CORPUS CHRISTI, February 17, 2012 (AFP) - Unbeaten Tavoris Cloud risks his International Boxing Federation light-heavyweight title and Japan's Nobuhiro Ishida seeks a third first-round knockout in a row in a Saturday fight card.
Cloud, 23-0 with 19 knockouts, defends his crown against Spanish southpaw Gabriel Campillo, 21-3 with one draw and eight knockouts, while Ishida will meet US southpaw Paul Williams in a light-middleweight showdown.
Cloud, a 30-year-old American, won the title in 2009 by unanimous decision over Britain's Clinton Woods and followed with 2010 triumphs over Jamaican-born Glen Johnson and Colombian Fulgencio Zuniga the stopped compatriot Yusaf Mack in the eighth round last June.
"This will be my fourth title defense and I'm looking forward to getting it over quick," Cloud said. "They always come to dethrone, kill and destroy but I am not the champ for no reason. When the final bell rings I'll be victorious."
Campillo, 34, comes off a draw with Germany's Karo Murat last October. The Spaniard lost the WBA version of the light-heavyweight crown to Beibut Shumenov of Kazakstan in 2010.
"I believe I will come out with the victory," Campillo said. "Despite what Cloud says, it's more difficult to become the champion than retain the belt."
Ishida, 24-6 with two drawn and nine knockouts, stopped James Kirkland in the first round last April and Mexican pro debutante Edson Espinosa in round one last November, but the Asian standout knows Williams is a bigger challenge.
"He's the toughest fighter of my boxing career but I am ready to win the fight," Ishida said. "I thank him for giving me the chance but I'm going to win."
The 37-year-old from Osaka lost his interim World Boxing Association light-middleweight title to Mexico's Rigoberto Alvarez in a split decision in 2010 in his rival's homeland.
Williams, 40-2 with 27 knockouts, lost the World Boxing Council middleweight title to Argentine southpaw Sergio Martinez in 2010 but hopes to earn a rematch with the South American fighter and sees beating Ishida as vital to that quest.
"My main goal is to break guys down mentally and physically," Williams said. "No matter what you hit me with. I'm going to be there.
"My goal Saturday is to stop this guy. I'm going in there taking no prisoners, to jump on him and see what he has to bring to the table. I'm looking to be victorious by KO."
Williams, 30, knows a bad showing could doom his bid to regain a boxing throne so he warned Ishida not to expect another first-round finish.
"I'm a fighter people are trying to write off," he said. "He better not come in thinking he's going to have an easy win."
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