The IBF’s No. 3 and No. 4 ranked junior welterweights will clash Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3.com for the right to meet newly crowned International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior welterweight champion Amir Khan.
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at The Cosmopolitan Ballroom when Victor “Mermelada” Cayo (26-1, 17 KOs, IBF #3) meets Lamont Peterson (28-1-1, 14 KOs IBF #4) in a 12-round eliminator on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra. The card is presented by Warriors Boxing/Bluwave Entertainment.
The Dominican Republic’s Cayo is coming off a first-round knockout win over Javier Gomez. Cayo said of Friday’s fight, “Lamont Peterson is a great boxer, great fighter – he’s a professional. He’s a very smart fighter, but he’s not focused on winning the fight – he’s more focused on giving a good show and that will hurt him.”
Washington D.C.’s Peterson, a former junior welterweight world title challenger, is coming off a December 10-round draw against Victor Ortiz. “Cayo is a very good fighter. He has the height, reach, good speed, he has decent power,” Peterson said. “He avoids punches very well, but he keeps his hands really low. A lot of times, when people keep their hands low, it’s easy to catch them. But at the same time, with their hands low, it’s hard to see their punches – they’re coming from his waist. I just make sure I pay attention to that.”
Friday’s card will also feature Yordanis “King Caney” Despaigne (8-1, 4 KOs) against former super middleweight world-title challenger Edison “Pantera” Miranda (34-5, 29 KOs). Miami’s Despaigne is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Ismayl Sillakh, while Florida’s Miranda is coming off an eight-round decision win over Rayco Saunders.
Diaz vs. Lundy and Provodnikov vs. Herrera on August 19
Hitz Boxing and Banner Promotions have teamed up to proudly present an action-packed night of world-class professional boxing on Friday, August 19, in the luxurious “Venue” in the Horseshoe Casino, in Hammond, Indiana, that will also be televised live on ESPN Friday Night Fights.
Featured in a televised 10-round lightweight bout will be Chicago’s former World Boxing Council (WBC) Lightweight Champion David Diaz (36-3-1, 17 KOs) taking on Philadelphia’s Henry “Hank” Lundy (20-1-1 10 KOs).
And in another televised battle will be the highly anticipated 12-round rematch between Ekaterinburg, Russia’s Ruslan Provodnikov (19-1, 13 KOs) and Lake Elsinore, California’s Mauricio Herrera (18-1, 7 KOs).
35-year-old southpaw Diaz (36-3-1, 17 KOs) won the world championship in 2006 against Jose Armando Santa Cruz and successfully defended against all-time-great Erik Morales via unanimous decision before falling short in a valiant stand against pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao in an exciting high-profile showdown in 2008. Diaz also has victories over former world champions Jesus Chavez and Ener Julio.
He will not have an easy night against the highly skilled 27-year old Lundy, whose only loss came by shock KO to John Molina in a fight he was winning handily to the point of the finishing blow. Lundy is the current NABF Lightweight Champion and has held the NABO title as well. Along the way, he’s beaten an impressive list of fellow prospects.
Both men will be looking to use the other as a stepping stone to the top of the division. For Lundy, the job will be to prove he belongs among the elite; for Diaz the job will be to prove he still belongs there.
Provodnikov and Herrera met in the first main event of the first ESPN “Friday Night Fights” of this year and in a brutal seesaw battle, Herrera pulled of a candidate for upset of the year, winning a unanimous decision.
A barn-burning fight that could have gone either way, both warriors took turns mashing each other’s faces until the final bell that left the exhausted crowd on its feet in delirious fistic ecstasy.
Now they will do it again.
Since the January showdown, Provodnikov has notched stoppage victories over Vyacheslav Yakovenko and then-undefeated Ivan Popoca, back on ESPN. Herrera has scored decision victories over Cristian Favela and fellow prospect Mike Dallas Jr.
Bobby Hitz, Founder of Hitz Boxing, says he’s pleased to be able to bring such a significant and exciting event to his home base at the Horseshoe.
“We’ve had many fantastic nights of boxing at the Horseshoe and this one is shaping up to be the best one yet. Both of these fights are main event quality and will surely give the fans in attendance and viewers an evening of non-stop action.”
Tickets for Diaz vs. Lundy and Provodnikov vs. Herrera, as well as an undercard jam-packed with stars of today and tomorrow from Chicago and around the world, are available at www.fanfueled.comor www.thevenue-chicago.com and are priced at $90 ringside, $40 Orchestra (main level), $30 Mezzanine (balcony). The Horseshoe Casino is located at 777 Casino Center Drive in Hammond, Indiana.
On fight night, doors open at 6pm and action starts at 7pm. The undercard for this event will be announced shortly.
The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don’t have to get on a plane to enjoy.
The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities — and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago.
For updates and more information, visit www.hitzboxing.com.
LUIS MALDONADO, FOE FOR JUAN MERCEDES IN THE 5TH EDITION OF “A PUÑO LIMPIO” ON AUGUST 5
Veteran Mexican Luis “Titi” Maldonado will face Superflyweight contender Juan Mercedes next Friday, August 5, in the 5th edition of the of the series “A Puño Limpio” to be held at the Coliseo Mario “Quijote” Morales in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, in a PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP) presentation, in association with Top Rank Inc., to be televised on WAPA America.
Maldonado (35-6-1, 26 KOs), who has fought against world champions Nonito Donaire, Tomas “Gusano” Rojas and Cristian Mijares, and also versus former champions like Vic Darchinyan, Fernando Montiel and Eric Morel, will challenge Mercedes (25-3, 17 KOs) for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Latino title in a 10 round bout. Mercedes is ranked now number 8 in the WBO at 115 pounds.
In the coestelar fight, unbeaten prospect Luis Joel Gonzalez (7-0-1, 4 KOs) will face Luis Rodriguez (6-3-1, 1 KO). Also i TV, Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (3-0, 3 KOs), Gold Medalist in the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games and in the 2008 Youth World Championships, will face a foe to be announced in the flyweight division.
The rest of the undercard present Giovanni Rodriguez (5-0-1, 4 KOs) against Jose Ramon Sanchez (3-9-1, 1 KO) in a 154lb six round bout; Carlos López(3-1) versus a rival to be named at 140 pounds and to four rounds; debutant Kenneth Rivera against Ned Lopez (1-0, 1 KO) in a 126lb four round bout; debutant Kenneth Diaz versus Nelson Agosto (0-1) at 140 pounds and four rounds; debutant Ismael Pagan against Jan Carlos Molina (0-1) in a 108lb four round bout; debutant Jesus Javier Cintron versus Angel Pascual (0-1) at 135 pounds and four rounds.
Tickets for this “A Puño Limpio” are availables at Ticketcenter, www.tcpr.com, 1 787 792-5000. Prices are $12, $25 and $35.