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Box Latino Returns To
Tijuana With Triple Threat
After a long wait, Erik Morales' Box Latino returns to their
hometown with "Sangre y Patria (Blood and Country)" set for
the Tijuana Municipal Auditorium on Saturday, February 11th.
In the main event, super bantamweight Oscar "Finito"
Gonzalez (27-1, 21KOs) will take on Mario “Maka” Briones
(21-1-1, 15KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico, for the vacant WBC
International super bantamweight title. In the co-main
event, Tijuana KO artist Javier "Cobra" Mendoza (15-2-1,
12KOs) will look to strike against Armando "Chiquita"
Vazquez (20-7, 4KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico, in his second
defense of his WBC Continental Americas light flyweight
title. The double explosive twelve round co-main events will
be televised live in Mexico by Televisa as part of their
weekly series "Sabados de Corona".
Gonzalez of Mexico City is a slick boxer who is ready to
take a big leap in 2012 and his first step is a convincing
win over Briones. Gonzalez is coming off his recent win of a
Televisa sponsored tournament where he defeated both Roberto
Vazquez and Vacharakrit Senahan to walk away with the
victory.
Briones is the current WBC FECOMBOX 122 lbs. super
bantamweight title holder. “Maca” is coming of a fourth
round KO over Octavio Ascencio after dropping a
controversial decision to Filipino AJ Bernal earlier late
last year.
In the co-main event, hometown favorite Javier "Cobra"
Mendoza will defend his WBC Continental Americas light
flyweight title versus Armando "Chiquita" Vazquez in another
chapter of the Tijuana vs. Mexicali rivalry. Despite only
108 miles separating the two border cities, Tijuana and
Mexicali have battled each other through out the years for
northern Mexico boxing supremacy. With each location
boasting of former world champions and current up and coming
prospects, the Mendoza-Vazquez face off will add to the
ongoing war between the two near neighboring towns.
The hard hitting Mendoza captured the vacant title when he
spectacularly stopped the rugged Osvaldo "Drakys" Ibarra in
four rounds in June of 2010 in front of a packed Tijuana
Auditorium. After suffering a surprising loss last July, the
southpaw Mendoza has strung together two KO wins in stay
busy fights and now is ready to take on a challenge in
Vazquez.
Known for his fluid boxing technique, Vazquez is the
slightly more experienced of the two as he has taken on the
likes of Donnie Nietes, Juan "Churritos" Hernandez and Julio
Cesar "Gatito" Felix.
In a special attraction super flyweight eight rounder,
undefeated Ivan "Niño Maravilla" Morales (15-0, 10KOs) will
take on Tijuana journeyman Ricardo "Rocky" Armenta (15-13-1,
7KOs). Morales, the twenty-year old younger brother of
current WBC light welterweight champ Erik "Terrible Morales"
and former super flyweight champ Diego "Pelucho" Morales who
trains him, is steadily climbing up the ranks and looks to
challenge for a regional title later this year. Trained out
of the same Zona Norte gym as his older siblings, the
southpaw Ivan possesses the same aggressive boxer/puncher
style the Morales' brothers are known for.
Also featured on the card will be Tijuana super flyweight
Jose "Hollywood" Estrella (9-3-1, 8KOs) as he faces a stern
test in Mexico City's Pedro "Guerrero" Melo (7-2, 1KO) in a
six round clash. The hard hitting Estrella is coming off a
loss at the fists of Victor "Ranita" Godinez last December
and now will look for redemption against Melo who barely
squeaked by Sergio Najera on the same card. In a classic
puncher versus boxer, Estrella will look to get back in the
winning column and score another of his signature knock out
wins.
Lightweight Mario "Popeye" Padilla (9-4-3, 1KO), flyweight
Osvaldo "Waldo" Castro (11-4-1, 8KOs) and welterweight
Javier "Pelon" Gomez (11-7, 8KOs) will appear.
Two more bouts flesh out the card.
The Tijuana Municipal Auditorium "Fausto Gutierrez Moreno"
is located on Diaz Ordaz Blvd., a mere fifteen minute taxi
ride from the San Diego-Tijuana international border.
Tickets are located at the Auditorium's box office. Prices
range from $80 pesos ($7.00 dlls.) to $200 pesos ($16.00
dlls). Doors open at 4:30pm with the first punch thrown at
5:30pm. All ages welcome.
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