John “Bang Bang” Delperdang Tries Henry Lundy in Cincinnati

DELPERDANG vs. LUNDY — No television, no hometown crowd, no problem for John “Bang Bang” Delperdang who despite only 11 pro fights travels across the country to meet veteran contender Henry Lundy.

“This is what I want, to fight someone as good as Lundy,” said Delperdang, pictured with his support team at Ontario’s Crossroads Gym.

Delperdang (10-1, 9 KOs) gets his wish when he meets Lundy (26-6-1, 13 KOs) on Friday Dec. 30, at the B.O.O.M. Fitness Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s a lightweight match set for 12 rounds.

Delperdang has been on a crash course to get as many pro fights as possible. In this year alone he’s fought eight times and won six by knockout. The fight he lost was a close majority decision. Most of his fights have taken place across the border.

“I just like to fight,” says Delperdang, 24.

The Ontario, California resident has scraped and scratched his way to this point with a fighting style that can be best described as survival of the fittest. He’s not out there to look pretty or slap his way to victory. He expects to get punched but he also expects to punch you.

He’s a sledgehammer with arms and legs.

Delperdang loves professional boxing and what it has brought him. Before that he was living on the streets jacking people to make a little something for himself. Foster homes, juvenile hall, jail and who knows what was next to follow until he discovered a boxing gym and talked to the owner Bernie Valenzuela.

That was a day that set everything into motion and gave Delperdang a goal and a home.

That was a little more than two years ago and since then Delperdang has lived up to the agreements both made that day. No drugs, no fighting on the streets and no more crime.

The pair has formed a team that has fought on non-televised fight cards in Mexico, Texas and California. Now they travel to the Midwest for a shot against a fighter who has fought world champions Terence Crawford, Viktor Postol and David Diaz.

“People ask me why and I say why not?” said Delperdang. “How else can you learn? He’s fought the best and if I can beat him, then I get a big jump ahead.”

Lundy’s last fight was a loss to Crawford for the WBO lightweight title last February. In that fight he suffered a leg injury and was out of action the rest of 2016. The Philadelphia prizefighter has never been one to avoid tough opponents. Though Delperdang has only 11 fighters Lundy says the Californian was the only one to accept the fight.

Ironically Lundy has been sparring with John Molina who Delperdang helped prepare for Ruslan Provodnikov. It’s a vicious circle but it doesn’t bother Delperdang who laughs a lot and has fun just putting on the boxing gloves.

“I can’t wait to go over there and fight Hank Lundy,” said Delperdang anticipating a great fight. “I just want to fight.”

An experienced and winning corner has been gathered to support the Ontario fighter including a veteran advisor in Roberto Alcazar the famous former trainer for Oscar De La Hoya. The Baldwin Park based boxing expert also worked with world champions Jessie Vargas and the late great Edwin Valero.

“I’m just helping out,” said Alcazar who shouted out advice during a recent sparring session for Delperdang. “We’ll see what happens. He’s fighting a very experienced fighter in Lundy.”

Still, Delperdang loves the challenge.

“I’m really lucky to be doing what I love,” said Delperdang.

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