Rocky Juarez Returns to NBC for Main Events Card

11.09 – Professional boxing will return to NBC and Telemundo Saturday, Sept. 13 when hard-punching Olympic Silver Medalist Rocky Juarez (17-0, 13 KO’s) headlines an action-packed boxing card from the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

Fresh off his sensational, one-punch, last-round knockout over Antonio “Chelo” Diaz on July 19, Juarez (Houston), the undefeated 2000 U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist will headline the card when he battles David “Tacubayo” Murillo (Juarez, Mexico) in a 10 round featherweight bout. Murillo (19-5-1, 12 KO’s) is the former WBC Youth Featherweight Champion. The 21-year-old captured the WBC Youth title by unanimous decision over Humberto Soto (W 10).

In the NBC co-feature, David Diaz (Chicago), the 1996 U.S. Olympian puts his undefeated 20-0 record on the line against Jauquin Gallardo (San Leandro, Calif.) in a scheduled, eight-round junior welterweight fight. Gallardo’s record is 14-1-1, 4 KO’s. The NBC broadcast follows Telemundo at 4:30 p.m. ET.

At 3:30 p.m. ET, the Telemundo main event features Mexican Jorge Lacierva (22-5-3, 14 KO’s) against veteran Harold Grey (Bolivar, Columbia) in a scheduled 10-round junior featherweight bout. Grey’s record is 25-3, 17 KO’s.

“This Main Events/NBC/Telemundo partnership got off to a tremendous start in May with three straight weeks of non-stop boxing action featuring some of the sports’ most exciting young fighters,” said Duva. “On September 13, with Rocky Juarez headlining our Pechanga card should be the first of many more bouts to come from this dynamic partnership.”

An innovative joint venture between boxing promotional group Main Events, NBC and NBC-owned Telemundo, the boxing series features a live, one-hour fight broadcast on Telemundo followed by a live, ninety-minute NBC broadcast. Rene Giraldo and Jessi Losada handle the Spanish-speaking call on Telemundo. Bob Papa and former world champion and U.S. Olympian Raul Marquez provide commentary on NBC with Telemundo’s Losada switching from Spanish to English as NBC’s on-air host.

The Main Events/NBC/Telemundo partnership is targeting integrated advertising and sponsorship that allow advertisers the opportunity to cross-advertise to both English and Spanish-speaking audiences with NBC and Telemundo.

NBC Sports and Main Events have formed a partnership with Jerry Calabrese, former president of Marvel Comics Group, to package and sell sponsorships and promotions for the venture. Calabrese's company, GSC Marketing, played a similar role in NASCAR's 50th Anniversary in 1998.