The Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California will roll out the red carpet and welcome home one of their local young men who represented the 2008 United States Olympic Boxing team in China when on Thursday, April 23, Shawn Estrada (4-0, 4 KOs), a former resident of Hanford, just a few short miles from where he will be fighting on Thursday night, enters the ring at Tachi Palace seeking his 5th consecutive KO victory in front of his hometown friends and family..
Estrada, now a resident of East LA, will be in a featured four round super middleweight bout against Bismarck, North Dakota’s Nick Runningbear (3-1) who promises to end Estrada’s KO streak.
In another four round welterweight bout between Estrada’s 2008 Olympic teammate Javier Molina (1-0, 1 KO), a John Glenn High School senior in Norwalk, CA, will fight pro-debuting Gerald Valdez, of Minot, North Dakota. Molina was the youngest member of the US team in China, is coming off a second round TKO of Jaime Cabrera in March at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown, Los Angeles.
The third featured bout has hot prospect and Bakersfield, CA resident, undefeated junior welterweight Michael Dallas Jr. (7-0-1, 1 KO) against the durable Marcus Brashears (6-11-1, 2 KOs) of Amarillo, Texas.
Featured on this stellar 11-bout card of boxing and mixed martial arts presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions and the Palace Fighting Championships in the main event is CABOFE Heavyweight Champion Manuel Quezada (26-4, 16 KOs) who looks to take his next step towards fighting a World contender when he takes on Jeff Brownfield (9-7, 4 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska.
Estrada is excited about fighting for the city of Hanford on Thursday and looks to continue his impressive professional start demonstrating the skills that catapulted him past the US favorites to represent their country in China, Daniel Jacobs and Fernando Guerrero, both established professionals today. “I’m really nervous coming home and fighting at Tachi,” said Estrada. “When I went to school here, who would have ever thought that I would be representing Hanford in a professional fight in Lemoore. It really is exciting and I can’t wait.”
A 24-year old with frightening power and an exciting style, Estrada attended Lincoln, Jefferson and Wilson Elementary schools and lived in Hanford for close to six years between the ages 7 to 12 years old.
The 19-year old Javier Molina, a 2007 National Amateur Champion and 2008 Olympian, comes from a fighting family himself and has made that family proud with over 110 amateur wins. Now the focus for Molina is continuing his rise in the professional field and utilizing his quick hands and knockout power to winning over the local Tachi fans.
“Since my first pro bout in March, I’ve been concentrating on having a sensational debut in front of Shawn’s hometown fans,” said the High School honor student Molina. “We were teammates for the US in China and now we’re teammates in Hanford.”
Dallas Jr., a stablemate of both Estrada and Molina, is fresh from a shutout win over Terrance Jett on April 11 underneath the Paul Williams-Winky Wright HBO event. The former amateur standout is making his fourth appearance at the Tachi Palace.
Tickets, priced $60, $50, $40 and $30 are available at www.tickets.com or the Tachi Palace Box office by calling (559) 924-7751.
Burkinshaw-Robinson Rematch This Thursday
A red-hot rematch headlines Frank Maloney’s upcoming fight card this Thursday, April 23 at The Troxy in London as the promoter kicks off the inaugural event of his traveling St. Georges Boxing Club series.
22 year old Ross “The Boss” Burkinshaw, 5-1-2 (3), and 23 year old Mike “Robbo” Robinson, 4-0-1 (0), go head to head once again but this time the stakes are considerably higher with the vacant English super flyweight title up for grabs.
The pair nearly burned down Barnsley Metrodome in February during their torrid four round clash, with the action so competitive that a winner could not determined, resulting in a draw.
Robinson jumped out to an early lead after he put absolutely everything he had into a startling two round rally that caught Burkinshaw unawares and cut above an eye.
But Burkinshaw, a soldier serving in the British Army, dug deep and overcame Robinson’s early assault to turn the tables on the Liverpool man, attacking behind a brutal body bombardment that won him the last two rounds.
Burkinshaw came into that contest as a bantamweight while Robinson tipped the scales as a super bantam but won’t have the luxury of coming in the heavier man this time around.
Neither boxer has ever fought in the super flyweight division as a professional and, as neither has been past the sixth round previously, the weight could become a factor in this ten round English title fight.
The clash represents a quick lift up to a potential British title opportunity for the winner and the action is expected to be so ferocious that it would be surprising if it went the distance.
Frank Maloney Promotions presents Ross Burkinshaw vs. Mike Robinson for the vacant English super flyweight championship, headlining the first event in the St. Georges Boxing Club series, at The Troxy in London, England on Thursday, April 23, 2009.
Tickets for this special launch night are £85 per person or £800 for a table of ten. Tickets will also be available to attend the boxing only, price £35. People purchasing those tickets will not be able to gain admittance until after 9.45pm.
You can buy tickets by calling the St George’s Sporting Club on 0208 467 7647, 0871 226 1508 or www.frankmaloney.com
MAY 8, 2009 ESPN’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS SET FOR SUNDANCE SQUARE
FT. WORTH, TEXAS (APRIL 21, 2009) — Oscar de la Hoya’s FIGHT NIGHT AT SUNDANCE SQUARE, presented by Cerveza Tecate and Quaker State, returns to downtown Fort Worth on Friday, May 8th. The event is being promoted by De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
De La Hoya’s 6th annual event begins at 8:00 pm Central Time (CT) and will take place in the heart of downtown Fort Worth in Sundance Square. A temporary stadium will be erected on the Chisholm Trail Mural parking lot, located at the corner of 3rd and Houston St.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW via the Internet (www.CentraTticketOffice.com) and by Phone (817-335-9000) and at Central Ticket Office starting Wednesday, April 22nd. Prices are $25 (General Admission), $40 (Reserved) and $100 (VIP), plus service/convenience charges. VIP Tickets include a VIP Pre-Fight Reception at City Streets Nightclub in Sundance Square (6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. CT with complimentary food/drinks).
Fight Night at Sundance Square has become a tradition for Dallas/Fort Worth fight fans and De La Hoya is excited to keep bringing it back to the fans.
“As is the case every year, Golden Boy Promotions is very excited to return to Sundance Square and the Dallas/Fort Worth area to present another exciting Fight Night,” said Golden Boy Promotions President De La Hoya. “Bringing ESPN into the mix to televise the show nationally transforms this from a great local boxing event to a great national boxing event.”
“Sundance Square is such a unique and interesting setting. It’s not just about going to a boxing event, but making a night of entertainment out of it. In addition to our boxing event, there’s so much to do before and after the fights. With all the restaurants and clubs that surround the boxing venue, it really adds to the overall fan experience.”
A full card will be announced shortly. For more information, please visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.