Los Angeles, CA (April 1, 2010)- WBC CABOFE Champion and current #8 ranked WBC World Heavyweight contender Manny “El Toro” Quezada (29-4-1, 18 KOs) is making final preparations for his first fight of 2010 against the very tough veteran Jason “The Sensation” Gavern (18-7-3, 8 KOs). The Thursday evening, April 8th contest and undercard will also be the first of four scheduled shows at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California this year presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions..
The 32-year old Quezada, who hails from nearby Wasco, California, will be making his 18th appearance at his “Home Away From Home” at Tachi. He will be seeking his 19th consecutive victory overall and a potential next bout against a Top 10 World contender, as he continues his climb up the heavyweight ladder toward a world title opportunity.
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM now takes you “Inside the Mind” of Quezada leading into the final days prior to the biggest fight of his career with “Six Questions” for the American heavyweight hopeful of Mexican descent:
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM: On April 8th you will be making your 18th appearance at Tachi. Talk about your experiences of fighting at Tachi and about the success you have enjoyed there.
QUEZADA: “It’s great. It’s my home. Lots of my family and friends come out and I love fighting there. Them being there gives me that extra little push when I am there fighting in front of a lot of people.”
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM: Your April 8th opponent at Tachi is Jason Gavern, a tough out for anybody. What do you know about his boxing style and what have you done to prepare for him?
QUEZADA: “All I know is that he’s a slick little boxer who comes to fight. I know I have to get in shape and be ready. And I will be ready to go 10 rounds hard. I will be ready for him.”
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM: You’ve won 18 straight bouts after an inauspicious 11-4 start to your pro career. What has changed for you inside and outside the ring that has turned you from journeyman to world title contender?
QUEZADA: “That’s a good question! Now I’ve got a good team around me, good training and that’s been a key. Plus I changed my attitude. I go in there to fight. I try to get in the best shape I can and try to fight every round HARD and try to win every round. Hopefully, that kind of preparation will help me win a fight. Definitely I am staying in better shape outside the ring as well, so that I can be at my best inside the ring. I definitely come ready to fight every time I step inside the ring now, whereas before it wasn’t that way.”
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM: You are now ranked as the WBC #8 heavyweight contender in the World. How long do you think it will be before you face a Top 10 contender?
QUEZADA: “I really don’t know that answer. Hopefully, it won’t be too long. Hopefully, this year I can get a crack at a Top 10 opponent and get a shot at a World Championship soon after that.”
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM: What are your goals for 2010?
QUEZADA: “To just keep on winning and moving up in the rankings and getting a title shot. If not this year, then sometime in the beginning of next year.”
GOOSSENTUTOR.COM: What can boxing fans expect from Manny “El Toro” Quezada in the ring on Thursday, April 8th at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino?
QUEZADA: “Oh they can expect a fight! You know I am going to be ready to fight and I know Gavern will be ready as well. They can expect a real good, competitive fight and I’m going to bring it. I’m going to give them everything I’ve got like I always do. So it’ll be a good, exciting fight and I hope the fans will turn out and watch it and enjoy it!”
Tickets for the April 8 event – priced at $225, $60, $40, $35 and $20 – may be ordered online at www.tickets.com; by phone at 1-800-277-2255 or at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop, 17225 Jersey Avenue, Lemoore, CA 93245.
QUEZADA, DALLAS, JR. AND RUIZ HEADLINE AT TACHI PALACE APRIL 8TH
Los Angeles, CA (March 31, 2010) – As Dorothy Gale, the lead character in “The Wizard of Oz,” proclaimed, “There’s No Place Like Home.” Perhaps with that in mind, boxing promoter Dan Goossen revealed in a recent media conference call that Goossen Tutor Promotions will be aggressively promoting Central Valley fighters for its 2010 shows at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, CA. “This year, our focus for the Tachi fans will be homegrown talent, fighting for worldwide recognition and eventually world championships,” Goossen pointed out. “With the growth of certain local fighters, we will look to promote their next level fights right here at Tachi’s outdoor arena to accommodate the added attendance and attention.”
