Saturday night fights at Coast Hotel in Langley

Expect a few fireworks of the pugilistic kind inside the Coast Hotel ballroom on July 4.

Hometown boy Mat Andreatta has an opportunity to fight for a B.C. title this Saturday inside the Coast Hotel’s ballroom in Langley.

Andreatta faces Coquitlam’s Tyler Nicholson for the B.C. lightweight championship, in the main event of the latest instalment of the Clash at the Cascades amateur boxing series.

In total, a dozen fights are scheduled for the July 4 event and according to matchmaker and promoter Dave Allison, “all of them will provide excitement and drama, but as always it is the main event that attracts the interest.”

Nicholson owns a City title at 140 pounds and has a perfect record.

He also competes in kickboxing and MMA bouts, and has had about 20 fights altogether, Allison noted.

Andreatta, who just completed his third year at UBC, is strictly a boxer, and has been involved in roughly 20 matches, as well.

“Both fighters are tall for 135 pounds, and both can hit for that weight,” Allison said.

The card will include some new faces. Langley City Boxing will feature Chris Chiavacci at 140 pounds, and he is scheduled to meet Sage Balakrishnan of Carlson Gracie’s.

Dan Hettes of Langley City will take on Cody Robertson of Surrey’s World Kickboxing.

Tyson Gemby and Jeremy Cooke of Carlson Gracie’s will also be in action.

Cooke is set to face Scott Woodward of City Boxing.

Port Kells will be represented by Brendan Kim, as well as Jerome Serrano who will take on Zack Ronse of Ocean City Boxing.

The card will also display some juniors from North Burnaby as well as Surrey’s Bisla Martial Arts.

“This is a card with some new faces and without doubt, surprises, and an outstanding main event,” Allison said. “Cooke and Woodward will be a war.”

Allison said there are boxers from Prince George, Quesnel, Williams Lake, and Victoria scheduled.

Tickets at the door are $30 and parking is free, while fans ages 12 and under get in free.

There is a bar service and concession bar. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the action starts at 7:30 p.m.