Mario Preskar was born in Zagreb and is only 19 years old. He was 7 time Croatian amateur boxing Champion and second in Europe as a amateur Heavyweight at the age of 17. He turned pro earlier this year, and Saturday Dec. 13 is fighting in his second professional fight at the Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall (formerly Atlantic City Convention Center, home of Miss America pageant). That night there will be 8 Championship fights on the card including 2 unification titles. So how does a 19 year old get on the fight card? He gets on because he is that good. He's dominated (professional fighters who had 30 matches) in sparring sessions. Recently an undefeated heavyweight with a 19-0 record walked out after receiving too much beating from Preskar.
Question by Fight News: "With such heavyweight fighters like Lennox, Tyson and Holyfield at the tail end of their careers, are you working on cultivating a crop of new heavyweight fighters?" Don King: : "Absolutely! I think it's time now to bring in the young fighter. I have a promising young Croatian kid named Mario Preskar who has just turned pro. He's a tremendous competitor! As far as the older fighters, who have already established themselves, they should fight each other to get the maximum of whatever they can get and to please the public before they retire. But, in the mean time, you have the new guys on the block who need to demonstrate their own talent and ability."