The Avila Perspective Chap. 21: Spence vs. Garcia, Diego De La Hoya and More

After weeks of dilly dallying Premier Boxing Championship unveiled its Fox network schedule for the upcoming six months including the blockbuster announcement that Mikey Garcia (pictured at yesterday’s confab with Lennox Lewis) will challenge IBF welterweight kingpin Errol Spence Jr.

It doesn’t get bigger than that.

A press conference at Fox Television headquarters in Century City on Tuesday saw two dozen of PBC’s top fighters gathered to speak to reporters about their upcoming clashes to be televised on Fox and its affiliates beginning in December through April 2019.

Included in the announced array of top prizefighters are Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, Leo Santa Cruz, and the brothers Jermell and Jermall Charlo opening up the Fox fight series on December 22 in Brooklyn, New York.

But the fight that has been resonating since last July, when Garcia publicly announced he wanted to fight Spence, has finally sprouted wings and now takes place on March 16, in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium.

“I just want to get the biggest fights available and make the biggest splash,” said Garcia, 30, who has won world titles in four weight divisions.

Spence, who is world champion at a weight category two weight divisions heavier than Garcia, welcomes the challenge. Both he and Garcia are considered by many among the top 10 prizefighters pound for pound in the world.

“It’s a dream come true. I have a lot of fans and he has a lot of fans too,” said Spence.

Their clash will be shown on Fox pay-per-view. It’s the crown jewel of all the planned matchups planned by PBC. It’s one of the best possible fights to be made in 2019.

One other fight that looks interesting is Jose Uzcategui defending the interim IBF super middleweight title against Caleb Plant on January 13, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

It was a masterful move to announce the upcoming schedule to the media for the next five months. It allows fans the opportunity to plan their way around the fight scene that grows bigger every year. This upcoming year will be bigger than the world has ever seen before.

With Fox, Showtime, ESPN and DAZN all jumping in with hundreds of millions of dollars into the boxing pot, the world of prizefighting is booming.

De La Hoya in Mexicali

Undefeated Diego De La Hoya (20-0) defends the NABF super bantamweight title against Venezuela’s Edixon Perez (17-2) on Saturday Nov. 17, at Mexicali, Mexico. It’s the first time he’s fought as a professional in his hometown. It will be televised on Azteca TV.

“This fight is good for him because he hasn’t fought in Mexico. This is a great opportunity for the fans in Mexico to get to see him. Millions will be tuning in. that’s great exposure for him in Mexico,” said Joel De La Hoya who manages Diego De La Hoya. “You want that Mexican fan base behind you as well.”

Diego De La Hoya, 24, has been fighting professionally for five years now. Ever since he first stepped into the prize ring big things have been expected from the cousin of Oscar De La Hoya the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. Generally, he’s delivered.

In his last two fights Diego De La Hoya defeated two former world champions. This past June the Mexicali fighter stopped Jose Salgado in the seventh round in a fight that took place in upstate New York. Before that, he handed talented Randy Caballero his first defeat as a professional.

Golden Boy has carefully plotted his career though at times it seemed he was bored with fighting lesser talent.

“He was still in his second year when big fights were offered. We kind of held off to give him more time to mature. He’s got the skillset,” said Joel De La Hoya, brother of Oscar De La Hoya. “Once you win the world title you can’t take any more soft touches. That’s not the way we grew up, me and my brother.”

Though world title fights were offered the De La Hoya’s declined. But now the team feels ready to move to the next step after this fight.

“This is more of a stay busy fight, but anytime someone faces a De La Hoya they’re going to come with everything against the De La Hoya name,” said Joel De La Hoya. “But after this, we’re going to be pushing for a shot at the world title.”

The 122-pound limit super bantamweight division is blue hot with talent. It hasn’t been this loaded since guys like Israel Vazquez, Rafael Marquez, Jhonny Gonzalez and Oscar Larios were menacing the division and fighting each other from 2004 to 2010.

Today, the super bantamweight division is ripe with talent especially in Southern California where WBA super bantamweight titlist Danny Roman lives. It’s a match that can easily be made. Others holding belts are Mexico’s Rey Vargas with the WBC title, Isaac Dogboe the WBO titlist, and Australia’s TJ Doheny the IBF titleholder. It’s a very talented weight division and one that De La Hoya fits into nicely.

“It’s hot right now for the super bantamweights. We’re excited. You have Danny Roman who has a world title and is a candidate for Fighter of the Year,” said Joel De La Hoya. “You also have Dogboe. We’re slowly but surely going to see them cancel each other off. They are very do-able fights considering Diego is ranked in the top 10 in each of those organizations.”

But first, this Saturday his hometown fans and fellow countrymen get an opportunity to see him perform before certain world title challenges.

“Once you fight for a world title there is no turning back,” De La Hoya said. “But Diego has a high boxing IQ.”

Thompson Boxing card

Texas bred Michael Dutchover (11-0, 8 KOs) meets veteran Daulis Prescott in the super featherweight main event on Friday Nov. 16, at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Dutchover, 20, is one of many talented Texans who are moving into Southern California to find more opportunity and preparation. He was signed by Thompson Boxing Promotions more than a year ago and is one of several top prospects moving up the ranks quickly.

“I’ve (sparred) with some of the top names in the sport and they teach me something different,” Dutchover said. “Danny Roman, Oscar Valdez, Jessie Magdaleno are a few that come to mind.”

The Thompson Boxing fight card will be streamed live on their Facebook page beginning at Friday 8 p.m. PT.

Fights to watch via streaming or TV

Fri. 3:30 p.m. PT/ 6:30 p.m. ET – Egidijus Kavaliauskas (20-0) vs. Roberto Arriaza (17-0) on ESPN3.

Fri. 9:00 p.m. PT/ midnight ET – Maurice Hooker (24-0-3) vs. Alex Saucedo (28-0) on ESPN.

Fri. 3:30 p.m. PT/ 6:30 p.m. ET – Branden Pizarro (12-1) vs. Gadwin Rosa (8-0) and several other bouts at: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

Fri. 9:35 p.m. ET/PT – Jaron Innis (21-0) vs. Raymond Serrano (24-5) on Showtime television.

Sat. 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET – Jarrell Miller (22-0-1) vs. Bogdan Dinu (18-0); Claressa Shields (6-0) vs. Hannah Rankin (5-2) on DAZN.

Sat. 8 p.m. PT – Diego De La Hoya (20-0) vs Edixon Perez (17-2) on Azteca TV.

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