With the confirmation that Manny Pacquiao will continue campaigning at Welterweight, the IBO will go forward and open the Junior Welterweight division which will be contested by the two leading available contenders.
We were proud and privileged to have the best pound for pound fighter in the world hold the IBO Junior Welterweight World Title..
Antonio Escalante vs Miguel Roman On Feb 26
Unbeaten in six fights in his adopted hometown of El Paso, Texas, highly-ranked contender Antonio Escalante will look for El Paso win number seven on Friday, February 26, as he tests the waters at 126 pounds against rugged Mexican warrior Miguel Roman in the main event of ESPN’S “Friday Night Fights” at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.
This bout, which headlines a high-impact night of professional boxing, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and will be broadcast live on ESPN “Friday Night Fights” beginning at 10:00 pm ET / 8:00 pm MT / 7:00 pm PT on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com. Doors open at 6:00 pm MT., with the first bell ringing at 7:00 pm MT.
Tickets priced at $20, $30, $50 and $75 (plus convenience charges) go on sale Saturday, January 16 at 10:00 am MT and will be available for purchase at the UTEP Box Office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. Tickets will also be available online at www.ticketmaster.com and by phone through the UTEP Box Office at 915-747-5234 and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000.
Currently ranked number one in the world by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and in the top five by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF), 24-year-old Antonio Escalante (21-2, 14 KO’s) hopes to make his long-awaited final approach to a championship fight in 2010. With his recent wins coming in impressive fashion over the likes of Mike Oliver, Gary Stark Jr. and Cornelius Lock, it’s clear that Escalante is ready for a world title shot. Before that happens, the native of Juarez, Mexico must turn back the challenge of Roman in front of the fans in his adopted hometown and current residence of El Paso, where Antonio always delivers the goods.
Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico’s Miguel “Mickey” Roman (28-6, 20 KO’s) is five-foot-five inches of power punching fury who takes pride in always putting on a show for fight fans when the bell rings. A veteran of almost seven years in the professional game, the 24-year-old was in top form when he stopped prospects Andres Romero and Daniel Ruiz (who had a combined record of 31-2) within the span of a month last fall. He’s looking to add another rising star’s name to his resume when he squares off against Antonio Escalante.
Michael Oliveira Brazilian Athlete of the Year Candidate
MIAMI (Jan. 15, 2010) – Unbeaten middleweight sensation, “Chairman of the Board” Michael Oliveira (11-0, 9 KOs), is an official candidate for the Brazilian International Press Award’s 2009 Athlete of the Year Award.
The 19-year-old Oliveira, living in Miami and attending Miami Dade Community College, is the heir apparent to retired Acelino “Popo” Freitas in Brazilian boxing circles. Oliveira is one of only 10 Brazilian Athlete of the Year candidates, along with the likes of Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, as well as NBA players Nene Hilario and Anderson Varejao.
“I’m honored to be a candidate for this prestigious award with nine other great athletes,” Oliveira said. “Hopefully, my fans will support me by voting. More importantly, though, my last fight was in Haiti and I met a lot of the Brazilian peace-keeping troops stationed there. I am dedicating my next fight to the Brazilian solders that lost their lives in the recent earthquake in Haiti. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.
The hard-punching teenager, who is the reigning UNBC Latin champion, won each of his eight fights last year, including his last December 18, when he stopped Eduardo Mercedes (5-2) in the second round of their bout in Haiti.
Go to www.MichaelOliveira.com to vote for Oliveira via a link located on the bottom, right-hand side of the home page. Oliveira’s valued sponsors include The Confianca Moving, The Beira – Mar and Pro 1 from Sao Paulo, Dumonde Travel (Michael’s official travel agency) and the multi-national fuel company, Shell.