INDIO, CA (April 4, 2023) – The fight card has been finalized for Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN scheduled to return on Thursday, April 6 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. The event will feature former World Champion Angel “Tito” Acosta (23-3, 22 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico measuring up against Caracas, Venezuela’s Angelino “Huracán” Cordova (17-0-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round flyweight bout. The action will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN beginning at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m

Tickets for Acosta vs. Cordova are still on sale for $65, $55, $45, $35 and $25 plus applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at FantasySpringsResort.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. 

In the co-main event, San Diego’s Jorge “El Niño Dorado” Chavez (5-0, 4 KOs) will participate in a six-round featherweight fight against Alberto “Pupo” Nieves (4-2-1, 2 KOs) of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Chavez is returning to the ring after a stellar first-round knockout win against Bryan Perez on March 18 that saw Perez almost fly through the ropes. 

On the DAZN broadcast and in a four-round super welterweight fight, Coachella’s Grant Flores (1-0, 1 KO) will face Juan Herrera (0-1-1) of Tijuana, Mexico. Flores made a grand entrance in February with a phenomenal knockout victory in his hometown, and will be looking to impress yet again against Herrera. Daniel “Junebug” Garcia (4-0, 3 KOs) of Westminster, Colorado will return to the ring in a four-round super featherweight fight against Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Aldimar Silva (22-22, 14 KOs).

Opening up the DAZN broadcast, Cathedral City’s Leonardo “Bazooka” Sanchez (3-0, 2 KOs) will be matched up against Mychaquell Shields (0-1) of Alpine in a four-round super featherweight fight. Kicking off fight night, Victorville’s Daniel Luna (1-0, 1 KO) will be looking to add another impressive win in a scheduled four-round lightweight fight against Tipitapa, Nicaragua’s Giovanni Gutierrez (11-4-1, 6 KOs). 

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Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #GBFightNight

INDIO, CA (March 10, 2023) – Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN will return on Thursday, April 6 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino with a special headlining event featuring former World Champion Angel “Tito” Acosta (23-3, 22 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico. An aggressive, forward-pressing Puerto Rican boxer with one of the heaviest punches of his division, Acosta trains with world renowned trainer Joel Diaz in the Coachella Valley, and will return to the ring after a jaw-dropping, first-round knockout at Fantasy Springs this past May 2022. “Tito” will participate in a 12-round flyweight bout against Caracas, Venezuela’s Angelino “Huracán” Cordova (17-0-1, 12 KOs). The action will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN beginning at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET. 

Tickets for Acosta vs. Cordova are on sale today, March 10, at $65, $55, $45, $35 and $25 plus applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at FantasySpringsResort.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. 

“We are working hard in the gym here in Indio, California with Joel Díaz. Cordova is a great fighter who comes from the front, I don’t know much about him but I’ll be ready for him,” said Angel Acosta. “I am very happy and motivated for this fight because it puts us close to an opportunity for the world championship. On April 6 I will be ready to put on a show for Puerto Rico and my family.“

“It’s a great opportunity for my career,” said Angelino Cordova. ”I feel really excited and happy with this fight. There’s going to be fireworks inside that ring. Tito Acosta is a great champion and I have a lot of respect for him but It will be a war. I am training in NY and will be ready to face the best Acosta in April.” 

Media interested in a credential can apply at: https://bit.ly/April6GBFN. Credential applications are due April 3, 2023. 

Information on the undercard will be announced in the coming weeks. 

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Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #GBFightNight

Eric Tudor (4-0) went the distance for the first time in his young career Saturday night against the battle tested Donte Stubbs. The fight was part of the Angel “Tito” Acosta versus Janiel Rivera undercard that took place in Indio, California.

The fight nearly didn’t happen when Stubbs weighed in a whopping 3.5 pounds over the contracted 154 pound super welterweight limit.

After consulting with his team, Tudor decided that the opportunity to fight on a DAZN streamed card was worth the risk of taking on an overweight opponent.

“We were very surprised by how much he was overweight but we didn’t want to waste a training camp. Golden Boy and DAZN gave us an opportunity and we wanted to make the most of it.,” said Tudor. “This was my first time going the distance and it was a good experience going 6 full rounds.”

Tudor won all 6 rounds on all 3 judges scorecards and is looking to return to the ring in July.

The 20 year old Romanian Olympian made his pro debut in February when he stopped Dalton Duncan in 1 round.  He followed that impressive performance up with 2 more knockout victories before Saturday night.

If Tudor stays stays injury free, the plan is for him to fight at least 4 more times this year.

Former light flyweight world champion Angel Acosta needed just 77 seconds to take out Janel Rivera in their scheduled 10-round flyweight bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort in India, California.

Acosta hurt Rivera with a hard left hook and then landed about 20 unanswered shots and the fight was stopped.

Acosta, 112.8 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 23-3-1 with 22 knockouts. Rivera, 114 lbs of Vega Baja, PR is 18-9-3.

“I always train well for every fight, we knew Janiel was going to be a strong fighter and I didn’t want to under prepare for this fight,” said Angel Acosta. “I saw an opportunity to end the fight early and I took it. I had a great camp with Joel Diaz and I feel he got me ready for this. Naturally we trained to go the distance, but fortunately we ended it early and got a great victory. We want to go back to the gym train and look for another world championship shot, hopefully Julio Cesar Martinez or McWilliams Arroyo.”

Morales Decisions Torres

Victor Morales dropped Alberto Torres twice en-route to a 10-round unanimous decision in a featherweight bout.

Morales scored knockdowns in rounds five and 10, and cruised home to the 100-88 victory on all cards.

Morales landed 142 of 586 punches; Torres was 70 of 288.

Morales, 125.6 lbs of Portland, OR is now 16-0-1. Torres, 125.4 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 11-5-3.

“I felt great, I was in great condition, and I felt like I dominated the fight,” said Victor Morales. “I was enjoying myself. I could’ve gone 15 rounds. Opponent was an awkward southpaw, but I broke him down and let my hands go. I felt the head butt. I was hoping it was him that got the worst of it, and then shortly realized it was me, but that’s boxing especially when you’re fighting a lefty. But overall I feel great about my performance today.” 

