Undefeated junior welterweight contender Montana ‘Too Pretty’ Love 18-0-1 (9) will headline a card in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio when he takes on Australian puncher Stevie ‘The Viking’ Spark 15-2 (14) at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday.
The fight will be for the WBA Intercontinental title and will be broadcast on DAZN.
Southpaw Love, 27, scored a breakthrough win with a seventh-round stoppage victory over former IBF 140-pound champion Ivan Baranchyk in August last year. He has fought twice since, stopping Carlos Diaz in three and scoring a close unanimous decision over Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela in a bout that saw both combatants on the canvas.
The only blemish on his record is a split draw against Kenneth Sims Jr in July 2018.
Montana is ranked number six by the IBF and number 13 by the WBC.
Spark, 26, knocked out former world title challenger Apinun Khongsong in three rounds in his last fight in June. The only losses on his record came in his second pro fight against Baishanbo Nasiyiwula by majority decision in China and against WBO number one ranked junior middleweight contender Tim Tszyu when he jumped up two weight classes as short notice to replace Michael Zerafa. That fight he lost by TKO3.
“The city is showing me love and getting behind me,” said Love. “It’s a proud city and we look after each other and back. It’s a dream come true, being able to headline in the biggest arena in my home. Cleveland means everything to me. We don’t have much, but we stick together and get the job done.
“The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is an electric place, we’ve had a lot of great athletes come through the city in that building, and now I am one of them. I am living my dream, I went through the trials and tribulations to get here, and what I had to deal with is a big part of what makes me hungry now.
“I promised my mother that I would take this 100 percent seriously. The last thing she remembers of me is going to prison and being in and out of jail, so now I am trying to right my wrongs.
“I feel like I am made for this moment. I am coming off being co-main on a Canelo card; fighting in front of a packed house in Las Vegas and I’ve fought at home in front of a big crowd before, so there’s no pressure, I’m going to embrace it.
“Steve is a tough guy; he’ll bring the fight and it’ll make for a real spectacle. I want to win this in spectacular fashion, go for the KO – but we just want to look beautiful and put on a great show.”
