If it’s a fight night at Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona, you can almost guarantee that David “The Destroyer” Lopez will be on hand to thrill his legion of loyal fans. On Friday, April 10th, Lopez will fight at his home away from home for the 12th time when he takes on veteran Ossie Duran in the main event of ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights”. Making a special appearance to take in the action at this big night of boxing in Tucson will be none other than the Golden Boy himself, Oscar de la Hoya..
Also in action in a televised bout will be highly touted undefeated junior welterweight prospect Hector Sanchez in the stiffest test of his young career when he squares off against former World Champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley in an eight-round bout.
“It’s great to be back on ESPN2’s ‘Friday Night Fights’ and at the Desert Diamond Casino,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Fighting on a storied network and at a great venue always brings the best out in fighters and we’re expecting an explosive night of action for Tucson fight fans as well as those watching at home on ESPN2.”
“Everyone knows how I love fighting at the Desert Diamond Casino and in front of all my loyal fans in Tucson,” said Lopez. “This is like a second home to me and it will be difficult for anyone to beat me here because I refuse to disappoint the people who have supported me for so long. Making it even better is that my fight will be on ESPN2’s ‘Friday Night Fights’ which let’s me showcase my skills to boxing fans across the United States.”
Lopez vs. Duran, a 10-round junior middleweight bout that headlines a hard-hitting night of world-class boxing, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Quaker State. The ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” telecast begins at 10:30pm ET / 7:30pm PT.
Tickets, priced starting as low as $35, through, $100, are on sale now and available for purchase by calling 1-800-745-3000 or visiting either Desert Diamond Casino or Desert Diamond Casino♦Hotel. Tickets may also be obtained online at Ticketmaster.com.
One of the most underrated middleweights of the last ten years, Nogales, Mexico’s David Lopez (37-12, 25 KOs) has been avoided like the plague by champions at 160 pounds because they know that a fight with “The Destroyer” will likely be a painful one. Lopez has refused to get discouraged and has kept winning, going 13-0 with eight knockouts over the last four years. Fresh off a 12-round win over Samuel Miller last October, Lopez is now dropping to the junior middleweight class, where because of his sterling performances at middleweight, he has garnered a ranking of number four in the world by the WBC.
Before that happens though, Lopez will have to get by rugged Ghanaian veteran Ossie Duran (23-6-2, 9 KOs). A 13-year pro who has been in with the likes of James Kirkland, Jonathan Reid and Jamie Moore, Duran – who now makes his home in Patterson, New Jersey – is unbeaten in four of his last five fights and is eager to spoil Lopez’ party and end his winning streak in front of his diehard fans on April 10th.
Looking to follow in the footsteps of past and present Puerto Rican greats, Rio Piedras’ Hector Sanchez (17-0, 8 KOs) is certainly off to a good start towards reaching those lofty heights. Unbeaten as a pro, the 22-year-old is seemingly getting better with each fight and he plans on extending his current three-fight knockout streak when he steps through the ropes at the Desert Diamond Casino.
Washington, DC’s DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (33-10-1, 19 KOs) possesses a mix of speed and power that means a tough night for anyone who steps into the ring with him. A former World Junior Welterweight Champion, 34-year-old Corley has been in with some of the best fighters of this era, including Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Zab Judah, Randall Bailey and Junior Witter. With two straight knockout wins under his belt, he’s gearing up for another title run in 2009.
A full undercard will be announced shortly.
MTAGWA BOXES MEDINA IN MINI-WORLD WAR MAY 1 AT BLUE HORIZON
PHILADELPHIA, PA—Rogers Mtagwa, coming off a match which was a candidate for Fight of the Year worldwide, and Ricardo Medina, who last year was involved in Philadelphia’s Fight of the Year, will collide in a battle of veteran war horses when they go at it for 10 rounds or less in the featherweight main event Friday evening, May 1, at the Legendary Blue Horizon, 1314 North Broad Street. First fight is 7.30 p.m.
Throw out the records in this one!
If you thought Mtagwa’s Nov. 7 fight with Tomas Villa was a Fight-of-the-Year candidate for 2008, wait until you see this one!
Mtagwa, 29, of South Philadelphia, is rated No. 9 in the world as a super bantamweight (122 pounds) by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), No. 14 by the World Boxing Council (WBC). This fight will be contested at 130 pounds.
In his fight Nov. 7 in Tucson, AZ, Mtagwa got off the floor in the ninth round and knocked Villa down three times in the 10th in a sensational comeback. The victory improved Mtagwa’s record to 25-12-2, 18 K0s.
