LOS ANGELES, April 17 – On Saturday, April 21, fight fans around the country will get the chance to see more of boxing’s stars as Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME® are excited to announce that additional bouts from the undercard of the highly anticipated world championship showdown between former World Champs Abner Mares and Eric Morel, will be televised. SHOWTIME EXTREME® will televise preliminary fights live from UTEP’s Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas featuring longtime super middleweight contender Librado Andrade against once-beaten Floridian Rowland Bryant in a 10 round battle and 2008 Mexican Olympian Francisco Vargas introduces himself to SHOWTIME viewers with an eight round junior lightweight contest against New Jersey’s Rafael Lora. Also featured (time permitting) will be unbeaten junior middleweight phenom Chris Pearson.
Barry Tompkins will call the action on SHOWTIME EXTREME from ringside with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst.
Also, highly-regarded lightweight prospect Luis Ramos Jr. and local El Paso favorite Antonio Escalante are slated for non-televised action on the undercard.
“Mares vs. Morel: Battle on the Border” is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship set for Saturday, April 21 at UTEP’s Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. The co-featured fights will see Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno vs. David de la Mora in a 12-round fight for Moreno’s WBA Bantamweight Super Championship. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The SHOWTIME Championship Boxing doubleheader airs live at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Just prior to the action on SHOWTIME, preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Tickets, priced at $25, $50, $75 and $150, are available for purchase at the UTEP Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, please call: (915) 747-5234.
Ultra-popular around the world for his fierce fighting style in the ring and his gentlemanly nature outside of it, Librado Andrade (30-4, 23 KO’s) has long been a top super middleweight contender, with exciting fights against Lucian Bute, Robert Stieglitz, Mikkel Kessler, Yusaf Mack and Eric Lucas to prove it. In search of his first world title, the 33-year-old from La Habra, California by way of Jesus del Monte, Guanajuato, Mexico is coming off of a third round technical knockout over Matt O’Brien for the WBC Continental Americas belt in August of 2011.
Looking to derail Andrade’s march towards a world championship is 32-year-old Florida native Rowland Bryant (15-1, 10 KO’s). A nine-year professional who knows the time is now to make his move, the hard-hitting Bryant has everything to gain with a win over the well-respected Andrade on April 21.
One of the newest additions to the Golden Boy Promotions roster, Mexico City’s Francisco Vargas (9-0-1, 7 KO’s) will battle Irvington, New Jersey’s Rafael Lora (11-7, 5 KO’s) in an eight-round junior lightweight fight. A 2008 Olympian for Mexico, the 27-year-old Vargas has knocked out his last six opponents, making him a tough hill to climb for any opponent.
Nicknamed “The Dominican Man,” 26-year-old Lora proudly represents his native Dominican Republic and with four first round knockouts on his record, one punch from him can change the direction of a fight immediately. A fearless battler who will take on all comers, Lora’s last six opponents, including World Champion Adrien Broner, had a combined 85-2 record.
A highly accomplished amateur with multiple titles and nearly 100 wins to his name, Chris “Sweet” Pearson (6-0, 3 KO’s) has started to take the professional game by storm with his incredible talent and exciting style. Just 21 years old, Pearson has scored two first round knockouts thus far in his young career and will jump right back into the ring for his third fight of 2012 in a four/six round junior middleweight fight against Phoenix’s Jose Martell (2-1-1, 2 KO’s).
23-year-old Luis Ramos Jr. (21-0, 9 KO’s) is well on his way to big things in the lightweight division as proven by his recent three-fight string of wins over Francisco Lorenzo (W8), David Rodela (KO5) and Raymundo Beltran (W10). Ramos will face an opponent to be named in a 10-round fight.
El Paso’s favorite fighting son Antonio Escalante (25-4, 17 KO’s) is 8-0 in his adopted hometown and the Juarez native has no intentions of seeing that run end on April 21. Escalante scored knockouts over Pipino Cuevas Jr. and Rynell Griffin in 2011 and the former NABO super bantamweight champion will be looking to make a statement at 130 pounds when he takes on Matamoros, Mexico’s Francisco Camacho (10-1, 3 KO’s) in an eight-round matchup.
Newark’s Mike Concepcion Ready To Make Debut Tomorrow Night
Tomorrow night at the Robert Treat Hotel, Newark’s own light welterweight Mike Concepcion is anxious to step between the ropes and make his professional debut.
Having started boxing at the age of 8 and coming from a strong boxing family, Concepcion established his ring presence early on. As an amateur Concepcion dominated on all levels, winning well over 100+ fights while suffering only 10 losses.
His vast experience inside the ring will undoubtedly give him a strong advantage as he squares off against Dan Morales (0-4).
“I am looking forward to getting in there Wednesday night and getting it over with,” said Concepcion. “I want to get in there and fight, and get that first win…then continue on.”
Nowadays more often than not you see young amateur fighters winning a few fights and making the decision to turn pro, only to run into a wall and recognize their lack of experience. Concepcion’s team didn’t rush this decision, and allowed the young fighter to develop his strengths while receiving countless experience.
The young fighter displays a calm and poise about him you expect to see seasoned in seasoned veterans.
“My trainers and my training, that’s what it’s about,” said Concepcion. “That’s what helps keep me so calm inside the ring. I think I will be a better pro than amateur because of my style. Being calm allows me to pick my shots. In the amateurs you throw a lot of punches, and they all count on points. In the pro game, you win round by round. And they count body shots, which they don’t really do in the amateurs.”
Trained by his father Angel, Mike is mentally and physically to explode onto one of the most stacked weight classes in boxing.
Coming from a family of successful fighters, you would think Concepcion feels pressure on following in his brothers footsteps.
“Nah, I don’t feel any pressure. I just do my own thing; I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s all natural now. Once I get in the ring and throw the first punch, everything else on my mind goes out the window. I don’t think about anything else except me and him. Adaptability makes for great fighters. You have to be able to adapt to anything that is thrown at you in the ring. Some fighters watch videos so that they are ready for what their opponent might bring. But I train for every style, so regardless of regardless of what I face, I will be ready for it.”
Going forward after his debut, Concepcion will look to remain active within the squared circle.
“I’d like to fight each month, or as much as I can,” said Concepcion. “If I get a KO in a month, I might be able to get two fights that month.”
Everything Concepcion has worked for since the age of 8 comes to the surface tomorrow night at the Robert Treat Hotel. The fast handed, heavy hitting light welterweight has the drive and determination to make a big impact in the boxing world, and is more ready than ever to get in there and throw hands.
“Lastly, I’d like to give a shot out to all of my trainers who have helped me get ready for this fight. Joe here at Ace’s Boxing…he’s a sick trainer, and they’ve all worked hard to get me ready for this fight.”
Don’t miss Mike Concepcion as he steps between the ropes as a professional for the first time tomorrow night at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark.
Doors to the exciting event open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout at 7 p.m.
WEIGHTS FROM NEWARK, NJ
Charles Heyward. 172.6 – Richard Pierson 168.1
Jamond Bourgeois. 154.9- John Thompson 156.7
Steven Johnson 118.2 – Qa’Id Muhammad 116.5
Kevin Howard 270.9 – Aaron Kinch 258.8
Leandro Acevedo 164.8 – Marcus Clay 164.3
Mike Conception 144.6 – Danny Morales 139
Promoter: Gabe Laconte’s First Round Promotions & Greg Cohen Promotions
Venue: Robert Treat Hotel
1st Bell: 7:30 PM
Broadcast: www.gfl.tv