ORANGE, CA – Tonight Thompson Boxing Promotions will present two of its unbeaten rising stars in separate bouts at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange, CA. Super Featherweight Dominic Salcido of Rialto will face brawler Barbaro Zepeda in an eight round bout, while hard-hitting Colombian Yohnny Perez faces Oscar Andrade in an eight round bantamweight bout..
Proceeds raised from the event will benefit two youth centers: The Indio Boys & Girls Club and the Alhambra Youth Boxing Club.
Salcido (9-0, 6 KOs) will be fighting for the second time in a month. In his last bout, Salcido won a convincing six round unanimous decision over hard-hitting Juan Alfonso Figueroa in Ontario.
The Figueroa bout was the first time in almost a year since the former amateur star was inside the ring. Salcido was sidelined because of a hand injury that didn’t allow him to train. It did not seem as though the injury hurt Salcido as he successfully landed jabs and quick combinations across the head and body of Figueroa.
“In the beginning of the Figueroa fight, my hand was hurting a bit,” said Salcido, who began his professional career in 2003. “After the third round, it wasn’t feeling any pain and I was able to throw it more. I had a bit of ring rust. He was a tough guy who threw bombs, but I was effective using my jab.”
Entering his tenth fight as a professional, this will be Salcido’s first scheduled eight round bout.
His opponent, Barbaro Zepeda (8-11-1, 2 KOs), from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, fighting out of Oxnard, CA, lost an eight round decision to Gastulo Gonzalez in Uncasville, CT in his last outing. Ironically, it was the same night Salcido defeated his last opponent.
After losing six of his first eight professional bouts, Zepeda has only lost five of his last 12 bouts. Zepeda fought eight times last year, winning four and fighting to a draw once.
In the co-feature, Colombian Yohnny Perez (9-0, 7 KOs) will hope to remain unbeaten against former Mexican champion Oscar “Pajarito” Andrade.
In his last bout, Perez stopped Puerto Rican Luis Agosto in the second round of a scheduled four round bout. The explosive Perez bloodied Agosto against the ropes and punished him until the referee stepped in and called a halt to the action.
Perez, with a raw blend of speed and power who keeps getting better after each bout, is hoping to solidify himself as one of the top prospects at 118 pounds.
Andrade (34-25-1, 17 KOs) has fought four times for a world title and 14 times for minor belts. He has stepped in the ring and faced boxers like Ratanapol Vosurapin, Martin Castillo, Alejandro Montiel, Paulino Villalobos, and is coming of a 12 round loss against Nonito Donaire.
The tough Andrade has enjoyed a four-fight winning streak before he met Donaire in his last match. Andrade is considered as one of the toughest fighters in the flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight categories.
Two more bouts round out the card. Crystal Morales (6-4-1, 1 KO) of Oxnard will face Gloria Ramirez (9-15-6, 2 KOs) of Long Beach, CA, in a six round lightweight bout. Earlier this month, both fighters fought each other in a war with Morales winning a close six round split-decision in her hometown. In a four round bout, heavyweight Joseph J.J. McAllister (5-2, 4 KOs) from Long Beach, CA will face Chris Green (4-2, 3 KOs), of Denver, CO.
The purpose behind the four-bout card will be to raise funds for the two Youth Centers in Indio and Alhambra. Research studies have shown that extracurricular activities after school or on weekends are a deterrent to drugs and gangs. Hundreds of children and teenagers use these facilities everyday, which provide a safe haven to interact with peers, complete homework, and compete in sports, which include boxing.
This is an invitation-only event with no tickets sold to the general public.
“We are happy to inform that this is a sold out event,” said Ken Thompson, president of the raising promotional company. “We have boxing celebrities also participating in the festivities who have confirmed their participation but most importantly the money raised from the show is going to a worthy cause,” concluded Thompson.
Confirmed celebrities in attendance will be: former heavyweight champion Ken Norton, super bantamweight contender Israel Vasquez, lightweight champion Julio Diaz, super Flyweight contender Martin Castillo, former champion Rodolfo Gonzales, unbeaten junior welterweight Timothy Ray Bradley Jr., lightweight contender Jose Lopez, hall of fame referee Richard Steele, former world title challenger Antonio Diaz, light heavyweight contender Julio Gonzales, legendary manager Bennie Georgino, female boxing star Mia St. John, and undefeated heavyweight Chris Arreola.
FINAL WEIGHTS FOR from ORANGE, CA
Dominic Salcido 132.5 vs. Barbaro Zepeda 132
Yohnny Perez 117 vs. Oscar Andrade 117.5
J.J. McAllister 202 vs. Chris Green 238.5
Cristal Morales 133.5 vs. Gloria Ramirez 133
Venue: Doubletree Hotel – Orange
Tickets: SOLD OUT. Not open to general public. By invitation only!