Garcia Decisions Olguin

Rudy Garcia remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Diuhl Olguin in a featherweight contest.

Garcia landed 124 of 465 punches; Olguin was 75 of 304.

Garcia, 125 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 13-0-1. Olguin, 124.8 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 15-23-5.

“I knew the fighter was going to be tough,” said Rudy Garcia. “He has a lot of experience and I had to adjust because he kept coming in with his head. Obviously, I got a head butt that stung me so we had to adjust mid fight and got the decision.  I had to go back to the amatuer mentality and outpoint him.”  

Brenes Decisions Perez

Jimmy Brenes remained undefeated with a four-round majority decision over Hector Perez in a welterweight bout.

Brenes landed 90 of 271 punches; Perez was 50 of 233.

Brenes, 146.2 lbs of Masaya, NIC won by scores of 40-36 twice and 38-38 and is now 2-0. Perez, 145.8 lbs of West Los Angeles, CA

“Perez gave me a good fight, he came to do what he needed to do. I came in and did what I needed to do to win and I am happy the judges also saw it my way. I know I still have a lot to improve and that’s what we are going to do. We are going to go back to the gym, train, and get better; that’s how world champions are made,” said Jimmy Brenes. 

Tudor Decisions Stubbs

Eric Tudor remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Donte Stubbs in a middleweight bout.

Tudor landed 90 of 282 punches; Stubbs was 51 of 343.

Tudor, 154 lbs of Hollywood, FLA won on all cards by 60-54 scores and is now 3-0. Stubbs, 157.5 lbs of Riverside, CA is 6-5.

“I am happy that I was able to dictate the pace of the fight and we are fortunate for the outcome,” said Eric Tudor. “We knew he was going to be a tough fighter, my job was to just maintain my composure. He did get me with some shots that I wasn’t supposed to get hit with. I am very happy with my performance, like I said I was able to keep my composure and I am glad we were able to go the distance, that’s what we train for.” 

 Miami, Florida – Eric Tudor (3-0 3 KOs) looks to keep his perfect record intact when he takes on Donte Stubbs (6-4) in his first bout scheduled for six rounds. 

The fight takes place on the Angel “Tito” Acosta-Janel Rivera undercard in Indio, Calif. The card is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and will be streamed by DAZN. 

The 2020 Romanian Olympian made his pro debut in February, when he stopped Dalton Duncan in the one round. He has followed that victory up with two more knockout wins. 

Stubbs is expected to be his toughest opponent at this point in his young career and Tudor hopes to show more of his skills for the Southern California fight fans that will be in attendance. 

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring. My manager has kept me busy this year and this is a big opportunity for me to be on the undercard of a former champion like Tito Acosta,” said Tudor. 

“The plan is to pickup another victory and keep moving forward in my career. The goal is to become a world champion and these are the steps I need to take to accomplish my goal.”

If all goes well, Tudor plans on returning early in the summer. His manager Luis Molina, who also guides the career of former title challenger Sullivan Barrera, would like to see his fighter get in the ring at least four more times this year. 

INDIO, CA (April 28, 2022) – Newly unified WBC, WBA, and Ring Magazine Flyweight World Champion, Marlen Esparza is set as the VIP guest at Fantasy Spring Resort Casino on Thursday, May 12. The Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN fight card is headlined by former world champion, Angel ‘Tito’ Acosta (22-3-1, 21 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, facing fellow countryman, Janiel Rivera (18-8-3, 11 KOs) in a 10-round super flyweight fight. In the co-main event of the night, Victor Morales (15-0-1, 8 KOs) of Vancouver, Washington, will fight Alberto Torres (11-4-3, 4 KOs) of Sacramento, CA, in a 10-round featherweight fight. Los Angeles’ Rudy “El Tiburon” Garcia (12-0-1, 2 KOs) will take on the veteran Diul “Elegante” Olguin (15-22-5, 10 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in an 8-round super bantamweight fight. Also on the card, Hollywood, Florida’s Eric Tudor (2-0, 2 KOs) will face Martez Jackson (5-6-3, 2 KOs) in a 6-round welterweight fight. Victorville’s Daniel Luna will make his professional debut in a 4-round featherweight fight against Johnathan Berry (0-1) of Duncan, Oklahoma. Lastly, Jimmy “Lone Wolf” Brenes (1-0, 1 KO) of Hialeah, FL will fight in a scheduled 4-round welterweight event against an opponent to be determined. All bouts will stream live on DAZN and on the Golden Boy Boxing Youtube page hosted by Beto Duran and Boxing Hall of Famer, Bernard Hopkins starting at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET.

Marlen Esparza was born to make history in boxing. Born in Houston, Texas, Marlen Esparza began her boxing career at 12 years old after growing up in a household that loved the sport. In May 2012, Esparza became the first American woman to qualify to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London, the first year that women’s boxing made its debut as an Olympic event. She would win the bronze medal in the women’s flyweight division. In 2017, Esparza became the first female fighter signed by Golden Boy Promotions, and to kick off her professional debut, Esparza took on Rachel Sazoff in a two-round match at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. She stayed busy the upcoming years fighting on the undercards of major events and fighting a total of five times at Golden Boy’s Coachella Valley home, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. In 2019, Esparza had her first world title opportunity, the WBA Flyweight Interim World Championship; but unfortunately, the fight was stopped prematurely in the 9th round because Esparza was severely cut from an accidental headbutt, so the decision went to the scorecards. However, that first loss did not stop Esparza’s momentum as she came back stronger with back-to-back victories over former world title challenger Sulem Urbina and Shelly Barnett.

In 2021, Esparza had a successful year, with an unanimous decision victory against Ibeth Zamora Silva for the WBC Flyweight World Championship and successfully defended her new world championship title against former world champion Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz. On April 9, as part of the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs. Emmanuel Tagoe, Esparza faced her toughest challenge to date, taking on five-division world champion Naoko Fujioka. The fight pitted the #1 vs. #2 in the female flyweight division, granting them the honor of fighting for the first-ever Ring Magazine Female Flyweight World Championship. After 10-rounds of non-stop action from two of the mightiest female fighters in the flyweight division, the judges ruled in favor of Esparza unanimously, crowning her the new WBC, WBA, and Ring Magazine World Champion.

