February 21, 2007 – Orange, CA – Thompson Boxing Promotions has announced changes to its main event and co main event for their 2007 season opener, this Friday the 23rd from the Doubletree Hotel, Ontario, CA. Lightweight prospect Jose Lopez (18-2, 11 KOs) from Riverside will now face journeyman Armando Cordova (23-32-2, 17 KOs) from Darian, Panama, in an eight round main event. Lopez’s initial opponent was Octavio Narvaez, who was fighting for the first time in the United States; however, Narvaez mysteriously disappeared and did not complete the required medical tests..
“It’s a shame that a professional boxer vanishes like that. He put us in an incredible predicament,” said matchmaker Alex Camponovo. “Narvaez was contracted to face Lopez in the main event of our show. He failed to do the basics and his manager/adviser, Pedro Hernandez, refused to explain the situation and avoided any contact with us for the last 48 hours,” concluded Camponovo after the new main event was finalized.
The co main event was also changed. Dominic Salcido, (8-0, 5 KOs) from Rialto, will now face Juan Alfonso Figueroa (5-5-1, 3 KOs) from Maywood. Figueroa takes the place of Carlos Hernandez who was not approved by the California State Athletic Commission due to his lack of activity in the last two years.
Rounding up the card will be the hard-hitting Colombian Yohnny Perez (8-0, 6 KO), who will face Puerto Rican Luis Agosto (1-2-2) in a scheduled four-round bantamweight bout. In addition, junior middleweight Joel Mills, (1-1) from Alberta, Canada, will take on Leshon Sims (3-2, 2 KO’s) from Los Angeles. Heavyweight Hildo Silva (2-1,1 KO) from Miraloma, will face tough Frenchman Alex Lartelier (2-2-1). And super bantamweight, Jesus Hernandez (2-0) from Los Angeles, will face Lucian Gonzalez (2-2) from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. All these fights are scheduled to four rounds.
Although tickets are sold out, Thompson Boxing Promotions will release a few seats in the next two days and they can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900. Doors to the Doubletree Hotel open at 6:30 pm, with the first bell scheduled for 7:45 pm.