Antwun Echols, who has fought in 15 title bouts in his professional boxing career, has been added to the card for a nationally televised event at Paragon Casino Resorts in Marksville.

Echols, a super middleweight who is 31-7-3 as a pro, will fight Allan Green, who is 26-1, in the co-main event of a Feb. 29 card. The two main events will be broadcast by ESPN2 as part of its weekly "Friday Night Fights" series.

"Paragon really fits Friday Night Fights," said Wayne Nelson, technical operations producer of the series, who spent a few hours at the casino on Monday.

"We don't do large venues," Nelson said. "It is an intimate setting and there is not a bad seat in the house. A good venue and good fights -- good matchups -- make for a good show."

Echols was added to the show as a replacement for Samuel Miller, who was injured in training, said Kerry Daigle, director of boxing for Keep Punching Entertainment, the company that is promoting the show.

"It took four days of pleading on my knees and a lot of money to make this fight," Daigle said. "They were not anxious to face Antwun Echols."

Echols has lost twice to Benard Hopkins in International Boxing Association title bouts. He has won North American Boxing Federation and North American Boxing Assocation world titles.

Green, 26-1 as a pro, is ranked No. 12 in the world by the IBF and No. 14 by the World Boxing Organization. He is looking for his first title bout.

"Both of these guys have been on ESPN," Daigle said. "They are major players in the game."

In the co-main event, Sechew Powell, ranked No. 1 in his weight class by the IBF, will meet Kevin Finley in a light middleweight (also called super welterweight) fight.

"Sechew Powell is risking nearly a $1 million payday to come here and fight," Daigle said. "If he loses this fight, under IBF rules Kevin Finley will become the No. 1 challenger."

Cory Spinks is the IBF light middleweight champion. Under IBF rules, he must meet the No. 1 challenger to relinquish the title.

Powell is 22-1 as a pro. Finley is 12-0-1 with one no contest.

Only the two main events are scheduled to be shown live on ESPN2, although some portions of the undercard could be shown if time permits. Daigle said.

The undercard includes three fighters familiar to Louisiana boxing fans in welterweight Wilford Scypion Jr. (3-0), welterweight Daniel Garcia (9-4-1) and light middleweight Mike Martinez (5-2).