Weaver Goes After Title in Bout Set for Marriott

Mike Weaver, a former world heavyweight champion, will be after a less glamorous title--but a title nonetheless--in the main event of a six-fight boxing card March 27 at the Warner Center Marriott.

In a bout scheduled for 12 rounds, Weaver will challenge reigning Penta heavyweight champion Cesar Rendon of Mexico, promoter Gerrie Coetzee said Thursday.

The title bout, and portions of the undercard, will be broadcast nationwide on a tape-delay basis by affiliates of the American Independent Network.

Rendon captured the Penta crown by upsetting Justin Fortune on Feb. 21 at the Marriott.

Fighting as a late replacement for Mexican champion Salvador Maciel, Rendon stunned most boxing experts with a sixth-round technical knockout.

Coetzee, a former world heavyweight champion, called Rendon’s impressive victory over Fortune, a highly regarded former Australian Olympic power lifter, “a mystery.”

“Nobody thought he could run the numbers on Justin Fortune like he did,” Coetzee said.

Rendon, 25, has a record of 9-4-1, with all but one of his victories coming by knockout.

Weaver, 44, who appears as physically fit as he was a decade ago in his prime, has a record of 40-16-1 with 28 KOs.

His last victory was a 12-round unanimous decision against Van Nuys heavyweight George O’Mara at the Marriott in June, 1995.

Coetzee also announced that he has changed both the ticket prices and seating configuration for his monthly shows in the Marriott’s Grand Ballroom.

Front-row seats are $100, the next three rows $60, rows five through seven are $40, and all other tickets are $20. The venue will hold almost 1,300 fight fans compared to the previous capacity of about 1,100.