Goossen Tutor will present the first of its four scheduled shows in 2010 on Thursday, April 8 featuring three of its top young prospects from Central California in Wasco heavyweight Manny “El Toro” Quezada, undefeated Bakersfield junior welterweight Michael “Silent Assassin” Dallas, Jr. and the pro debut of Fresno super bantamweight Michael Ruiz. A fourth locally raised product – Hanford’s Shawn Estrada – was scheduled to be featured on the show but unfortunately, the snake-bitten 2008 U.S. Olympian reinjured his hand preparing for his bout and was forced to withdraw but promised to be ringside to watch his stablemates.
The Tachi home cooking has been awfully good to Quezada (29-4, 18 KOs). The WBC CABOFE Champion and #8-ranked WBC world contender has won 16 of 17 bouts fought there – including a one-sided decision against Nicolai Firtha in a title defense in his last ring action back in October — and has become a true fan favorite.
Quezada will kick off his 2010 competition against veteran Jason “the Sensation” Gavern (18-7-3, 8 KOs). A Virginia native now living in Kissimmee, his two best performances were against Travis Walker – with an eight-round draw who was 10-0 at the time and a six-round, unanimous decision win over 17-2 Raphael Butler. In his last two outings, Gavern has lost to undefeated Russian world contender Denis Boytsov (27-0, 22 KOs and ranked #5 IBF/WBAWBO and #6 WBC) and, most recently, Neven Pajkic (10-0, 5 KOs) of Bosnia by decision.
“We’re excited about this year. It’s gonna be a big one for all of us including Tachi,” Quezada offered. “I’ve had most of my fights there, so I’m excited to get back and get it on again starting with Jason Gavern. I’ve seen Gavern fight and he does exactly that, comes to fight. It’s exactly the type of challenge I need.”
It is Dan Goossen’s plan to continue Quezada’s development at Tachi and get him a world heavyweight title shot – possibly there – later this year.
Also no stranger to the fans in Lemoore is Dallas, Jr. (12-0-1, 3 KOs). The Jackie Kallen-managed rising star pitched a near shutout in decisioning Sergio Joel De La Torre back in October to make it six for six in front of his home area fans. He looked most impressive in a first-round TKO win over veteran Fabian Luque in Temecula, CA in his last bout earlier this month seen on ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights.” Dallas, Jr., who has gained valuable experience sparring with the great champion Manny Pacquiao, will look to take another step in his progression up the junior welterweight ranks on April 8 at Tachi.
“I have a lot of fans and family in the local area who come to Tachi to see me perform,” Dallas said. “I’m going to go out there and put on a good show.”
The appearance of Ruiz on the card is an unexpected bonus for fans at Tachi, as the 20-year old boxer out of Aleman Boxing in Fresno – a semi-finalist in the 2008 U.S. Future Stars national Championship and National Golden Gloves – was expected to be a member of the U.S. Boxing Team in the 2012 Olympics. Instead, Ruiz decided now was the time to turn professional and he will make his debut in a 4-round bout.
“I am very excited to having my first pro fight at Tachi,” Ruiz said. “I will have lots of friends and family coming from Fresno to watch me take the first step in my career toward an eventual world championship.”
Two other undefeated boxers are slated to see action in scheduled four-round bouts on the April 8 show at Tachi, including Ephraim Martinez (3-0, 1 KO, Buttonwillow, CA) versus Juan Topoz (3-2-1, Santa Rosa, CA) in a junior featherweight contest; and Tyrell Hendrix (4-0-1, 2 KOs, Hollywood, CA) against an opponent to be announced in a clash of super welterweights.
Dan Goossen concluded: “You’re normally lucky if you have the ability to showcase one local fighter and try to build them up to stardom. So in this case, to have three locals fighting in front of hometown fans hopefully on their way to world championships, it’s a great feeling for everybody. Mark my words, the Central Valley and Tachi are going to become synonymous with big time local fighters!”
Tickets for the April 8 event – priced at $225, $60, $40, $35 and $20 – may be ordered online at www.tickets.com; by phone at 1-800-277-2255 or at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop, 17225 Jersey Avenue, Lemoore, CA 93245.