Collard In Action On Stevenson-Clary Undercard

“Cassius” Clay Collard, hopes to close out the year with a little slice of revenge. Collard will fight Quincy “Chico” LaVallais in an eight-round middleweight rematch of their June 2019 draw Saturday, Dec. 12 at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Collard, who is also signed to PFL as an MMA fighter, is 5-0 with three wins over previously undefeated boxers in 2020.

The card will also see the return of two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez, who is set to fight Brandon Valdes in a featherweight bout scheduled for eight or six rounds.

Collard-LaVallais 2, Ramirez-Valdes and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, preceding the ESPN-televised tripleheader (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) headlined by the junior lightweight battle between Shakur Stevenson and Toka Kahn Clary.

“Clay and Robeisy have emerged as Bubble fan favorites, so it is only fitting that they are part of our final show of 2020,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

? JUST ANNOUNCED: Only fitting some of the Bubble’s emerging stars cap off the 2020 schedule. ??? ?????? ?

? @CCCcollard
? @RobeisyR #StevensonClary | DEC 12 | Undercard on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/09W9VgW9GF

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) December 4, 2020

Collard (9-2-3, 4 KOs) entered 2020 with a 4-2-3 record and coming off a TKO loss to light heavyweight phenom Bektemir Melikuziev. Following victories over unbeaten prospects Quashawn Toler (9-0) and Raymond Guajardo (5-0) to start the year, Collard made his Bubble debut June 18 with a decision victory over the 6-0 David Kaminsky. He scored second-round stoppages in his next two Bubble outings and now looks toward Louisiana native LaVallais (9-0-1, 5 KOs), the man who held him to a controversial six-round draw in his fifth pro fight. LaVallais has fought twice since then, notching a pair of first-round knockouts in New Orleans.

Collard and LaVallais were supposed to fight Oct. 17 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, but they each tested positive for COVID-19. After that hiccup, the rematch is finally on.

“I’m going to show up with a smile on my face, shake his hand and win this rematch,” Collard said. “I will prove the first fight wasn’t a draw. I’m the ‘0 collector,’ and I’m taking his undefeated record. Simple as that.”

Said LaVallais, “Unfortunately, we both caught COVID in October, but in God’s eyes, everything happens for a reason. I pray that he and his team are healthy, but I hope he’s ready because my ‘0’ is not going anywhere. This is Chico’s world, and he’s just living in it.”

Ramirez (5-1, 3 KOs) seeks his fourth Bubble victory, and sixth overall, since a split decision defeat in his professional debut. Ramirez, 26, has blossomed under the tutelage of noted trainer and countryman Ismael Salas. Valdes (13-1, 7 KOs), from Barranquilla, Colombia, last fought Aug. 14 and lost via unanimous decision to veteran contender Ricardo Espinoza Franco.