Carbajal-Espinoza Will Replace Guerrero-Martinez on Holyfield-Toney Undercard

11.09– Cruz Carbajal will make the second defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title when he takes on former two-time North American Boxing Organization (NABO) titleholder Gerardo Espinoza on the eagerly anticipated Oct. 4 pay-per-view fight card at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas featuring Evander Holyfield vs. James Toney. The 12-round world title fight replaces a 10-round featherweight bout between Robert Guerrero and Jorge Martinez that was cancelled after Guerrero injured an elbow. The new matchup was announced today by Jay Larkin, Senior Vice President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks, and promoter Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions.

The world title fight will kick off the pay-per-view fight card headlined by four-time world champion Evander Holyfield against three-time world champ and current International Boxing Federation (IBF) Cruiserweight Champion James Toney. Highlighting the undercard will be a 12-round IBF title eliminator between former 130-pound world champions Diego Corrales and Joel Casamayor. The telecast will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Goossen Tutor Promotions will present the event, which is being distributed by SHOWTIME Pay Per View and carries a suggested retail price of $44.95. Tickets, priced at $650, $500, $300, $150 and $75, are on sale at the Mandalay Bay Box Office and all TicketMaster outlets. To order tickets by phone, call (702) 632-7580.

Carbajal (23-11-1, 19 KOs), of Veracruz, Mexico, captured the WBO title with an upset ninth-round TKO over Mauricio Martinez on March 15, 2002, in his hometown of Veracruz. In his lone defense the following Sept. 27, he registered a fourth-round TKO over former world champion Danny Romero in Isleta, New Mexico. Carbajal has been a streak hitter since turning pro. He won his first seven starts by knockout and was unbeaten (12-0-1) after 13 outings. But from September 1995 to February 1998, he went just 2-8. Carbajal has won his last five fights, however, including a second-round TKO over Steve Dotse on April 12, 2003, in Las Vegas.

Espinoza (27-4, 25 KOs), of Tijuana, Mexico, is dropping down a notch in weight to challenge for the world title. The current No. 5 WBO 122-pound contender, Espinoza won the NABO 122-pound crown with a fourth-round TKO over Manuel Ibanez in March 24, 2003 in Tijuana. The tough, hard-punching youngster registered a third-round TKO over Cristobal Valle to capture the NABO 118-pound belt on March 5, 2001. In his last start, Espinoza scored a third-round TKO over Cristobal Valle on Aug. 18 in Tijuana.

Holyfield (38-6-2, 25 KOs), of Atlanta, became the only heavyweight in history to win a world title on four separate occasions when he captured the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over John Ruiz on Aug. 12, 2000, in Las Vegas. The legendary fighter previously became only the second man following Muhammad Ali to capture the heavyweight crown three times when he stopped Mike Tyson in the 11th round on Nov. 9, 1996.

Known worldwide for his warrior spirit and superior boxing skills, Holyfield is one of the most respected athletes of his era, and has battled every premiere heavyweight including Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Michael Moorer, Ray Mercer, Hasim Rahman and Chris Byrd. He has defeated each of them with the exception of Lewis and Byrd. Holyfield knocked out James “Buster” Douglas in the third round to win the undisputed heavyweight title on Oct. 25, 1990.

Toney (66-4-2, 42 KOs), of Los Angeles, by way of Grand Rapids, Mich., rocked the boxing world on April 2003 when, at the ripe, young age of 34, he won the IBF cruiserweight crown over Vassiliy Jirov in Ledyard, Conn. The victory represented Toney’s first world title triumph in nearly nine years after holding world titles at 160 lbs and 168 lbs. Able to weather the rushes and aggressiveness of Jirov with stinging counterpunches, Toney scored the bout’s lone knockdown in the 12th and final round. Like Holyfield, Toney has taken on many of his era’s most heralded fighters, including Roy Jones Jr., Iran Barkley, Jirov, Montell Griffin, Michael Nunn, Reggie Johnson and Mike McCallum.

After compiling a 25-0-1 record with 18 knockouts in his first 26 starts, Toney captured the IBF middleweight title with an 11th-round TKO over then-unbeaten champion Nunn on May 10, 1991. Following six successful title defenses, including victories over McCallum and Johnson, Toney moved up in weight and won the IBF super middleweight crown with a ninth-round TKO over Barkley on Feb. 13, 1993.

Following three successful super middleweight title defenses, Toney lost his championship and unbeaten record (44-0-2 going in) in his 47th bout when he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Jones Jr. on Nov. 18, 1994. Toney has won his past 12 contests, including the victory over Jirov in his last bout.
Corrales (37-1, 31 KOs), of Sacramento, Calif., is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion. He captured the IBF belt on Oct. 23, 1999, with a seventh-round TKO over Robert Garcia. After successfully defending his crown three times, Corrales lost a battle of unbeatens when World Boxing Council (WBC) titleholder Floyd Mayweather defeated him in Las Vegas on Jan. 20, 2001. Corrales entered the grudge match in less than stellar condition and wound up suffering a 10th-round TKO. Since returning to the ring following a well-documented, two-year hiatus due to personal, managerial and promotional problems, Corrales has gone 4-0 with four knockouts in 2003. In his most recent start, the current World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 4 130-pound contender knocked Damian Fuller out in the third round on June 20 in Carson, Calif.

Casamayor (29-1, 18 KOs), of Guantanamo, Cuba, is a former World Boxing Association (WBA) champion. One of the most prolific amateur boxers in history, Casamayor captured the WBA interim 130-pound title with a 12-round decision over Antonio Hernandez on June 19, 1999. After successfully defending the interim crown in November 1999, the 1992 Olympic gold medallist captured the WBA world title with a fifth-round TKO over Jongkwon Baek on May 21, 2000. Casamayor made four successful defenses before suffering his only defeat on a 12-round unanimous decision to undefeated WBO 130-pound kingpin Acelino Freitas on SHOWTIME Jan. 12, 2002. Since the defeat, the current WBA No. 1 130-pound contender has gone 3-0, including a 10-round unanimous decision over Nate Campbell on Jan. 25, 2003.

Holyfield-Toney will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME Pay Per View.