The chance to appear on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights means Vancouver boxer Virgil Green might make a name for himself outside of the Pacific Northwest.
But the presence of TV for a series of fights tonight at Little Creek Casino in Shelton won’t impinge on Green’s focus when he enters the ring to battle Guillermo Delgadillo in a junior welterweight bout scheduled for six rounds.
“When I’m in the ring, the only thing I’m focused on is what I need to do,” Green said.
Friday Night Fights is scheduled to air 6-8 p.m. on ESPN2. The 10-bout card starts at 5 p.m. Leonard Gabriel, Green’s coach, said he was told Green’s fight is likely to be on TV.
This is the 10th professional fight for the 25-year-old Green, who is 7-2 with one knockout. All of Green’s pro fights have been in Washington. An impressive showing on TV might expand opportunities.
Green weighed in at 139.0 pounds. Delgadillo, 35, from Walla Walla, weighed in at 139.8.
Delgadillo enters today’s fight with a professional record of four wins, five losses and one draw. He has lost two fights in a row, so Green and his coaches expect Delgadillo to bring a sense of urgency to this fight.
“He’s going to come at me hard for the first three rounds,” Green predicted. Green believes he will have a stamina edge in the final three rounds.
Green said his quickness, both with his jabs and his movement, should provide an advantage against Delgadillo.
With the possible exposure from this fight, Green said he had an extended training camp of more than five weeks to prepare.
“This is the longest camp I’ve been in, and probably the toughest, too,” Green said.
Green said he understands the significance of this opportunity.
“This can be a door opener for me,” Green said. “A lot of people can see what I can do.”
