24.03.09 – Former World Champion Julio Diaz will now square off against Oxnard, California’s Rolando Reyes, who agreed to fight Diaz on the April 4th “Lightweight Lightning” card at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas after Joel Casamayor was forced to withdraw from the bout last week due to an acute lumbar spine sprain that will keep him out of action for six weeks..
Rolando “Pochito” Reyes (30-4-2, 19 KOs) is one of the rising contenders in the lightweight division and a stiff test for Diaz. Winner of nine of his last ten bouts, including four in a row, the 30-year old Reyes holds TKO wins over former world champs Stevie Johnston and John Brown, and he plans on adding another big name to his resume on April 4th.
“Lightweight Lightning,” which is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines, will air live on pay-per-view beginning at 9pm ET / 6pm PT with a suggested retail price of $39.95. The unprecedented four-bout pay-per-view card features Edwin Valero vs. Antonio Pitalua in a 12 round bout for the vacant WBC World Lightweight Crown, Jesus Chavez vs. Michael Katsidis in a 10 round lightweight bout, Carlos Hernandez vs. Vicente Escobedo in a 10 round lightweight bout and Julio Diaz vs. Rolando Reyes in a 10 round lightweight bout. The four-bout lightweight extravaganza will take place on Saturday, April 4th at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX.
Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, $35 and $25, are on sale now and may be purchased at the Frank Erwin Center box office, by phone at (512) 477-6060 or 1-800-982-2386 or online at TexasBoxOffice.com. Tickets are also available at Texas Box Office Outlets including select H-E-B stores located in Austin and surrounding areas.
TECATE ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF UNPARALLELED FOUR-BOUT ‘LIGHTWEIGHT LIGHTINING’ BATTLE IN AUSTIN
HBO Pay-Per-View Event to Bring Boldness of Boxing to Devoted Texas Fans
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (March 24, 2009) – Tecate, cerveza con carácter, continues its efforts to make boxing accessible to its adult consumers by sponsoring Golden Boy Promotions’ “Lightweight Lightning” four-bout card on April 4 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. That night, the ring will host seven former world champions as they vie for recognition in what is considered the most talented division of the sport. The Mexican beer brand will launch a regional marketing campaign to build buzz among boxing aficionados in the weeks leading up to the event.
“Since Tecate launched its boxing program in 2007, we have executed a variety of retail and onsite promotions that have brought thousands of fans across the country closer to their favorite fighters and the excitement of the ring. We design these campaigns around the consumer’s desire to have a full experience when watching the fights, whether they are at the venue or viewing the HBO telecast at home,” said Carlos Boughton, brand director for Tecate. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring such a diverse group of talented fighters to Austin and give locals a chance to participate in the boldness and masculinity of the Tecate boxing experience.”
HBO’s Pay-Per-View live broadcast will give fans across the nation the chance to witness the punches of Edwin Valero (24-0, 24 KOs) vs. Antonio Pitalua (46-3, 40 KOs); Reyes vs. Julio Diaz (36-4, 26 KOs); Austin native Jesus Chavez (44-4, 30 KOs) vs. Michael Katsidis (24-2, 20 KOs); and Jorge Barrios (47-4-1, 34 KOs) vs. Texan Carlos Hernandez (43-7-1, 24 KOs).
Tecate will develop and display POS materials featuring the boxers’ images and fight information in select stores throughout Texas, including the Austin region; an effort that will be complemented by a local Spanish-language radio campaign. Television spots with the event details will run nationally on Azteca America.
To enhance the experience of adult fans 21 and older at the Frank Erwin Center, the Chicas Tecate brand ambassadors will be onsite to pose for pictures and hand out themed giveaways.
For more information on Tecate’s boxing platform, please contact Paola Ruiz or Alejandra Calva at (212) 219-0321.