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Canelo To Fight Ortiz Conqueror Josesito Lopez On Sept. 15
LOS ANGELES(July 11, 2012) – Mexican Independence Day weekend will come alive in one-of-a-kind fashion on Saturday, September 15 when “Knockout Kings” featuring undefeated Mexican sensation Canelo Alvarez taking on boxing's breakout star and upset-minded Josesito Lopez for Canelo's World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Welterweight World Championship, takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME. Fans can expect fireworks all night long with the unparalleled quadruple-header, which also features WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez defending his title against former World Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon.
“Knockout Kings,” a tremendous evening of pure Mexican power and pride, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. The quadruple-header will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME. Additional co-featured fights will be announced soon.
SHOWTIME Sports will also produce a new edition of its ALL ACESS sports documentary series. ALL ACCESS: Canelo vs. Lopez will premiere on SHOWTIME, with multiple replays on additional SHOWTIME and CBS platforms. The exhibition schedule will be announced shortly.
“We know the exceptional talent we have in Mexican superstar Canelo, and certainly Josesito Lopez deserves the opportunity to face him after his stunning upset victory over Victor Ortiz on June 23,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “It is going to be another prideful Mexican Independence Day weekend for Mexican and Mexican-American fans having their most celebrated fighter, Canelo, fighting that night along with Jhonny Gonzalez and Daniel Ponce De Leon, who are going to deliver their own electrifying championship battle.”
“It is a great pleasure for Golden Boy Promotions to be working with MGM Resorts International and SHOWTIME Sports on this exciting night of boxing,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions. “To be able to showcase top-caliber boxing talent in Canelo, Josesito Lopez, Jhonny Gonzalez and Ponce De Leon on the same show packs a lot of power and pride into a tremendous evening for attendees and viewers watching at home. It's also a special gift for Mexican and Mexican American fans who have supported the sport for so long to have Canelo appear once again on Mexican Independence Day weekend. If there is anyone who deserves a shot at Canelo, it's Josesito because he showed that heart and will can determine the outcome of any fight. I've never seen a fighter show that.”
“SHOWTIME has fully committed to promoting this tremendous night of boxing as if it were a pay-per-view, but instead is offering this quadruple-header to all boxing fans across the country,” continued Schaefer. “We are very pleased that CBS will also be committed to promoting this event on various platforms.”
“We are excited to be able to offer SHOWTIME subscribers a chance to see boxing's newest star, Canelo Alvarez, in what promises to be a dramatic fight,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Canelo's talent and charisma has re-energized boxing and drawn legions of casual fans to the sport. Josesito Lopez may not be as well-known as Canelo, but he has already shown that it would be a mistake for any opponent to overlook Josesito Lopez. Many counted him out in his last fight against Victor Ortiz, but he stunned the SHOWTIME audience and boxing fans worldwide with his gutsy performance and earned his shot at Canelo. This match-up, and this entire card as a whole, promises to be non-stop action and we are proud to deliver explosive fights to our viewers.”
Richard Sturm, president of sports and entertainment for MGM Resorts International, said, “We look forward to celebrating Mexican Independence Day weekend with one of the most exciting events of the summer. There is no doubt that Golden Boy Promotions will deliver a fight that has a major impact on boxing fans worldwide.”
Already a phenom in his home country of Mexico, Canelo turned professional at the age of 15 and has amassed a record of 40-0-1, with 29 knockouts. Since 2008, he has knocked out 14 of 18 opponents and is coming off of a dominant unanimous decision win over future Hall of Famer and former Three-Division World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley in May. Now, the 21-year-old considered to be one of boxing's fastest-rising stars will make his SHOWTIME debut on Mexico's biggest holiday weekend of the year, Mexican Independence Day weekend. Canelo will look to continue his meteoric rise to international superstardom as he follows in the footsteps of De La Hoya, his childhood idol and current promoter.