As the VIP guest, Esparza will be in attendance for the fights and will be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Special Events Center before the DAZN live stream begins. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

Tickets for Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN: Acosta vs Rivera are on sale now and are priced at $45, $35 and $25 plus applicable facility fees and service charges. Tickets are available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Acosta vs. Rivera is a 10-round super flyweight fight presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Thursday, May 12 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, CA, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN and on the Golden Boy Boxing Youtube.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #AcostaRivera #GBFightNight

TUCSON —He stepped into the ring with lots to prove. He stepped out of it with lots to prove.

But Oscar Valdez Jr.’s burden must have felt a lot lighter late Friday, buoyed by a gritty victory over Robson Canceicao at Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheatre, an outdoor arena on the road between his first and second homes, Nogales to the south and downtown Tucson to the north.

Valdez scored a unanimous decision, a bittersweet end to a long stretch of controversy, criticism and outrage over news of a positive test for a banned stimulant nearly two weeks ago. The controversy, the burden, is still with Valdez. It’s up to him to provide the proof that the traces of Phentermine in the positive were not intentional.

“I’ve been through a hard week,’’ he said. “I’m sorry for all this ruckus. I’m not a disrespectful man. I’ve been through enough. We won the fight. We did what we had to do and it’s on to the next chapter.”

Valdez continues to call himself a clean fighter.

That remains unproven. Perhaps the proof will come in that next chapter. We’ll see.

For 12 rounds at the end of a hot summer day in the Arizona desert, however, there was plenty of proof that Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) is courageous fighter.

From round-to-round, he reaffirmed his stubborn, no-quit nature in a relentless attack against a Brazilian challenger who beat him as an amateur at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara.

In the early moments, it looked as if Conceicao (16-1, 8 KOs) would do what the World Boxing Council (WBC) would not. It looked as if the Brazilian would take the acronym’s junior-lightweight title from him.

After Conceicao stepped through the ropes and took off his robe, Valdez must have felt like David looking at Goliath. He was taller. His shoulders were big enough to cast a shadow. He feet moved with a mix of agility and speed. Valdez appeared to be in trouble.

But Valdez endured the first two-to-three rounds. That’s when it looked as if Conceicao’s long jab would dictate the bout. But Valdez adjusted. Then, attacked. There’s more to winning a fight than a powerful jab, he said.

Suddenly in the sixth, Valdez came back with an edge. In the ring at least, his punches pack some proof. At the end of the sixth, Valdez landed a head-rocking right. The punch looked like it had been by a delivered by a trigger. An angry one. 

For the next six rounds, anger was a motivation. Valdez would not back down from a bigger man who began to mock him in the fourth and fifth rounds. Conceicao dropped his hands and danced around Valdez.

“He’s over here yelling in my face,’’ Valdez said. “We’re grown men. Don’t be yelling in my face. He might be upset. Of course, you want to be a world champion, but don’t point at me, don’t be yelling in my face. I’ve been through enough this week, man.”

Conceicao complained often and loudly about the scorecards – 115-112, 117-110 and 115-112, all for Valdez. He and his corner said they had been robbed. But Valdez’ aggression and short punches were scoring, especially from the eighth through the 12^th. 

Conceicao also appeared to tire in the later rounds of a night when the temperatures were still in the low 90s. His feet stopped moving and his hands dropped, Roy Jones-style. He was still big. But he had become a big target for Valdez, the incoming missile.

After the final bell, Conceicao waved one gloved hand above his hand as if he had won. But the capacity crowd, a sellout, booed.

The crowd knew different. It had seen the proof from from on of their own, a son of Sonora.

Lopez upsets Gabriel Flores in beat-down

It was an upset. And more.

Mexican junior-lightweight Luis Alberto Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs), a massive underdog, delivered a massive beating, pouring it on throughout ten rounds for a decision over Gabriel Flores Jr. in the final fight before the ESPN+ telecast of Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao.

On the scorecards, it was unanimous, 98-90 on two and a 100-90 shutout on the third. Flores (20-1, 7 KOS, of Stockton, Calif., was never in it. In the late rounds, he looked out of it, especially after taking a succession of head-rocking punches in the night round. But his father and trainer, Gabriel Flores Sr., would not end it.

“I didn’t think he was really hurt,” he said during a post-fight interview in the middle of the ring.

Really, the crowd seemed to say in a deafening chorus of boos.

Moments later, Flores Sr. said he thought his son was exhausted. He was that, too. He barely made it to his stool on shaky legs after the ninth. In the 10th and final round, a Flores cornerman climbed up onto the ring apron as if he wanted to end it. But the referee never saw his futile gesture in what was a futile fight for Flores..  

Nakatani Stops Acosta to retain Flyweight Title

It was an introduction to the United States. Turns out, it was a good one. Maybe even memorable. For sure, it was powerful.

Japanese flyweight Junto Nakatani employed his great reach and sweeping left hand, retaining his World Boxing Organization title with a stoppage of tough Puerto Rican Angel Acosta on the Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao undercard.

Nakatani (22-0, 17 KOs) , declared the victor just as a hot Arizona sun was setting beneath the horizon, broke Acota’s nose in the first. He targeted the injury throughout the second. The ringside physician called timeout in the second to evaluate the injury. Acosta (22-3, 21 KOs) rebounded, rocking Nakatani with a straight right counter. But blood kept pouring from the busted nose. The ringside physician took another look at Acosta in the third.

MIdway through the fourth, it was over, a TKO. declared by the referee on advice from the physician.

“I hope everybody liked it,” Nakatani said through an interpreter.

Everybody did.

Xander Zayas wins unanimous decision

It was a tough way to celebrate a birthday. But.leading middleweight prospect Xander Zayas (10-0, 7 KOs) did, absorbing some heavy right hand from Jose Luis Sanchez before winning a solid (60-53, 60-54, 60-53) decision on the Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao undercard.

