Fight Weekend Preview
Boxing returns in a big way in Texas on Friday with two big-time cards and then moves west to California on Saturday.
The action starts on the SHOWTIME SHOBOX series at the Tech Port Arena in San Antonio as hometown hero "Dinamita" Ramon Cardenas, 22-1 (11) takes on the tall and rangy undefeated Panamanian contender Rafael Pedroza. In a must-win fight for each man, the winner takes a massive step forward as the loser falls out of the world title picture. Cardenas fought in the Alamo City in his last two fights scoring an impressive UD victory over Michel Banquez on the undercard of Ray Vargas vs. Mark Magsayo at the Alamodome last July. He returned home in May, and on short notice, blowing away Rodrigo Guerrero in two rounds. Pedroza has not yet fought in the US or on a major card but has wins over Hugo Berrio and Yerny Betancourt this year. His most recent fight was the lopsided UD victory over Betancourt in May. Also on the card is another intriguing fight between undefeated featherweights as "El Tiburon" Rudy Garcia 13-0-1 (2) and he takes on Argentine KO artist Mirko Cuello in the 10-round co-main event. The 22-year-old Cuello, 12-0 (11) has fought twice in the US on Christy Martin Cards back in 2020 and scored KOs and went 2-0 (2) with a pair of first KOs he last fought Antonio Guzman and scored a first-round KO. Garcia has a 2021 draw with fellow unbeaten prospect Victor Morales in late 2021. He fought once in 2022 and outpointed rugged veteran Diuhl Olguin on a Golden Boy live card. Also on the card is an intriguing bout between once-beaten Saul Bustos, 15-1-1 (8), and Freudis Rojas 11-0 (11), Rojas stopped Diego Santiago Sanchez in seven rounds on the undercard of Frank Martin-Artem Harutyunyan. Bustos is best known for a 2020 points victory over Luis Lopez on a Thompsons card. He last fought Alan Sanchez and dropped a 10-round majority decision last November.
The action stays in Texas but heads south on I-37 to Sparkle City, Corpus Christi, and Lois Alberto Lopez makes his second title defense against Joet Gonzales in what will be a thrilling fan-friendly affair. Lopez won his world title in late 2022 by outpointing Josh Warrington. Lopez made his first defense of the belt in May and destroyed Irish Mick Conlan. Joet Gonzalez has had two prior world title opportunities. He was outclassed by Shakur Stevenson in 2019 and lost a thrilling decision to Emanuel Navarette in 2021. He last fought in April and scored a 10-round decision over Enrique Vivas in Oklahoma. The co-main event is an intriguing showdown between PROBOX TV's "Last Chance" winner Antonio Moran, who stopped Kendo Castaneda in the finals of that tournament, battles Jamaine Ortiz who outpointed former world champion Jamel Herring and dropped a close and somewhat controversial decision to future first ballot hall of famer Vasyl Lomachenko last October. The card also features a host of undefeated prospects such as Corpus Christi native John Rincon as well as Xander Zayas, Delante Johnson, and Emiliano Vargas.
Saturday night the action moves to California as William Zepeda, 28-0 (24), takes on hard-hitting and all-action fan favorite Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta, 34-3-3 (17). Gesta last fought in March and scored a career-changing decision over JoJo Diaz. Arebolda scored a career-challenging victory over Hector Tanajara that put him on the map in 2021 and last fought in April and destroyed Jaime Arboleda in two rounds. Also on the card was Victor Morales who scored a career chaning victory that night over Diego De La Hoya. Tommorrow night Morales will battle Edwin Palomares. The card also features undefeated light heavyweight Darius Fulghum 6-0 (6).
