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Felix Verdejo,
Emmanuel Rodriguez & John Karl Sosa Elected As Three Puerto
Rican WBO Prospects
Photos: Joel Colon & Jose Perez - PRBBP
Undefeated Felix “Diamante” Verdejo, Emmanuel “Manny”
Rodriguez and John Karl Sosa will be honored by the
World Boxing Organization (WBO) as the Puerto Rican WBO
Boxing Prospects Right Now in an event that which also
will honor three young amateur boxers.
The award show, that the WBO will be held for the first
time in 2014 and is expected to take place every year,
is this Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m. at the
Restaurante El Zipperle in Hato Rey, San Juan.
"We had a vote with journalists of the leading media in
Puerto Rico and of a 12 unbeaten prospects of the island
with 10 or less fights, were elected Felix Verdejo,
Emmanuel Rodriguez and John Karl Sosa as the top
prospects today”, WBO president Francisco “Paco”
Valcarcel said. "With these activities we are looking to
motivate these young fighters to keep as a good
fighters, but also in their lives out of the ring and
become examples for society and children”.
Verdejo (10-0, 7 KOs), considered one of the top
prospects in boxing today, coming off a big win by KO in
the first round last Saturday, January 25, in New York,
over Lauro Alcantar. The 20 year old junior lightweight
is a 2012 London Olympic Games Puerto Rican boxer who
made his professional debut in 2012 and in 2013 made
eight bouts, wining six by knockout and two by decision.
The super flyweight Rodriguez (8-0, 5 KOs) is a gold
medalist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and silver at
the 2010 World Junior Amateur Boxing Championship. He
also debuted in 2012 and in 2013 won his five fights,
three of them by the KO. The 21 year old Rodriguez beat
world title challenger David Quijano in his last fight.
Sosa (8-0, 6 KOs), a 21 year old junior welterweight,
won by KO over Alexis Peña in his last bout last year in
Dallas. Sosa debuted in 2012 and last year won his four
fights, two by knockout.
Meanwhile, the WBO will award the amateur boxers Kiria
Tapia, Danielito Zorrilla and Henry Lebron.
"We added three amateur boxers in this event because we want
them to continue focused and also because we know that many
of these young fighters are the future medalists and
representatives of Puerto Rico in the World”, Valcarcel
said.
Tapia, who fight at 132 pounds, is the main figure of female
boxing in Puerto Rico. She won gold medal at the 2011 Pan
American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and has won multiple
gold medals in international championships. Zorrilla, a 140
pounds fighter, was the Puerto Rico National Champion in
2012 and won a gold medals in the International Olympic Cup
and the International José “Cheo” Aponte Tournament, also
won bronze at the Pan American Championships in Chile and
participated at the Elite World Championship in Kazakhstan.
Lebron is a youth who fight at 123 pounds and was the Puerto
Rico National Champion in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He won a gold
medal at the Pan American Junior Championships in Ecuador
and bronze at the World Junior Boxing Championships in
Ukraine. |
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The six fighters will be
awarded by the WBO with a cash prize, clothes and training
equipment, and a plaque to commemorate the feat.
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