Sanchez (11-2-1, 4 KOs), of Albuquerque, tested Zayas’ with his power, once in the third round and again in the fourth. But the Puerto Rican, now 19, battled back each time, returning fire with beautifully-placed uppercuts

Junior welterweight prospect scores second-round TKO

Lindolfo Delagado (13-0, 12 KOs), a Mexican junior-welterweight trained by  Robert Garcia,  continued to pour on the heat, overwhelming an overmatched Miguel Zamudio (45-17-1, 28 KOs), also of Mexico. Delgado rocked Zamudio early in the second, then left him defenseless and beaten moments later for a TKO at 50 seconds of the round. 

KO body punch punctuates second bout on Valdez-Conceicao card

Mexican junior-lightweight Rene Tellez Giron (16-1, 10 KOs) got a stoppage string rolling, throwing a body punch in the seventh round that could be heard on the other side of the border with Mexico in the second bout on the Va;dez-Conceicao card. Eduardo Garza (15-5-1, 8 K)s), of Mission, Texas, collapsed, finished at 44 seconds of the round.

First Bell: Valdez-Conceicao card begins with hot KO

It was 102 degrees at first bell. It was hot enough to stay inside. Maybe that’s why Mexican junior-welterweight Omar Aquilar didn’t waste much time.

Aquilar (22-0, 21 KOs),  a Mexican fighting as if he planned to get back into air-conditioning as fast as possible, knocked down Carlos Manuel Portillo late in the first round and then twice during the first minute of the second in the first bout an an ESPN+ card featuring Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao Friday at an outdoor amphitheater next to Casino del Sol.

Portillo (22-4, 17 KOS), of Paraquay, couldn’t take the heat — from either Aguliar or from the mid-afternoon sun in the Arizona  desert. He was finished, knocked out at 55 seconds of the second. 

TUCSON, Ariz. (July 20, 2021) — WBC super featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez authored a title-winning knockout for the ages in February over Miguel Berchelt. For his encore — and the first defense of his title — the undefeated two-time Mexican Olympian will make his desert homecoming.

Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) will look to make it 30 for 30 against undefeated 2016 Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição on Friday, Sept. 10 from the AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona.

A native of Nogales, Mexico, Valdez moved to Tucson as a young child and spent his elementary school years there before returning to Mexico.

In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated junior lightweight star Gabriel Flores Jr., from Stockton, California, will fight Mexican veteran Luis Alberto Lopez. Valdez-Conceição and Flores Jr.-Lopez will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $25 go on sale Tuesday, July 27 at 10 a.m. MST and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.

“Oscar Valdez is coming off a career-best performance and wants to put on a spectacular showing in front of the great Tucson fans,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Conceição has been waiting for this shot ever since he turned pro, and having promoted him for his entire career, I know he’ll be at his very best. We have a great co-feature, as the young Flores wants to prove he is a contender to watch, and he can do that by beating a tough Mexican in Luis Alberto Lopez.”

Valdez cemented his status as one of the faces of Mexican boxing with his 10th-round knockout over longtime champion Berchelt. He is 8-0 in world title fights, including six defenses of the WBO featherweight world title he won in July 2016. Valdez and Conceição fought as amateurs in the gold medal match of the 2009 Pan American Games, with Conceição prevailing by a single point. Valdez turned pro nearly four years before Conceição (16-0, 8 KOs), who made history as the first Brazilian boxer to capture Olympic gold. A native of Bahia, Conceição made his pro debut in November 2016 on the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas undercard and knocked out four of his first five foes. Last October, he survived an early knockdown to edge Louie Coria by unanimous decision. He last fought April 10 in Tulsa and knocked out Jesus Antonio Ahumada in the seventh round.

“I am very excited to fight in my second home, Tucson, Arizona, where I will have my first defense of the WBC super featherweight world title,” Valdez said. “It motivates me to know that I will defend the title in front of my friends and my family, and I will be willing to put it on the line as in all my fights. I’m coming to give a great show to my people, and I can’t wait to see you on Sept. 10.”

Conceição said, “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this opportunity, and that’s why I’m training with great determination. I will represent my family and Brazil. I already won a gold medal for my country and now I will bring home a world title. With great determination, I will deliver a great performance. It will be a true spectacle!”

Flores (20-0, 7 KOs) made history in 2017 when, at 16 years old, he became the youngest fighter ever to sign a promotional contract with Top Rank. He went 3-0 in 2020, including a shutout decision over Matt Conway on the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II undercard. Flores performed three times inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, punctuated by a sixth-round stoppage over former world title challenger Jayson Velez in February. Lopez (22-2, 12 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, has won five straight bouts since a 2019 decision loss to Ruben Villa. He notched his signature win last July with a split decision over Andy Vences.

“This is the next step in my journey towards a world title, and I will convincingly defeat Lopez,” Flores said. “I’m going to prove once again that I’m ready for the next level.”

Lopez said, “I appreciate matchmaker Brad Goodman and Top Rank for the opportunity to fight Gabriel Flores Jr. I know he’ll be prepared to give everything on Sept. 10, but so am I, and I guarantee nothing but my very best. I’m a man of few words, and I’ll let my actions do the talking inside the ring.”

The undercard, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+, will feature Japan’s undefeated WBO flyweight world champion Junto Nakatani (21-0, 16 KOs) defending his title against Puerto Rican former world champion Angel “Tito” Acosta (22-2, 21 KOs). Nakatani, who has never fought outside of Japan, knocked out Filipino contender Giemel Magramo in eight rounds last November to win the vacant world title. A former Japanese flyweight champion, Nakatani has won four straight bouts by stoppage. Acosta, who made three successful defenses of the WBO light flyweight crown, has won two fights since a debated 12th-round stoppage at the hands of Elwin Soto. Acosta was leading on all three scorecards when he was stopped on his feet early in the round.

The ESPN+ undercard will also see undefeated Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas (9-0, 7 KOs) in a six-round junior middleweight bout against an opponent to be named and lightweight sensation Raymond Muratalla (12-0, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Also scheduled to appear in eight-round bouts: 2016 Mexican Olympian and junior welterweight prospect Lindolfo Delgado (12-0, 11 KOs), rising junior lightweight René Telléz Girón (15-1, 9 KOs) and Mexican junior welterweight knockout artist Omar Aguilar (21-0, 20 KOs).