Prior to that, Mtagwa had earned a 10-round decision over Aldo Valtierra, of Mexico City, on March 7, 2008, at the New Alhambra in South Philadelphia.
Mtagwa, former United States Boxing Association (USBA) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) featherweight champ, has beaten contenders Fernando Trejo, Joe Morales and Art Simonyon, and he has been in there with world champions Agapito Sanchez and Valdemir Pereira as well as Orlando Salido, Martin Honorio and Billy Dib.
Medina, 38, of Mazatlan, Mexico, is 31-33-5, 17 K0s, and like Mtagwa, he rarely gets an easy assignment. Medina’s six-round draw last year with Lenny DeVictoria at the Blue Horizon was voted Philadelphia< /st1:place>’s Fight of the Year for 2008. Medina had out-pointed DeVictoria in 2007.
A pro since 1988, Medina has fought them all and his list of opponents reads like a Who’s Who of big little men around the world: champs Paulie Ayala, Guty Espadas, Jr., Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, Enrique Sanchez; contenders Gerardo Martinez, Cuauhtemoc Gomez, Hugo Dianza, Zahir Raheem, Marcos Licona.
Matgwa is 5-foot-5, Medina 5-foot-6. Neither man knows how to fight backing up. Neither man will have to look hard to find the action.
This will be the second fight card back—after an eight-year hiatus–at the Blue Horizon for Hall-of-Fame promoter J Russell Peltz, who began his career there as a 22-year-old in 1969. On March 6, welterweight Mike Jones, of North Philadelphia, knocked out Dairo Esalas, of Miami, FL, in front of a packed house of 1,327. Peltz is promoting this card, the second of six within a 12-month period at the Blue Horizon, with Joe Hand Promotions, Inc.
Tickets for the May 1 are priced at $45 and $60. They are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc. (215-765-0922) and at the offices of Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. (215-364-9000). They also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.
Perez & Perez Set To Battle On “Date With Destiny”
March 27 (Merrillville, In) – During “Date With Destiny” on Saturday, April 25th at the Hammond Civic Center, Jimmy Perez Jr. and Tiffany Perez, who are brother and sister, are scheduled for the first time to fight on the same card. Jimmy Jr. will look to continue his stellar professional career, while Tiffany wants to declare herself as the best female amateur fighter around.
“Date With Destiny” is going to be such a special event for many reasons and having a brother and sister displaying their amazing talents on the same card is going to make it even more special,” said Octavius James, C.E.O. of One In A Million Inc.
Jimmy Jr. enters his bout after winning a brutal four-round decision over Nick Whiting on Jan. 23rd at “SLUGFEST 2009,” but he doesn’t have any worries about his sister when she enters the ring. “(Tiffany) is really good, so I don’t worry about her because she is that good,” said Jimmy Jr.
“We have two different styles, I have this come right at you style and she has this matrix style where she never gets hit,” added Jimmy Jr. “It’s exciting and for me its entertainment and a chance for me and my sister to fight at the same time.”
Tiffany, who is a 2007 and 2008 Chicago Golden Gloves champion, will be squaring off against another former Chicago Golden Gloves champion in Echo Sneed in a special amateur bout. “It was a big opportunity when Octavius made us aware that the bouts were taking place,” said Perez who will be competing for her third straight Chicago Golden Gloves title on April 3rd.
“Our family is extremely excited, my mom drives around with a box of posters in her car,” added Tiffany. Jimmy Jr. and Tiffany both are Hammond residents and currently attending Purdue University Calumet, with Jimmy Jr. majoring in mechanical engineering and Tiffany aiming towards a Pre-med degree.
“Date With Destiny” will also feature “Merciless” Mary McGee (16-0, 10 KOs) vs. Kristy “Rose” Follmar (16-1, 9 KOs) in the Main Event for two world titles and the Co-Main Event will showcase Michael “Midnight Stalker” Walker (19-1-2, 12 KOs) vs. Orphius Waite (4-0, 3 KOs). Derrick “Superman” Findley (13-2, 8 KOs), Ed “2 Fast 2 Furious” Ochoa (7-0, 7 KOs), Josh Crouch (3-0, 3 KOs), Angel Hernandez (11-3, 9 KOs), “Big” Ty Ortiz (Debut) will also be in action.
Tickets for “Date With Destiny” can be purchased at VIP $100, VIP ringside $75, ringside $50, and general admission $30 and they are available from any Ticket Master location at (219) 791-1234, (312) 559-1212, (866) 438-7372, www.TicketMaster.com or at the Hammond Civic Center Box Office (219) 853-6378.
Hammond Civic Center, 5825 Sohl Ave. Hammond, IN located just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago, doors will open at 6 p.m. with the first bout at 8 p.m