When Joe Dwyer was named President of the NABF on June 5, he vowed to transform the organization into a powerhouse. On Friday, July 10, the organization will present its third title fight since he took office: a cruiserweight matchup between champion Matt Godfrey, 18-1 (10 KOS), of Providence, Rhode Island, and Shawn “The Sioux Warrior” Hawk, 18-0-1 (16 KOS), of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The fight will be held at The Arena in Philadelphia and televised on ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights.
Dwyer, who describes the NABF as the “Triple A of Boxing,” says the organization’s champions have worked hard to get where they so they should be no more than a few steps away from a world title fight.
“The worst thing for a fighter is to be inactive, so I’m taking a very proactive role in helping make fights for deserving boxers,” said Dwyer. “Godfrey vs. Hawk is a really good, competitive fight and the winner will step up a few notches as a credible world title challenger.
“For many current or recent world champions – such as Kelly Pavlik, Lucien Bute, Chad Dawson and Andre Berto – the NABF title served as a springboard for them,” added Dwyer. “It is important for regional titles to be meaningful, so I am determined to work with fighters, managers, promoters and television people to bring about the best fights possible when an NABF title is on the line.”
