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Dulorme & Gonzalez Risk
Perfect Records
Feb. 17, On ShoBox At Chumash
Thomas Dulorme (13-0, 10 KOs), of Carolina, Puerto Rico,
will face surging southpaw, Jose Reynoso (15-3-1, 2 KOs), of
Riverside, Calif., by way of Mexicali, Mex., for the vacant
North American Boxing Federation (NABF) welterweight title
in the main event on ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday,
Feb. 17, live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the
West Coast).
The headlining fighters will make their ShoBox debuts in a
10-round welterweight bout with a contracted limit of 143
pounds.
In the co-feature at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez,
Calif., the power-punching Puerto Rican, Jonathan
“Mantequilla” Gonzalez (14-0, 13 KOs), of San Juan, will
battle Billy Lyell (24-10-2, 5 KOs), of Warren, Ohio, in a
10-round junior middleweight match.
Despite having only 13 fights, Dulorme (pronounced
Do-Lore-May) is already ranked in the top 10 by both the
World Boxing Association (No. 3) and World Boxing Council
(No. 8) at welterweight. Some consider the charismatic
youngster a superstar in the making.
A hard-hitting sort who also can box, the highly regarded
Dulorme has been spectacular and explosive enough to warrant
the lofty praise. But he’ll get his toughest test to date
against Reynoso, who’s unbeaten in his last six starts
(5-0-1).
“I’m always looking to fight the best guys available and I’m
expecting a good fight,’’ the crowd-pleasing Dulorme said.
“I’ve been in with left-handers before. Fighting for the
first time in 2012, I want to come out with a bang and show
the audience on ShoBox that I’m the real deal.
“Capturing the NABF title will get me one step closer to my
dream of becoming a world champion.”
Since turning pro after a terrific amateur career that
included winning a Golden Gloves championship, the 5-foot-9
½-inch Dulorme, who turns 22 on Jan. 29, has campaigned in
three weight classes: welterweight, junior welterweight (140
pounds) and lightweight (135 pounds).
Dulorme won a four-round majority decision in his pro debut
on Aug. 13, 2008. His next 10 fights ended by knockout --
two in the first round, eight in the second. He’s been
victorious in his last two starts via lopsided decision, a
10-round triumph over former world champion DeMarcus “Chop
Chop” Corley on June 10, 2011, and a nine-round win over
world title challenger Charlie Navarro the following Oct.
22.
Although he knows he’s an underdog, Reynoso is anxiously
awaiting this fight, his first since taking an eight-round
decision over Esteban Almarez on June 22, 2011.
“This is the most important fight of my career. I’m fighting
for everything, and this fight means everything to me,’’ the
5-foot-7, 27-year-old Reynoso said. “I’ve seen tapes. I know
he’s undefeated and a hard banger, but he hasn’t fought
solid opposition like I have. He’s strong, but I’m strong
too, and I plan to put him to the test. If I have to trade
shots, I will. I have much more power than my record says.
“This isn’t the first time I’ll enter the ring an underdog,
so I’m used to that kind of pressure. I’m coming to win and
I’m going to surprise everybody.’’
In the co-featured bout, Gonzalez, who’s ranked by three of
the four major boxing organizations, is 14 fights into a
career that began in January 2009. A former amateur standout
and a 2008 Olympic representative for Puerto Rico, he’s
rated No. 7 in both the WBC and World Boxing Organization
(WBO) and No. 12 in the WBA.
This will be Gonzalez’ second consecutive start on ShoBox.
In his debut and most recent outing last June 11, he
recorded a unanimous 10-round decision over Richard
Gutierrez. It was the first time the 5-foot-11, 22-year old
Gonzalez had gone the distance since he went pro. None of
his previous 12 outings had lasted more than seven rounds.
Eleven of the KO wins came within three sessions.
Lyell is a durable, hard-luck 27-year-old who doesn’t seem
to get the benefit of the doubt in tough fights against
favored fighters on the road.
In his last bout, the 5-foot-9 Lyell lost a majority
10-round decision to local favorite Dominik Britsch (25-0
going in) on Oct. 22 in Germany. On Jan. 29, 2011, he came
up on the wrong end of a close 10-round decision to Julio
Cesar Chavez Jr. (41-0-1 going in) in Mexico.
One fight that went Lyell’s way: He scored a shocking split
10-round decision over previously undefeated John Duddy on
April 24, 2009.
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