Cory Spinks To Defend Title Against Verno Phillips

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Spinks to defend title against Phillips

ST. LOUIS (TICKER) Cory Spinks claims he isn’t merely trying to defend his IBF junior middleweight title when he faces Verno Phillips in his hometown Thursday.

Rather, Spinks says he wants to end the three-time world champion’s career when the two meet Thursday at Scottrade Center.

“I know Verno is a veteran that knows his way around the ring,” said Spinks, son of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks. “But I want a moment of silence for Verno Phillips’s career, because I’m going to put it to rest in St. Louis on March 27.”

Spinks (36-4, 11 KOs) will be fighting for the first time since splitting recently from trainer Kevin Cunningham, who had guided him for 13 years.

Spinks will now be handled by veteran St. Louis trainer Buddy Shaw, who will be joined in the corner by Leon Spinks and Cory’s uncle Michael Spinks - also a former heavyweight champion.

“We’re just going with our game plan, that’s all you ever do,” Cory said. “You can’t worry about that right now, you’ve got a man in front of you that’s trying to hurt you. All of them will be giving me advice, and it’ll work to my advantage.”

Cory, 30, hasn’t fought since dropping a split decision to former world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor last May.

He originally rose to boxing stardom by unifying the WBC, WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine welterweight titles on December 13, 2003, defeating Ricardo Mayorga by majority decision.

Cory later lost those belts when he was knocked out by Zab Judah in 2005.

Phillips (41-10-1, 21 KOs) also enters the ring with some rust, not having fought since taking a unanimous 10-round decision 13 months ago over Mexican Eduardo Sanchez.

“I’m glad to have the opportunity to fight for the IBF 154-pound championship,” Phillips said. “I will be a red lion on March 27 and very raw.”

Phillips, 38, won the vacant IBF light middleweight crown in 2004 but held it less than four months before losing a unanimous 12-round decision to Uganda’s Kassim Ouma in his most recent title bout.

He captured the WBO light middleweight title in 1993 with a win over Lupe Aquino and defended it four times before losing a close decision to Paul Jones.

“Nobody’s taken my heart away in my career, and Cory Spinks isn’t going to do that,” Phillips said. “(Spinks) don’t punch. Don’t run and hide. Come to fight.”

The undercard is highlighted by the bout between St. Louis native Devon Alexander (14-0, 8 KOs) and Panama’s Miguel Callist (24-6, 17 KOs).