Once framed for homicide, he’s unbeaten and on the way in which up as he fights on Saturday night time in Atlantic City
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Avious Griffin might sometime get knocked down within the boxing ring, however he gained’t doubtless keep down, as a result of that’s nothing in comparison with what he’s skilled within the enviornment of “real life.” You’d must go a protracted technique to discover one other professional fighter who’s been wrongfully incarcerated for homicide and needed to make a comeback from that.
There’s now a hit story in progress, and it’ll proceed on Saturday because the native of Chattanooga, TN faces off in opposition to Nicaragua’s Lesther Espino in a scheduled eight-round welterweight struggle. It’s a part of the May 11 present on the Boardwalk, as Larry Goldberg’s Boxing Insider Promotions brings professional boxing again to the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City after a seven-year absence.
Griffin had about 160 novice bouts, competing with a number of the finest on the nationwide degree, doing so underneath the watchful eye of his father Alvin, who launched him to the game on the age of eight.
The two had been inseparable, and deliberate to climb the ladder collectively. But destiny threw Griffin a curveball. Three weeks earlier than his professional debut was to happen, a blood vessel in Alvin’s mind burst, and as Avious was dashing him to the hospital, he died within the again seat.
Avious felt that his dad would need him to undergo with the struggle, so he did. That befell in June 2016, and within the first 13 months of his professional profession, he registered 4 knockouts in a complete of seven rounds.
Then destiny stepped in as soon as once more. There was a homicide investigation in Chattanooga, and an acquaintance of Griffin’s used his title in reference to the crime. That led to Griffin’s arrest and conviction, and he wound up being imprisoned for eleven months. It was tough as a result of individuals turned their backs on him, however he needed to imagine in himself. In his personal phrases, “I had to rebuild myself from scratch. It was like kindergarten all over again.”
As he was languishing in jail, a number of the different individuals concerned with the crime admitted that Griffin had nothing to do with it, and the method that adopted led to his launch.
After he regained his freedom, he made his technique to Floyd Mayweather’s health club in Las Vegas, and went to work. His first struggle in nearly 4 years befell in May 2021 as he stopped Jair Garza within the first spherical.
There’s been no stopping him since.
In 13 professional fights, just one opponent – Marcelo Bzowski – has been capable of go the space with him. That was in February of 2022. In his final bout, which was again in July, he scored a second-round KO over veteran Jonathan Jose Eniz. He was speculated to struggle final November in Costa Rica, however missed it due to an harm.
Griffin is not any stranger to Atlantic City, having fought there twice. On Saturday (May 11), he’s slated to face Espino, a resident of Nicaragua who’s 8-5 with six KO’s. Four of Espino’s 5 defeats have come by the hands of undefeated opponents.
Currently ranked seventh by the United States Boxing Association (USBA), Griffin is taking goal at anybody rated forward of him. And he doesn’t care an excessive amount of about obstacles in his approach.
“A lot of people can’t take the kind of blows I have taken and get up and keep going.”
Inclusive of Avious Griffin’s struggle, that is the lineup for Saturday night time’s Boxing Insider Promotions present:
8 Rounds — Featherweights
JOHN LEONARDO (10-1-1, 4 KO’s), Manalapan Township, NJ vs. FRANK GONZALEZ (12-5, 6 KO’s), Tampa, FL
8 Rounds — Welterweights
AVIOUS GRIFFIN (13-0, 12 KO’s), Chattanooga, TN vs. LESTHER ESPINO (8-5, 6 KO’s), Nicaragua
6 Rounds — Junior Middleweights
JUSTIN FIGUEROA (8-0, 6 KO’s), Atlantic City, NJ vs. ANTONIO ARMAS (13-7, 8 KO’s), Venezuela
6 Rounds — Jr. Middleweights
DWYKE FLEMMINGS (6-0, 6 KO’s), Paterson, NJ vs. JONATHAN HAMPTON (3-4, 1 KO), Gary, IN
4 Rounds — Heavyweights
PRYCE TAYLOR (3-0, 2 KO’s), Brooklyn, NY vs. LAWRENCE KING JR. (2-1,1 KO), Rochester, NY
4 Rounds — Middleweights
JACOB SOLIS (3-0, 3 KO’s), New York, NY vs. BRANDON MARTINEZ (1-3, 1 KO), Tucson, AZ
4 Rounds — Lightweights
KOBY WILLIAMS (professional debut), Brooklyn, NY vs. KEVIN HICKS (1-2, 1 KO), Taswell, WV
Tickets are priced at $60, $100, $150 and $200, and can be found by way of TicketMaster (https://www.ticketmaster.com/boxing-insider-live-professional-boxing-atlantic-city-new-jersey-05-11-2024/event/02006076BA7B700C), or on the Tropicana field workplace.
This occasion may also stream reside and freed from cost at BoxingInsider.com
www.boxinginsider.com
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