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Angel Fierro shrugged off two early round knockdowns to come back and stop former junior lightweight beltholder Alberto Machado in round six of their 10-round lightweight bout in Salinas, Puerto Rico

In round one, Machado dropped Fierro with a perfect counter right. In round two, it was another right that put Fierro on the deck.

Fierro started turning momentum in round four by working the body, and in round six, he landed a vicious left-right combination hat sent Machado crashing to the canvas. Machado could not beat the count and the fight was stopped at 47 seconds.

Fierro of Tijuana, MX is now 18-1-1 with 14 knockouts. Machado, 136 lbs of Rio Piedras, PR is 22-3.

“I’m happy, I faced a top-notch fighter tonight in Alberto Machado,” said Fierro, who was a three-to-one underdog. “He is world class and dropped me twice. But I am ecstatic that I was able to come back and beat a fighter of his caliber.”

“He dropped me twice in the beginning of the fight,” added Fierro. “When I got back to my corner, I told them, ‘remind me of my daughter.’ Because with this fight I can change her life and that’s exactly what they did after the third round. They motivated me and that’s exactly what I did.”

“We found a lot of gaps in Machado’s game in the sixth round,” stated Fierro. “I took advantage of them and I turned it around. I told you in the interview (before the fight), I didn’t come here to be a tourist in Puerto Rico. I came here to win.”

Ibarra Decisions Cornejo

Alma Ibarra won a eight-round unanimous decision over Maricela Cornejo in a middleweight bout.

Ibarra, 156 lbs of Monterrey, MEX won by scores of 79-73 twice and 77-75 and is now 8-1. Cornejo, 158 1/2 lbs of Los Angles is 13-5.

“Now the world knows who Alma Ibarra is and what she is made of,” said the victor. “To everyone, I was a stranger. And to fight against someone who is very recognized worldwide in Maricela Cornejo and beat her, this opened many doors for us.”

“I felt very good, very strong, as this is a division that I am not used to,” said Ibarra. “I always fight in lower divisions, we had to go up two divisions to take this great opportunity, and well, I think we were not wrong to take this risk.”

Martinez and Gonzalez fight to Draw

Jose Martinez and Israel Gonzalez fought to a 10-round draw in a super flyweight bout.

Gonzalez took a card 96-94 while two cards read even at 95-95.

Martinez, 117 3/4 of Las Marias, PR is now 21-1-3. Gonzalez, 117 lbs of Las Cabos, MEX is 26-4-1.

“I felt his punches, but I was the superior fighter tonight,” said Gonzalez. “He might have won three rounds but it’s OK. I’m thankful to Puerto Rico and all of the people that gave me an opportunity to be here.”

“I feel happy, satisfied with the work I did,” said Martinez. “I understand that I was fighting against a strong opponent and that I won. I pushed more. I was on top of him, but these things happen in boxing. Now it’s a matter of continuing to train, maintain myself and seek that title opportunity.”

Former world champion Angel Acosta won an eight-round unanimous decision over Gilberto Mendoza in a flyweight contest.

In Round seven, Acosta dropped Mendoza with a left hook.

Acosta, 114 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 79-72 on all cards and is now 22-2. Mendoza, 113 lbs of Modesto, CA is 17-10-3.

Edwin Valentin stopped Hector Marengo at the start of round five of a scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

Marengo did not answer the bell to start the fifth round, but the official time was 11 seconds.

Valentin, 135 lbs of Salinas, PR is 10-0 with nine knockouts. Marengo, 135 1/4 lbs of Arecibo, PR is 7-15-4.

Jose Roman remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Roque Junco.

Roman, 146 1/2 lbs of Bayamon, PR won by scores of 80-71 and 80-72 twice and is now 11-0. Junco, 146 lbs of Cordobo, ARG is 10-8-1.

Joe Ward avenged his lone professional setback by pounding out a six-round unanimous decision over Marco Delgado in a light heavyweight fight.

Ward, 173.8 lbs of Moate, IRL won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 3-1. Delgado, 173.6 lbs of Turlock, CA is 7-2.

By Bart Barry-

Friday on a Golden Boy Promotions card that DAZN broadcast from Indio, Calif., super featherweight titlist Andrew “El Chango (The Monkey)” Cancio snipped and slipped the stiches from Puerto Rican Alberto Machado in a rematch of their February upset, shortly after Mexican light flyweight Elwin “La Pulga (The Flea)” Soto attritioned Puerto Rican titlist Angel Acosta early in their 12th round.

What Soto did, and Cancio did again, returned meaning
to what was meant by “Mexican Style” before a Mexican-trained Kazakh and his
promotional apparatus borrowed the term for HBO interviews.  Inherent in the term is an underdog status or,
at very least, an evenly matched contest in which a question of mettle must be
answered.

Fighters who employ Mexican Style generally lack
their opponents’ reach or handspeed or power; Mexican prizefighters do not wish
to get struck in the face any more than any other type of prizefighter does but
find themselves at physical disadvantages, realize getting struck they must,
and repeatedly, to prevail, and choose to continue under disadvantageous terms
until the last remaining variable is will.

Here’s what Mexican Style is not: Brutalizing a
20-to-1 underdog recruited from a lower weightclass and so hopelessly outgunned
you can dominate him without risking your own consciousness even a little.  Now that fighters who employ Mexican Style ply
their crafts on the same network as the fighter who uses a Mexican Style hashtag,
it behooves aficionados to continue our reevaluation of all things late-HBO.

In both matches Friday the Mexican Style fighters
had fewer tools than their opponents, both of whom happened to be Puerto Rican
– a detail more ethnic-rivalry coincidental than otherwise.  Setting aside the controversy that properly
accrued round comain referee Thomas Taylor’s premature stoppage – a surprisingly
favorable outcome for Soto, given how much time Taylor bought Acosta with round
3 warnings – the man with fewer tools in the kit all night was Soto. 

