fireman” Quirk of South Portland, 2-0 with two knockouts; super welterweights Casey Kramlich (2-0) of Raymond and Jimmy “The Marine Sergeant” Smith (2-2), both of Portland; and Ashland native Buck “Knuckles” Pineau, a veteran of the mixed martial arts cage who will make his boxing debut in a four-round cruiserweight bout.
The city of Portland will present a special proclamation commemorating the 100th year of the Expo and welcoming Bowe to the area during a ceremony scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Regency Hotel.
