By Norm Frauenheim-
Ray Beltran’s 23 years in the ring include lots of punches. Lots of lessons, too.
One of those lessons landed all over again Thursday. No payday is ever guaranteed. Beltran’s comeback fight Friday night at Legends Center in Maryvale on the west side of Phoenix has been cancelled. His scheduled opponent didn’t show up for the weigh-in Thursday.
Beltran (36-9-1, 22 KOs), a former lightweight champion, said he was told Wednesday night that Osorio just didn’t want to fight. The bout, which would have been Beltran’s first since a stoppage loss to Richard Commey in June 2019, was supposed to be at 143-pounds. Osorio (12-20-2, 8KOs), of Monterrey, Mex., was 2-6 over his last eight bouts.
“It’s disappointing,’’ said the 40-year-old Beltran, once Manny Pacquiao’s primary sparring partner. “You invest a lot of time and money into training and all. But it’s part of boxing. Part of the business. I used to fight because of my passion for the game. I still do. But now I also see it as a business.’’
Beltran, who lives in Avondale on the west side of Phoenix, said he hopes to fight on a card featuring super-middleweight David Benavidez-versus-Jose Uzcatequi on Aug. 28. It was announced this week that the Showtime-televised card will be at Talking Stick Arena in a ring on the Suns home floor in downtown Phoenix.
Jose Benavidez Jr. is also expected to fight on the card. It would be Benavidez Jr.’s first bout since a 12th-round stoppage loss to welterweight champion and pound-for-pound contender Terence Crawford in October 2018. The Benavidez brothers grew up in Phoenix.
“That’s going to be a big night for Phoenix boxing,’’ said Beltran, who was brought to Phoenix from Mexico in the late 1990s by late Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward.
Beltran made his pro debut in Tucson in July 1999.
“At this stage, I just want to stay busy,’’ said Beltran, who says he will fight at junior-welterweight. “I’m hoping for August 28. Then, maybe in September. At this stage, I’ve got to stay busy. I can’t sit around and wait.’’
With the Beltran comeback off Friday night’s card, young featherweights Danny Barrios (5-0 1 KOs) and Edward Ceballos (9-3-1, 5 KOs) will fight in the main event for a 126-pound state title sanctioned by the Arizona State Boxing & MMA Commission. First bell is scheduled for 6 p.m.