Acosta had reach and size advantages, yes, but
also technical advantages and a dandy uppercut boxing’s lexicon suggests be
just the thing to dissuade an over-the-lead-knee grinder like Soto.  The Flea, then, spent most of a half-hour
getting peppered coarsely by a man who knew how.  Yet Soto didn’t relent.  That relentlessness in the face of
unfavorable happenings is a hell of a lot more Mexican Style than making highlightreel
corner stoppages on feckless featherfists who cut quickly. 

Cancio, too, had the same obvious physical and technical
disadvantages in his rematch with Machado as he did in their first tilt.  The result of Cancio’s first fight, though,
the largest upset of 2019 until Andy Ruiz took Manhattan, emboldened Cancio to
reduce his rematch to a matter of willfulness even sooner than he did their
first time.  Machado wanted absolutely
none of it.  The better boxer with the
better pedigree and the better resume, Machado explained away to himself his
first loss like a matter of fitness; he’d nearly missed weight, starved himself
the day before the weighin, faded early and learned his lesson.

But the lesson Cancio gave was one he didn’t
learn.  Boxing circles round Cancio,
having the requisite fitness to hit him and not be hit by him, never was going
to suffice for Machado.  He needed to
hurt Cancio till The Monkey went physically unable to punch back.

“I’m so much better than this guy” – that’s the
trap into which Mexican Style has lured many a flashy prospect or titlist.  Cancio had Machado deep winded after six
minutes.  A deep winded man hasn’t much
left but will, and Cancio thrilled at such a contest 30 minutes early.  He took his time and lined-up the button shot
then watched Machado crumple, rise to a knee and prep for his facesaving 10 1/2-count.

Again, until the world met Andy Ruiz some weeks
ago, Cancio was boxing’s feel-best story of 2019.  Nothing about Ruiz’s ascent diminishes
Cancio’s (or Elwin Soto’s).  Cancio is a
proper workingclass prizefighter, a man you can decision far more easily than beat.

But while we’ve got Mexican Style in mind and
words to spare, let’s return to Andy Ruiz for a spot.  What he did to Anthony Joshua was Mexican
Style not for its toolbox disadvantage but for its colossal physical
disadvantages.  Joshua was much bigger
and much stronger and hit much harder but knew little of relentlessness.  When the time came for teethmarking the
gumshield Joshua made his escape.

Joshua surely awoke that Sunday morning with an
abiding sense of absurdity like what haunted Machado the day after his first
loss to Cancio.  Joshua, with many times Machado’s
sycophantic entourage, invariably learns as you read this the same sort of
wrong lessons Machado gained.

From Joshua’s hangerson we hear about prefight
concussions and the like, which, while quite possibly true, do nothing to
prepare Joshua for what relentlessness Ruiz will show him in their rematch.  Ruiz now knows Joshua’s a flowerchinned wilter
and the directest route to the mettle question should be Ruiz’s line.  If both men hit the canvas in rematch round
1, Ruiz knows, he’ll defend his title in half the time it took him to acquire
it.

But do you expect anyone is telling Joshua this?  Not when there’s a fortune to be made in
excuse-making: “Lucky punch, champ, he caught you cold, we know that wasn’t the
real AJ, can’t trust New York food, don’t know what the ref was thinking, we
know the truth, you wanted to continue – everybody knows that!”

Expect Ruiz to Mexican Style his way through
Joshua in their rematch the way Cancio just did Machado.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

INDIO, CALIF. (May 20, 2019): Former four-division world champion and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto will be the special VIP guest for the event headlined by the 12-round rematch between Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (20-4-2, 15 KOs) and Alberto
“Explosivo” Machado (21-1, 17 KOs) for the WBA Super Featherweight World Title. The event will take place Friday, June 21 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Cotto is a living legend who became the first Puerto Rican boxer to capture world titles in four divisions. Cotto earned belts in the competitive super lightweight, welterweight, super welterweight and middleweight divisions. The native of Caguas, Puerto Rico has faced a who’s who of elite world champions in a historic career that included fights against
DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Zab “Super” Judah, Sugar Shane Mosley, Antonio “El Tornado de Tijuana” Margarito, Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez and current middleweight and super middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez.

Cotto will be in attendance for this event to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

In the co-main event, Angel “Tito” Acosta (19-1, 19 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico will make the fourth defense of his WBO Light Flyweight World Title in a 12-round bout against Elwin “La Pulga” Soto (13-1, 9 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico. Acosta is a devastating puncher who has won all of his victories via knockout.

Genaro “El Conde” Gamez (9-0, 9 KOs) of San Diego, Calif. will return to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino after his impressive first-round knockout victory against Daniel Evangelista. Now, Gamez is scheduled to fight in an eight-round super lightweight clash.

Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (10-0-1, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada will participate in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Local favorite Rommel “The Legacy” Caballero (5-0, 4 KOs) of Coachella, Calif. will battle in a four-round super featherweight fight.

Aaron “Silencer” McKenna (7-0, 4 KOs) will fight in a six-round welterweight clash.

Anthony Garnica (1-0, 1 KO) of Oakland, Calif. will return in a four-round super bantamweight battle against Gilberto Duran (3-2, 3 KOs) of Yakima, Wash.

Emilio Rodriguez (3-1, 2 KOs) of Van Nuys, Calif. will participate in a four-round middleweight bout against Lucius Johnson (4-5-1, 3 KOs) of Compton, Calif.

Opponents for this undercard will be announced shortly.

Cancio vs. Machado II is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super Featherweight World
Title presented by Golden Boy and Miguel Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Friday, June 21 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for the event are on sale and are priced at $35, $45 and $55. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Media interested covering Cancio vs. Machado 2 must be pre-approved for credentials.
Credential applications are due Monday, June 17 at 5:00 p.m. PT Click here to apply for a media credential. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential. You cannot transfer your credentials to someone else. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/.
Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #CancioMachado2.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CancioMachado2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

INDIO, CALIF. (May 10, 2019): Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (20-4-2, 15 KOs) and Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (21-1, 17 KOs) will meet again to erase all doubts in a 12-round rematch for the WBA Super Featherweight World Title at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. The event will take place Friday, June 21, 2019 and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

“Andrew Cancio surprised the world when dominated Alberto Machado in their first fight,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “This was his toughest fight on paper, and he never looked better. This fight is a rematch, and Cancio is going to prove to himself that he can do it again. This will be an even better fight than the first, so make sure to catch it live at Fantasy Springs or from home on DAZN.”

