Derrick “Smoke” Gainer, a Pensacola native and former World Boxing Association featherweight champion, will headline a night of boxing and mixed martial arts matches Aug. 25 at Community Maritime Park in Pensacola.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to put on a spectacular event, the first of its kind at the Community Maritime Park, and to give Pensacola a chance to see me fight,” the 39-year-old Gainer said. “I have fought a number of times in Pensacola, but not since 1999.”

Gainer, 42-7-1 with 24 knockouts, will fight Robert “Red Hot” Frankel, 30-12-1 (6 KOs), a 32-year-old light welterweight from Denver, Colo.

Proceeds from the fight will benefit the Fit Nation Childhood Obesity Program, creating physical fitness programs for children 8-19 years of age, promoting physical fitness and combating obesity.
“Childhood obesity is a serious issue facing our nation,” Gainer said. “It is something that strikes every community, including ours. This is a good opportunity to step up and make a difference.”

Fights start at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $30 for general admission, $75 for VIP seats and $500 for a ringside VIP table seating eight. The VIP table cost also includes bottle service and VIP access to a party after the fights at Vinyl Music Hall on Palafox Street.

Tickets are available at the Blue Wahoos’ ticket office at Community Maritime Park or online at lionheadpromotions.net. The fight also will be available on pay-per-view at www.ustream.tv/fightcamp.

Two-time World Boxing Council featherweight champion Kevin Kelly will provide blow-by-blow commentary and Linda “Sunshine” Moorer, a local personality with MAGIC 106.1 radio, will be the ring announcer.

Events leading up to fight night include:

n Aug. 19 – Gainer will throw out the first pitch before the Pensacola Blue Wahoos play the Montgomery Biscuits at 2 p.m. at Community Maritime Park and will sign autographs during the game.

n Aug. 22 – Gainer and Frankel will hold a press conference at Buffalo Wild Wings, 5153 Bayou Boulevard in Pensacola.

n Aug. 22 – Gainer will stage a photo opportunity at the Pensacola Boxing Academy at 1621 Dogtrack Road in Pensacola.
n Aug. 22 – Gainer will serve dinner at Ronald McDonald House, 5200 Bayou Boulevard, Pensacola.

n Aug. 24 – Weigh-in is scheduled at 3 p.m. at Buffalo Wild Wings.

New Navarre High School baseball coach David "Bubba" Meredith declared his faith at a welcome party hosted last week by the Navarre Baseball Booster Club:

"I'll tell y'all right now, I'm a big Crimson Tide fan," Meredith told several dozen well-wishers at a private home in Robledal, "and if y'all aren't 'Bama fans, I'm already prayin' for you."

For more about the former Tate High School assistant coach's welcome back to Northwest Florida after several years' coaching in Arizona, see the Aug. 16 edition of Navarre Press.

Louisiana State University has dismissed defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last year, for violating team and school policies, football coach Les Miles announced today.

Mathieu earned the nickname “Honey Badger” for his tenacity and toughness on defense and special teams. Mathieu cannot play for a Football Bowl Series (Division I) team in 2012. He could transfer to a Football Championship Series (Division II and Division III) school and play this year, and some reports speculate Mathieu could sign with a Canadian Football League team. The CFL season began in June.

The University of West Florida will kick off the 2012-2013 college sports year with the fourth annual Argo Rally from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16 at the Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St., south of Bayfront Parkway in Pensacola.

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