“I am happy to be fighting Josesito Lopez on Mexican Independence Day weekend and to give all of our fans a tremendous battle,” said Canelo. “I was ringside for his fight against Victor Ortiz and saw the talent he possesses. It will be very competitive, but nothing can take away my desire to be the best in the sport. I am also excited to be fighting for the Mexican people and Mexican American fans on Mexican Independence Day weekend. I look forward to showing so many people who will be watching me across the United States that I love being a champion. I want them to think of me as one of the greatest fighters ever.”
In June, Lopez emerged from relative obscurity and scored the biggest win of his career over the heavily favored Ortiz in the main event of a SHOWTIME Championship Boxing. Lopez shocked the boxing world by stopping Ortiz, one of today's most popular and talented fighters. Lopez (30-4, 18 KO's) of Riverside, Calif., has the opportunity to recreate his “Rocky moment” on Sept. 15, when he challenges for his first world title against a man that many believe to be boxing's next superstar.
“I am so happy to have the chance to continue my career fighting another great champion in Canelo Alvarez especially on such a big weekend like Mexican Independence Day,” said Lopez. “I know they put me in the ring with Victor Ortiz to have me beat and now they are doing the same thing with Canelo. I was a big underdog with Ortiz and now I'm a bigger underdog with Canelo, but I'm up for the challenge.”
Also featured on the SHOWTIME telecast will be reigning Mexico City's Jhonny Gonzalez (52-7, 45 KO's) who once ruled the bantamweight division with his iron fists, winning two world titles and defeating the likes of Fernando Montiel, Irene Pacheco and recently inducted Hall of Famer Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson. Reinventing himself at featherweight, where he has gone 12-0 with 11 knockouts, he won the WBC 126-pound title by stopping Hozumi Hasegawa in the fourth round in April 2011. Four title defenses, including an April 2012 decision over Elio Rojas, have followed, and on September 15, the 30-year old will seek a fifth successful defense against De Leon.
“This is a fight I have been wanting for a long time and now to have the opportunity to do it for my Mexican people is so great,” said Gonzalez. “That is a big weekend for everyone and I am going to show the world why I am still the best in the division.”
Power puncher Daniel Ponce De Leon (43-4, 35 KO's) has long been one of boxing's most dependable warriors. Former WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion De Leon defended his crown six times during his 2005-08 reign. After losing the title to Juan Manuel Lopez in 2008, he began the next chapter of his career, winning nine of his next 11 fights following that defeat. In 2012, wins over Omar Estrella (KO6) and Eduardo Lazcano (W10) at featherweight have put him in line for a shot at 126-pound gold, but to get it, he will have to beat countryman Gonzalez on the 15th of September.
“Gonzalez is a very good fighter, but I have the experience and ability to beat him and take his title from him,” said De Leon. “The Mexican fans will all be watching and there is going to be tremendous pressure on all of us to win our bouts and look great doing it. I will become the new champion that night and my career will move up to a new level.”
Tickets priced at $400, $300, $150, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Saturday, July 14 at Noon PT.Ticket sales are limited to ten (10) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.comor www.ticketmaster.com.
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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing
Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.
As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.
This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.
A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”
Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.
Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.
Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)
Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.
When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.
Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.
Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).
For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.
“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.
As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.
As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”
Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.
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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce
Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.
Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.
The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.
In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.
It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.
For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.
Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.
It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.
“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”
Trinidad Wins Too
Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.
Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.
“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”
After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.
Other Bouts
Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.
Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.
Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.
More Winners
Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.
Photos credit: Al Applerose
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More
Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More
Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.
Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.
Hopefully the worst is over.
Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.
“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.
UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.
Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.
“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.
He knows talent.
Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.
Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.
Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.
Can Trinidad reach world title status?
Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.
It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.
Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.
Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
Boxing and the Media
The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.
Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.
Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.
Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.
MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.
Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.
Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.
It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.
Photos credit: Lina Baker
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