Cancio is a 30-year-old world champion who recently gave new life to his career after re-signing with Golden Boy. The native of Blythe, Calif. has scored victories against the likes of Rocky Juarez, Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes and Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado, and he’s also been in tough fights against Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. and Ronny Rios in a professional career that started over 12 years ago. Cancio is coming off his most important victory yet, a fourth-round stoppage victory against Machado, and he’ll look to put all doubts about his win to rest by repeating his performance.

“I’m very excited to be defending my world title against Alberto Machado in the rematch from my knockout victory on February 9,” said Andrew Cancio. “This is my 11th time fighting at Fantasy Springs Casino, and I look forward to defeating Machado again in convincing fashion in front of another huge crowd of my fans.”

Machado, a 28-year-old of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a big man for his division and boasts explosive power in both hands. After unifying two regional titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory against Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Machado defeated Jezreel
“El Invisible” Corrales by way of eighth-round knockout to capture WBA Super Featherweight Title in Oct. 2017. The hard-hitting southpaw had retained his title against
the likes of Rafael “Sweet Pea” Mensah and Yuandale “Money Shot” Evans, but in his last fight, he suffered a tough title loss against Cancio.

“June 21 is a great opportunity for me,” said Alberto Machado. “Besides recovering my place as a world champion, a victory will have a special meaning for me, and that makes me very motivated. I hope that Cancio is enjoying his time as a champion because I’m going with bad intentions to bring that championship belt back to Puerto Rico.”

“We are excited to have Alberto Machado back for his world title rematch against Andrew Cancio,” said Hector Soto, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “This is an exciting fight that fans can’t miss on DAZN. It will be a classic war of unfinished business. In the first fight, Cancio went toe-to-toe with Machado and took him out. But on June 21, the story will be different. Machado will definitely be ready for war and to put everything on the line in the ring.”

Angel “Tito” Acosta (19-1, 19 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico will make the fourth defense of his WBO Light Flyweight World Title in a 12-round bout. Acosta is a knockout artist who has won all of his victories by knockout.

Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares (45-5, 28 KOs) of Barinas, Venezuelawill look to bounce back from his fifth career loss in a 10-round super lightweight fight.

Local favorite Rommel “The Legacy” Caballero (5-0, 4 KOs) of Coachella, Calif. will battle in a four-round super featherweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

Aaron “Silencer” McKenna (7-0, 4 KOs) will fight in a six-round welterweight clash.

Anthony Garnica (1-0, 1 KO) of Oakland, Calif. will return in a four-round super bantamweight battle.

Emilio Rodriguez (3-1, 2 KOs) of Van Nuys, Calif. will participate in a four-round middleweight bout.

Opponents for this undercard will be announced shortly.

Cancio vs. Machado II is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super Featherweight World
Title presented by Golden Boy and Miguel Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Friday, June 21, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for the event will go sale on Thursday, May 16 and are priced at $25, $35 and $45. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Media interested covering Cancio vs. Machado 2 must be pre-approved for credentials.
Credential applications are due Monday, June 17 at 5:00 p.m. PT Click here to apply for a media credential. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential. You cannot transfer your credentials to someone else. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/.
Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #CancioMachado2.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CancioMachado2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 19, 2019): WBO Light Flyweight World Champion Angel
“Tito” Acosta (19-1, 19 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico hosted a media workout today at Legendz Boxing in Norwalk, Calif. ahead of his battle against Ganigan Lopez (35-8, 19 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico in the co-main event of Garcia vs. Lopez on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and which will be streamed live on DAZN.

Aaron “Silencer” McKenna (6-0, 4 KOS) and Herbert “Ace” Acevedo (15-2, 6 KOs) all participated in the workout ahead of their fights, which will take place on the undercard.

Here is what today’s participants had to say at the workout:

ANGEL ACOSTA, WBO Light Flyweight World Champion:

“I feel very happy because of the support from Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. I’m delighted for the opportunity to fight on DAZN. I’ve been working hard for this fight. I’ve been in camp since January 27 because I thought I was going to fight on March 16. But then I got the call to fight on March 30. Either way, I’m excited to defend my title for a third time.”

“Training with Freddie Roach has been something else. We’ve had two fights with him, and it’s been really great. My goal right now is to keep defending my title, but if the opportunity to unify presents itself, we will take it. But right now, I’m not thinking about any other opponent. I’m focused on Ganigan Lopez. After that, we can talk about other opponents.”

AARON MCKENNA, Welterweight Prospect:

“It would be great to fight on DAZN. It’s a huge platform, and DAZN has a great audience. It would be great to have that exposure. For this camp, we did 180 rounds of sparring. I’m in the best shape we could possible. I’m the strongest I’ve ever been for any fight. I’ve sparred with Javier Molina and with Alexander Besputin. My plans this year are to fight six times and hopefully to fight for a small belt early next year.”

HERBERT ACEVEDO, Super Lightweight Contender:

“I know I have it in me to be successful, but I never had a management team or a promoter behind me. So, my career was going slow. So we decided to move to a different team to Westside Boxing, and thanks to them we are now with Golden Boy. I’m thankful that I’m working with the right people now.”

Garcia vs. Lopez is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy and Miguel Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for the event are on sale and are priced at $35, $45 and $55.Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit: www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #GarciaLopez

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and \pasting the link: http://bit.ly/March30DAZN into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

INDIO, CALIF. (March 8, 2019): Mexican Hall of Famer Carlos Palomino will be the special VIP guest for the explosive boxing event headlined by the 10-round lightweight clash between rising star Ryan Garcia (17-0, 14 KOs) and Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez (20-3-1, 14 KOs). The fight will take place on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN .

