01.03.09 – By Jaime Castro-Núñez – During this March the country of Colombia will have four intense weeks with six exciting, world-class boxers fighting for glory, money, and world titles. Fireworks will start on the 7th with Monteria-born Joel Julio, who is scheduled to fight in San José, CA against James Kirkland in a highly anticipated match. The same day, but in Dresden, Germany, 27-year-old Franklin Teherán (27-2-0, KO´s 21) who now fights out of Spain, will face unbeaten Zsolt Bedak (12-0-0, KO´s 3) of Hungary for the vacant WBO European super bantamweight title..
Six days later, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where Juan Urango recaptured the IBF light welterweight crown, hard-hitting Fulgencio Zúñiga (22-3-1, 19 KO´s) will challenge tough IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute. Zúñiga is already on American soil and was caught by the cameras at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, during the Adamek-Banks card. The next day, in Mexicali, BC, Mexico, interim WBA light flyweight champion César Canchila (27-1-0, KO´s 21) will meet Giovanni Segura for the second time. The first time these two guys met was on the undercard of Cotto-Margarito, when the Colombian upset Segura as he was a 7-1 underdog.
Loved by many and hated by others, always exciting Edison “Pantera” Miranda of Buenaventura, now residing in Puerto Rico, will cross the Atlantic to fight Joey Vegas in London on the 20th. This will be Miranda’s British debut and the team’s goal is to get a fight against Carl Froch, the WBC 168-pound title holder. Finally, on the 21st, two-time world challenger Ronald Barrera (26-5-1, KO´s 16) will fight Mexican Raúl García in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
For those experts who have been watching Colombian bangers during the last year, March results might be able to answer some questions about “those Colombians coming out of nowhere”. In the meantime, let’s wait for March 7th. Good luck, Joel Julio!