As soon as framed for homicide, he’s unbeaten and on the way in which up as he fights on Saturday night time in Atlantic Metropolis
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Avious Griffin could sometime get knocked down within the boxing ring, however he received’t possible keep down, as a result of that’s nothing in comparison with what he’s skilled within the area of “actual life.” You’d should go a protracted method 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 battle. It’s a part of the Could 11 present on the Boardwalk, as Larry Goldberg’s Boxing Insider Promotions brings professional boxing again to the Tropicana Resort & On line casino in Atlantic Metropolis after a seven-year absence.
Griffin had about 160 beginner bouts, competing with a number of the greatest 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 2 have been inseparable, and deliberate to climb the ladder collectively. However 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 speeding him to the hospital, he died within the again seat.
Avious felt that his dad would need him to undergo with the battle, so he did. That occurred 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 identify in reference to the crime. That led to Griffin’s arrest and conviction, and he wound up being imprisoned for eleven months. It was troublesome as a result of individuals turned their backs on him, however he needed to imagine in himself. In his personal phrases, “I needed to rebuild myself from scratch. It was like kindergarten 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 method to Floyd Mayweather’s gymnasium in Las Vegas, and went to work. His first battle in nearly 4 years occurred in Could 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 in a position to go the gap 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 imagined to battle final November in Costa Rica, however missed it due to an harm.
Griffin isn’t any stranger to Atlantic Metropolis, having fought there twice. On Saturday (Could 11), he’s slated to face Espino, a resident of Nicaragua who’s 8-5 with six KO’s. 4 of Espino’s 5 defeats have come by the hands of undefeated opponents.
At present ranked seventh by america Boxing Affiliation (USBA), Griffin is taking purpose at anybody rated forward of him. And he doesn’t care an excessive amount of about obstacles in his means.
“Lots of people can’t take the sort of blows I’ve taken and stand up and maintain going.”
Inclusive of Avious Griffin’s battle, 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 Metropolis, 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 via TicketMaster (https://www.ticketmaster.com/boxing-insider-live-professional-boxing-atlantic-city-new-jersey-05-11-2024/occasion/02006076BA7B700C), or on the Tropicana field workplace.
This occasion can even stream dwell and freed from cost at BoxingInsider.com
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