Palomino is a native of Sonora, Mexico who became a world champion in the welterweight division. After a short amateur career during his time in the U.S. Army, he debuted as a professional in 1972, fighting at the historic Olympic Auditorium many times as he developed into a solid contender. In 1976, Palomino flew to the United Kingdom to defeat John H. Stacey in his own backyard to become the WBC Welterweight World Champion. He defended the belt several times before losing the crown to another legend in Wilfred “The Radar” Benitez. Palomino then fought Roberto “Hand of Stone” Duran in a legendary battle that he lost by unanimous decision in 1979. He then returned in 1997 for a string of five comeback fights before hanging up the gloves for good.

Palomino will be in attendance for this event to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

In the co-main event, hard-hitting Angel “Tito” Acosta (19-1, 19 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico will defend his WBO Light Flyweight Title against Ganigan “El Maravilla” Lopez (35-8, 19 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico in a 12-round battle. Acosta, who is part of a co-promotion with Miguel Cotto Promotions, is coming off a sensational first-round knockout win over Abraham “Choko”Rodriguez in October 2018.

Rising super featherweight Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez (27-0, 24 KOs) will make his debut in the United States when he takes on Ibrahim Class (22-5, 10 KOs) of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in a 10-round clash.

NABO Featherweight Champion Joet Gonzalez (21-0, 12 KOs) will defend his regional strap in a 10-round fight against former world champion Rodrigo “Gatito” Guerrero (26-7-2, 16 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico.

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (27-1, 17 KOs) will return to the ring after his first world title opportunity in a 10-round super lightweight fight against Jose Rodriguez (25-12-1, 13 KOs) of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Danielito Zorrilla (10-0, 8 KOs) of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico will participate in an eight-round super lightweight battle.

Neeco “The Rooster” Macias (17-1, 10 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first loss in an eight-round super lightweight fight against Jeremy Ramos (10-6, 4 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Herbert “Ace” Acevedo (15-2, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. will fight in an eight-round 140-pound battle against Alfonso Olvera (11-5-1, 4 KOs) of Tucson, Arizona.

Aaron “Silencer” McKenna (6-0, 4 KOS) of Monaghan, Ireland will return in a six-round welterweight fight against Loretto Olivas (3-0, 1 KO) of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Rommel Caballero (5-0, 4 KOs) of Coachella, Calif. will participate in a six-round super featherweight bout against Luis Lizarraga Jr. (6-12-1, 2 KOs) of Merida, Mexico.

Garcia vs. Lopez is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for the event are on sale and are priced at $35, $45 and $55. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #GarciaLopez

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/March30DAZN into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

INDIO, CALIF. (Feb. 22, 2019): Popular lightweight prospect Ryan Garcia (17-0, 14 KOs) will look to inch closer to a world title opportunity when he returns against Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez (20-3-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round battle that will headline a stacked night of Golden Boy action. The event will take place on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN .

“These are the kinds of fights that Ryan Garcia must win to become a world champion,”
said Oscar De La Hoya, CEO and Chairman of Golden Boy Promotions. “He has all the makings of a global star, so it will be interesting to see how he can overcome this challenge. At the same time, Lopez is a tough fighter who really needs a win, so he’ll do everything he can to end Ryan’s undefeated streak. I expect a sold-out crowd at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino to be present for a full card of action and on the best platform in boxing, DAZN.”

Garcia is a rising talent who had a spectacular year in 2018, fighting four times and earning the NABF and NABO Super Featherweight Titles. The 20-year-old native of Victorville, Calif. also made an important change to his stable, adding Eddy Reynoso as his head trainer before stopping Braulio “El Chavo” Rodriguez in his last bout. Garcia plans to demonstrate new skills as he seeks to earn a shot at a title.

“I’m excited to come back for my first fight of 2019,” said Ryan Garcia.”We sold out Fantasy Springs last March when I knocked out Fernando Vargas, and I expect this fight to be exactly the same: a big win in front of a huge crowd. Let’s get this win!”

Lopez is a 24-year-old contender who has earned two regional titles since making his debut in September 2011. The native of Carolina, Puerto Rico has fought the likes of Jonathan “Polvo” Oquendoand Avery Sparrow. Lopez’s biggest win was against Miguel Angel “Miguelito” Gonzalez in April of last year, and he’ll look to prevent Garcia from becoming a big star in the sport.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity,” said Jose Lopez. “Ryan is a great fighter and a top prospect at Golden Boy. I know the challenge that I have in front of me, and I am getting ready to make a great fight. I will get the victory no matter what.”

“This is a great fight for both fighters,” said Miguel Cotto, President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “This will be a classic battle between two young lions. Anything can happen inside the ring, so you can’t miss this fight.”

In the co-main event, hard-hitting Angel “Tito” Acosta (19-1, 19 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico will defend his WBO Light Flyweight Title against Ganigan “El Maravilla” Lopez (35-8, 19 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico in a 12-round battle. Acosta, who is part of a co-promotion with Miguel Cotto Promotions, is coming off a sensational first-round knockout win over Abraham “Choko”Rodriguez in October 2018.

Rising super featherweight Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez(27-0, 24 KOs) will make his debut in the United States when he takes on Ibrahim Class (22-5, 10 KOs) of Dar es Salaam, Tazania in a 10-round clash. Hernandez is co-promoted by Promociones del Pueblo as Golden Boy looks to introduce yet another future Mexican star to an even larger audience.

NABO Featherweight Champion Joet Gonzalez (21-0, 12 KOs) will defend his regional strap in a 10-round fight.

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (27-1, 17 KOs) will return to the ring after his first world title opportunity in a 10-round super lightweight fight.

Danielito Zorrilla (10-0, 8 KOs) of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico will participate in an eight-round battle in the super lightweight division.

Neeco “The Rooster” Macias (17-1, 10 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first loss in an eight-round super lightweight fight.

Herbert “Ace” Acevedo (15-2, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. will fight in an eight-round 140-pound battle.

Aaron “Silencer” McKenna (6-0, 4 KOS) of Monaghan, Ireland will return in a six-round welterweight fight against Loretto Olivas (3-0, 1 KO) of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Rommel Caballero (5-0, 4 KOs) of Coachella, Calif. will participate in a six-round super featherweight bout.

Opponents for the undercard fighters will be announced shortly.

Garcia vs. Lopez is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Feb. 22, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $35, $45 and $55. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #GarciaLopez

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