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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsLocal newsV.I. Heavyweight Laurent Fights Friday in Puerto Rico

V.I. Heavyweight Laurent Fights Friday in Puerto Rico

Clayton Laurent Jr.
Clayton Laurent Jr.

V.I. heavyweight boxer Clayton Laurent Jr. will return to the ring Friday when he fights Kenny Cruz Carasquillo Friday in Truillo Alto, Puerto Rico, in four, three-minute rounds.

The fight details were finalized last week and announced Friday through Laurent’s promoter, Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, who has been looking at ways to keep the V.I. heavyweight active in the ring.

“The opportunity arose to have this fight and Clayton has been in the gym, so we all saw this as an offer too good to refuse,” Laurent’s manager, Matt Clark, said Friday.

“Whilst his opponent does compete usually at cruiserweight, he’s coming off a very credible win against Prince Badi Ajamu, who fought Roy Jones Jr.,” Clark said. “Still, that means nothing to Clayton, whose focus is honestly one of his most impressive attributes.”

Laurent has kept up a regimented training routine since his August bout against Sherman Artis, Jr. (3-3,) which he won by technical knockout early in the second round. Carasquillo’s record is 3-2-1.

“I struggled to get from 330 pounds to 219 pounds this last fight, but since then, I’ve been constantly training to lower my weight and get ready for the next opportunity,” Laurent said. “My upcoming opponent is not someone I’m looking to just get past – it’s someone I’m going through. And while I’m still learning about him, but my team has a plan and I trust they’ll guide me to a win. My goal is to be a world champion, and with a victory next week, that’s what I’ll continue to push for.”

Clark added Friday that the constant competition will help Laurent continue to improve.

“It’s absolutely vital for a young prospect to be constantly competing, to keep learning his craft and since we signed with DiBella Entertainment, Clayton has been active,” Clark said. “I’m looking forward to seeing Clayton’s improvements in each and every contest and this will be no different. It will be tremendous for him to round out the year with a good win and quite possibly inside the distance.”

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