'Contender' Promotes Univera® on Televised Boxing Event
Posted February 6th, 2009
With less that two weeks remaining before his long-anticipated return to the Reno, Nevada boxing scene, Joey Gilbert, a former North American Boxing Organization and World Boxing Council (USNBC) Middleweight Champion, has little time to rest.
A typical day in these last few days leading up to what is being billed as the "Civil War" between Joey and long-time rival Jesse Brinkley – both natives of northern Nevada – on February 14, starts roughly around 8 a.m. Joey's training and nutrition regime is peppered with Univera products. He starts off with Aloe Gold®, MetaGreens®, Essentials™, and black coffee (yes, he knows it's probably not the best for him, he said), and runs about three miles on a treadmill to get warmed up. Then, breakfast consists of oatmeal and some protein powder. Then, it's off to a boxing workout, lasting a few hours until lunch, which includes Essentials, AgelessXtra®, and MetaBerry®. In the afternoon, he's off to a conditioning class for about two hours before ending the day with a cardio workout.
If the name 'Joey Gilbert' sounds familiar to you, it might be because you'd seen him as a contender on NBC's reality show, "The Contender." The professional pugilist, who is also a licensed attorney, has kept a low profile since accepting a one-year suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission after he tested positive for banned substances in September 2007. But now, he's battling his way back into the hearts of his fans – many of whom came to support him from back in his television days.
According to a January 14 article in The Nevada Appeal, the Gilbert-Brinkley fight has benefited from little radio or print advertising. And even before local casinos and other ticket sellers purchased their ticket allotments, promoters had already raked in more than $150,000 in ticket sales for the fight. (Opponent Jesse Brinkley appeared on the same season of "The Contender" with Joey.)
There is a non-local fanbase, fueled largely by television and the Internet, for both fighters, and consequently, though "Civil War" isn't big enough to air on HBO or Pay-Per-View, it will air on a two-week tape delay on a Fox affiliate, Gilbert said.
That means exposure to millions of homes, which is perfect publicity for this line of products that he says his fellow athletes have been taking from him because they work, Gilbert said.
He had suffered from discomfort in both rotator cuffs, and "taking AgelessXtra® and Essentials™ and RegeniCARE® and RegeniFREE™, I noticed such a big change," he said. "Everyone was feeling my products."
Not only does the February 14 fight mark Joey's return to Reno, it represents his first big fight back since being on Univera products. Of his prior suspension, Joey calls it a 'crazy scare' that has taught him a lesson in how vigilant he must be when it comes to what put he puts in his body. "We had to fight and come back from this, and the long and short of it is that we made a decision that I'd only use the best products from now on, from reputable companies."
By 'we,' Joey is referring largely to his sister, his nutritionist, and Univera Associate Gina Gilbert-Green, who introduced him to the products. He laughs recalling the first time Gina had given him the products to try. "I didn't really notice anything at first and I told my sister it didn't work," he said. "It took about a month, but I realized my shoulder wasn't hurting anymore. My weight was going down. And I wasn't taking anything else."
At this point, Joey's nutritional supplement regiment consists solely of Univera products. He does consume protein powder from another company "because you guys don't make that yet."
After experiencing his results with Univera, Joey said he wanted to be involved in the business in some capacity and traveled to Lacey to meet with leaders and tour the facility. The trip confirmed his commitment to represent Univera's products in his capacity as a boxer, both for athletes and for everyday folks.
As a celebrity chairman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Joey says he wants to do something to inform people about nutrition and childhood obesity. By wearing and representing Univera on fight night, "I thought this was a great way to get out some great products," he said. "If it's one person at a time, so be it. The quicker people find out about these products, the better off they're going to be."
But what about outside of the ring? "At the end of the day, I'm a businessman, and I'm glad for the opportunity to back a brand that helps rather than hurts people. You can only box for so long. This is something I'm hoping to be involved in more because I believe in the products and have gone to some meetings. If I can continue to do that, why not? It's nice to have a company to work with like Univera."
With that, "I'd love to have everyone's support, if you can get out and support me," he said.
If you are in the Reno area, the "Civil War" 12-round super middleweight fight takes place at the Reno Events Center February 14, 2009. Tickets ranging from $43.25 to $253.25 are available through the box office or Ticketmaster. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first bell at 7 p.m.
