Avila Perspective, Chap. 289: 360 Promotions, Don King and More Action

American firepower returns.

After weeks of tremendous fight shows in Europe, Australia and the Middle East, elite boxing returns to the States with back-to-back nights in California, Florida, Upstate New York and New York City.

It starts off Friday night with 360 Promotions led by promoter Tom Loeffler staging his main star Callum Walsh (10-0, 8 KOs) in a middleweight title fight against Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz (14-5, 14 KOs) at Chumash Casino in beautiful Santa Ynez, Calif. It’s a sold-out show so don’t go there. UFC Fight Pass will stream the card.

“Coach Freddie and I have had a great training camp. Every camp I become a better fighter as I learn more and we increase the intensity of the sparring,” said Walsh (pictured on the left) about preparing for this fight with trainer Freddie Roach.

Loeffler, the promoter, is best known for advising and propelling the careers of the brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin, and now works with Walsh, a fiery Irish fighter backed by UFC’s Dana White and trained by Freddie Roach.

“This is a tremendous card and we’re very happy to have so much support from the Los Angeles area media,” said Loeffler.

The entire fight card is dripping with talent such as Karlos Balderas, Daniel Barrera and female prospect Lupe Medina. One thing Loeffler always tries to do is promote female prizefighting.

Don King

Also on Friday, promoter Don King brings another of his shows to Hollywood, Florida with Adrien “The Problem” Broner (35-4-1, 24 KOs) facing Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (16-1-1, 10 KOs) in the main event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel. The fight card can be watched on pay-per-view at DonKing.com

Both are 34 years old though it seems Broner, with his natural born shoulder pads, has been around forever. He’s fought a who’s who in boxing including Manny Pacquiao, Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana and Paulie Malignaggi.

“A lot of people said I wasn’t going to show up. People even got Don King saying I wasn’t going to show up. But I showed up. Sometimes, you just have to make everyone a believer. A lot of people have turned their back on me and shut their doors on me,” said Broner.

Said Cobbs:

“This one is going to be a very big attraction. Just in case you don’t know who I am, it’s the most exciting man in boxing, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs.”

Since the 1970s King has always had the ability to make intriguing fights beginning with the “Rumble in the Jungle” with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. On Friday, heavyweights Michael Hunter (22-1-2) and Cassius Chaney (23-1) will tangle too.

Golden Boy in NY

WBO minimumweight world titlist Oscar Collazo (9-0, 7 Kos) defends against Nicaragua’s Gerardo Zapata (14-1-1, 5 KOs) on Friday, June 7, at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card.

Puerto Rico’s Collazo is making his third defense of the world title. Incidentally, Verona, New York is only 12 miles away from Canastota where the International Boxing Hall of Fame week is taking place.

“Zapata is a tall, tough fighter that likes to fight, but we have twelve rounds to do our job and get a dominant victory. I am ready for the best version of Gerardo Zapata,” said Collazo.

Boxing Hall of Fame

Festivities for the International Boxing Hall of Fame take place this week beginning Thursday with Ringside Talks at the museum. It’s a three-day event that includes a banquet, parade and meet and greets with dozens of great champions.

Those being inducted this year are boxers Diego Corrales, Ivan Calderon, Ricky Hatton, Ana Maria Torres, Jane Couch, and Michael Moorer. Others inducted include Jackie Kallen, Wallace Matthews, Fred Sternberg, Nick Charles, and Kenny Adams.

For more information call (315) 697-7095.

Saturday in NYC

Puerto Rico’s Xander Zayas (18-0, 12 KOs) meets Brazil’s Patrick Teixeira (34-4, 25 KOs) in the main event on Saturday June 8, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Top Rank show will be televised on ESPN.

Zayas, 21, has been groomed very carefully by Top Rank and faces a dangerous but ageing veteran in Teixeira who defeated Carlos Adames. Both fighters can crack. National Puerto Rican Day in New York takes place the next day on Sunday.

“Patrick Teixeira is a former world champion. He has a lot of experience. He has fought great fighters, and he’s very hungry to return to the top of the sport. So, I have to go in there very prepared because I know he will also be prepared,” said Zayas.

Also on the Top Rank card is Brooklyn’s undefeated Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (11-0, 7 KOs) meeting Panama’s Brayan De Gracia (29-3-1, 25 KOs) in a featherweight clash.

Fights to Watch (All times Pacific Time)

Fri. FITE.TV 3 pm Adrien Broner (35-4-1) vs Blair Cobbs (16-1-1).

Fri. DAZN 5 p.m. Oscar Collazo (9-0) vs Gerardo Zapata (14-1-1).

Fri. UFC Fight Pass 7 p.m. Callum Walsh (10-0) vs Carlos Ortiz (14-5).

Sat. ESPN 8 p.m. Xander Zayas (18-0) vs Patrick Teixeira (34-4).

Photo credit: Lina Baker

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