CLEVELAND — When Montana Love was a child growing up in Cleveland, he dreamed of being a headlining boxer, fighting at the biggest arenas the city had to offer. On Nov. 12, that dream will come true—for him and for the people he loves.
Love is set to fight Stevie Sparks in his headline fight inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Saturday night. It's a match he's been working hard to prepare for over the past few months.
"We've had a hard, long camp. Very long camp. About 10-12 weeks in. And we spend about eight hours a day in the gym. This is really a job. So it's a full-time job for us. And the grind is real," Love said.
But it's not just the fight he's been preparing for. It's the ability to showcase all of the boxing talent Northeast Ohio has to offer right now.
Love invited local boxers to fight on his undercard—from Akron boxer David Rodriguez and Cleveland boxer Thomas Mattice to Love's older brother Raynell Williams. The event pairs up local talent with fighters from around the world on a massive stage in the center of a staple arena.
For Williams, this is not just an opportunity to fight on a large platform, it's his return to boxing after taking some time off. The extra excitement comes from the opportunity to fight on his younger brother's headlining card.
"Happy to be on the undercard of my brother. I appreciate him and Matchroom for putting me on this card giving me this opportunity," Williams said. "I told my little brother, soak this in. He’s doing this, he brought all these people in so enjoy this moment. It’s amazing to be here."
Love has been busy training for his fight, but he has followed his brother's advice, understanding the moment and how much it means for those fighters from the city he calls home looking to make a name for themselves.
"This is bigger than just me. I can't do it alone. I can't do it by myself. So I definitely got to put the rest of the team up with me and put other guys with me so they can do the same thing, make a statement, grab that platform and take control," Love said.
After years of working to notch a headline fight at an area like Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Love has accomplished that goal. His next goal? Winning the fight. But no matter the outcome, the Cleveland boxer already has seen a dream come true.
“I still have to pinch myself, let me know this is real life, you know what I mean? This is what you worked for and now is here. So is this amazing feeling for sure," Love said.
The Love-Sparks event takes off Saturday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with undercard fights beginning at 5 p.m. To learn more or get tickets, click here.
Camryn Justice is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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