Lanes hook up Brinkley with a 'Cadillac'

Lanes hook up Brinkley with a 'Cadillac'

BY MIKE HOUSER

Appeal Sports Writer

Before he had his 21-fight winning streak snapped in 2004 by Sergio Mora on the NBC reality show "The Contender," Yerington's Jesse Brinkley was on the verge of being a world-ranked fighter.

In May 2006, Brinkley was a little over one round away from beating Joey Spina and drawing the attention of the major sanctioning bodies before he got caught with a left to the liver and was stopped in the 11th round of an ESPN-televised fight.

With a two-fight winning streak under his belt and coming off a ninth-round knockout of Dallas Vargas July 6, at the Eldorado Hotel-Casino, Brinkley is once again moving up the rankings.

The 30-year-old Brinkley, 28-5 with 19 knockouts, will meet Donnell "Cadillac" Wiggins, 29-4-3 (14), of Covington, Tenn., Oct. 20 in the Silver Legacy Resort and Casino's Grand Exposition Ballroom.

The Brinkley-Wiggins super middleweight bout will be scheduled for 10 rounds and is the main event of "Collision Course," the second card presented by Terry and Tommy Lane, whose father -former Washoe County judge, District Attorney, referee and TV personality Mills Lane - founded the company.

"I think (Wiggins) and Jesse are in a similar boat," Terry Lane said Monday. "At one point they were up-and-coming super middleweights. Jesse lost to Mora and Wiggins lost to (former IBF super middleweight titlist) Jeff Lacy, (contender) Lucian Bute and (undefeated) Yusaf Mack. Those losses put them in the same boat. They are two guys fighting to regain their positions."

The 27-year-old Wiggins, who has fought as a heavyweight, cruiserweight, light heavyweight and super middleweight, has a record of 4-7-1 in his last 12 fights, but has fought many name fighters, including Rodney Moore, whom he defeated (and to whom he avenged an earlier loss) for the vacant North American Boxing Federation light heavyweight belt in October 2003.

In his next fight, Wiggins gave Lacy a good scrap before getting stopped in the eighth round. Wiggins has also fought Louis Azille (TKO by 8), Otis Grant (10-round loss), world-ranked Bute (KO by 2), undefeated Jerson Ravelo (KO by 1), Hoye (KO by 1) and Mack (KO by 2).

Wiggins is coming off a fourth-round knockout loss to former light heavyweight title challenger William Guthrie on Dec. 9.

The Lanes scored another coup by landing the 30-year-old Spina, 19-1-1 (14), who will fight in the eight-round co-main event against an opponent to be named. Nicknamed the "KO Kid," Spina, of Providence, R.I., last fought on Oct. 14, when he was stopped by Peter Manfredo Jr. in three rounds.

Brinkley is currently training in Rhode Island with Peter Manfredo Sr., while Spina will travel to Las Vegas to work with former WBA light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

"Collision Course" may not be a reference to this card only. Jimmy Burchfield, Spina's promoter and president of Classic Entertainment and Sports, and Lane said if Brinkley and Spina both win, the pair could meet in a possible rematch next.

"Things are going very good for Joey," Burchfield said. "He's working hard and back in the gym. Joey's still one of the hardest punchers out there. He brings lots of excitement to the ring. He's a throwback to the Rocky Marciano days, where the guy is beaten round after round only to score a knockout in the last seconds of a fight.

"There are some great fans in Reno that like action. That's what Joey brings. We want to let people outside of New England see Joey Spina. He has only one loss and is the type of fighter TV and boxing fans want to watch."

Burchfield said he was a friend of Mills Lane and said the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree when it comes to Terry and Tommy.

"I'm happy to be working with these young guys," Burchfield said. "It's great they've taken up the sport of boxing and thrown their hat in the ring as promoters. I wish them the best of luck and I hope they are successful."

Terry Lane said he was considering the possibility of putting two Carson City fighters - lightweight Mike Peralta and welterweight Simon Ruvalcaba - on the card, along with junior middleweight Lester Gonzalez, 6-0 (5), of San Diego, and Stan Martyniouck, both of whom will be fighting Sept. 21 in Reno.

The Lanes' first two signees--McDermitt brothers Derek and Tyler Hinkey - will also be on the card.

Twenty-seven-year-old super middleweight Derek, 3-0 (3), is coming off a two-round TKO of Giovanni Rubio and 24-year-old heavyweight Tyler, 1-0 (1), stopped Dan Evensen in the first round of his pro debut. Both appeared on the Lanes' first card July 6.

"Derek and Tyler are up-and-coming guys," Terry Lane said. "Their names are getting out there and drawing a lot of attention. They're working at Top Rank Gym (in Las Vegas) with Kenny Adams and a strength and conditioning coach."

Adams trained heavyweight Ray Mercer, a gold medalist for the 1988 U.S. Olympic team and who later won the WBO heavyweight championship.

"We're looking forward to a bright future for Derek and Tyler," Lane said. "Our objective is to keep them active and fighting. In a year's time, they'll be fighting for more money in eight-round fights. They are two guys from Northern Nevada who represent the Native American community (the brothers are Paiute-Shoshone).

"I believe these are two guys that, in the future, can transcend the sport. They're good for boxing."

Tickets go on sale Thursday and will be available at the Silver Legacy box office or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices are $150, $75 and $30.

• Contact Mike Houser at mhouser@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1214.