Gofightlive.tv to Broadcast Heavyweight Contenders Brian Minto and Tony Grano
On Saturday, January 28, the Turning Stone Casino and Resort in Verona New York will be the site for 10 rounds of heavyweight action between two of the top big men in the Northeast: Veteran Brian Minto, 35(22)-4(2), of Pennsylvania, and rugged brawler Tony Grano, 18(14)-2(2)-1, from Connecticut.
Minto, who will have turned 37 the night before this fight, is a former division two college linebacker. At 5'11", he is a small but athletic heavyweight who has been in the ring against some big names.
In 2009, he lost a four-round TKO to Chris Arreola. In 2010, he dropped down to cruiserweight and fought Marco Huck for the WBO title, getting dropped three times before being stopped in nine. Among his top wins is a six-round TKO over former world title challenger Axel Schulz. He dropped a split decision to former world champion Tony Tubbs, though it was in 2004, about 20 years after Tubbs beat Greg Page.
Tony Grano is a fighter who can take a heavyweight punch and give one in return. His Round 4 KO of Travis Kaufman on Shobox in 2009 was about as exciting as a round of boxing can get. Grano, who is not exactly a "defense-first" fighter, looked to be in deep trouble early in the round before weathering the storm to knock Kaufman silly.
The card will be broadcast online by Gofightlive.tv. Websites like this provide a nice opportunity for hardcore boxing fans to watch the sort of high-level prospects and second-tier opponents that comprise the foundation of the sport.
It is very unlikely that Grano or Minto will ever wear a legitimate world championship belt, but they are definite players in the heavyweight division and both fighters the serious fan will want to know about. They both strike me as the sort of guys who show up planning to win, so it's hard for me to imagine this not being an exciting fight.
