Avila Perspective, Chap. 179: 360 Promotions, Probellum, and Golden Boy

Avila Perspective, Chap. 179: 360 Promotions, Probellum, and Golden Boy

A run of three successive days of high caliber prizefighting marks this week starting in Southern California and continuing in Dubai. All can be seen via streaming.

Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions lead the way with a fight card on Thursday, St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, with middleweight prospect Cem Kilic and gate attraction Adrian Corona at the Quiet Cannon Club in Montebello, Calif. UFC Fight Pass will stream the boxing card.

Loeffler has a long history in prizefighting that includes advisory work with both Ukrainian brothers Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko, and also working with Serhii Bohachuk. All three Ukrainians are currently defending their home country.

Of course, the promoter still works with Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin along with female fighter Cecilia Braekhus.

For the past several years his 360 Promotions has delivered many of the best smaller boxing shows in Southern California. This is his second year staging boxing cards at the Quiet Cannon Club in Montebello.

The main event showcases Kilic (15-1, 10 Kos) of Turkey versus veteran Antonio Hernandez (6-12-2) who has found his step and is no easy touch. The eight-round fight should be very interesting.

“I didn’t speak English when I first came to America, only basics, and nobody I met here spoke German or Turkish. but I learned English watching old movies and using Google translator,” said Kilic. “I learned quicky, though, and was comfortable speaking English in six months. And now I live only 10 minutes from Hollywood.”

Also, local fighter Adrian Corona (9-0) continues to improve dramatically and will face Joe Perez (15-6-2) in a six round super featherweight clash.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. For ticket information Hollywood Fight Nights / Seating

Probellum at Dubai

New promotion company Probellum has a two-day event that features world title-holders on each card.

IBO lightweight titlist Estelle Mossely (9-0) defends against Argentina’s Yanina Lescano (10-1) in the main event on Friday March 18, at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It will be streamed by www.Probellum.com beginning at 9 a.m. PT.

Mossely captured a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and defeated Katie Taylor in the amateurs.

The next day, former super lightweight world titlist Regis Prograis (26-1, 22 KOs) faces Tyrone McKenna (22-2-1, 6 KOs) a tall and slick southpaw from Northern Ireland on Saturday, March 19, at Dubai in the second-day Probellum fight card. It will be streamed by www.Probellum.com beginning at 9 a.m. PT.

Prograis formerly held the IBF super lightweight title but lost a split decision to current undisputed champion Josh Taylor. It was a razor close fight and many experts consider the American fighter to be the best 140-pound fighter without a title.

“I just want to fight for the world title,” said Prograis.

Golden Boy in L.A.

Welterweights Alexis Rocha and Blair Cobbs will face each other in the main event on Saturday March 19, at the Galen Center announced Golden Boy Promotions on Thursday.

The ultra-dangerous Vergil Ortiz Jr. was forced to withdraw from his fight against Michael McKinson due to illness it was announced on Tuesday March 14, by Golden Boy Promotions. DAZN will stream the fight card.

Ortiz was sent to a hospital and diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a rare medical condition that can lead to serious complications including kidney failure. The undefeated welterweight is currently bed-ridden in a Los Angeles hospital.

A new opponent, Jesus Antonio Perez, now will face undefeated British welterweight McKinson (20-0, 2 KOs) at the Galen Center to replace Ortiz.

Ortiz said on his social media account that he was feeling ill and loss of energy. He was immediately taken to a hospital where they diagnosed the malady that affects muscle-tissue. No update was given on how long he will be in hospital care.

Last year, Ortiz was stricken by Covid-19 and though not fully recovered, he accepted a fight and admitted it was a mistake to fight under less than 100 percent conditions. He said he learned that boxing is dangerous and to be less than 100 percent is not advisable.

Ortiz is considered one of the best young welterweights in the U.S. and has knocked out every foe faced in the prize ring.

The new main event pits undefeated Cobbs (15-0-1, 10 KOs) against Rocha (18-1, 12 KOs) who were already slated to fight each other. They now headline the fight card.

Showtime Schedule

An updated schedule from March to June was released by Showtime network on Tuesday that includes some very fan friendly prize fights but also some that will not be possible.

The welterweight clash between titlists Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas at Dallas on April 16 and the Gervonta “Tank” Davis versus Rollie Romero in Brooklyn on May 28 are very good. But the one that grabs me the most is Danny Roman finally getting a crack at one of the champions, Stephen Fulton, on June 4 in Minneapolis, Minn.

After Roman did all the hard work to win the WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles including back-to-back wins in Japan against Japanese fighters, he then unified against TJ Doheny in a Fight of the Year candidate in April 2019. Next, he fought and lost a split decision against Murodjon Akhmadaliev that could have gone his way but two judges saw it differently.

All of the super bantamweight champions avoided Roman until Fulton defeated Brandon Figueroa in an exceptional battle in Las Vegas last November. Fulton has all the confidence in the world and proved it in accepting a match with Roman.

Fulton versus Roman will be one of the best fights of 2022.

Fights to Watch

Thurs. UFC Fight Pass 7 p.m. Cem Kilic (15-1) vs Antonio Hernandez (6-12-2).

Fri. Probellum.com 9 a.m. Estelle Mossely (9-0) vs Yanina Lescano (10-1).

Sat. Probellum.com 9 a.m. Regis Prograis (26-1) vs Tyrone McKenna (22-2-1).

Sat. DAZN 6 p.m. Blair Cobbs vs. (15-0-1) vs. Alexis Rocha (18-1); Michael McKinson (20-0) vs. Jesus Antonio Perez (24-3).

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