Today, #WBO & volunteers from the Municipality of Salinas (Puerto Rico) donated beds, sheets, pillows, and other essentials to various households who lost everything as result of Hurricane Fiona. #Socialwork

#Photos #HelpingHand #HuracanFiona Donaciones de colchones, ropa de cama y suministros a los afectados por el huracán Fiona en el pueblo de Salinas, específicamente barrio El Coquí.

Ring City USA, the new sports media startup that debuted its Thursday night boxing series in November 2020, announced today a change in the headliner of its March 18 event, their second of three cards during its residency in Puerto Rico.

With the previously announced Hector Tanajara unable to fight due to an illness, former super featherweight Alberto Machado, (22-2, 18 KO), will now face hard-hitting Mexican contender Angel ‘Tashiro’ Fierro, (17-1-1, 13 KOs), of San Diego, Calif. in a ten-round main event clash, highlighting the latest chapter of the iconic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico ring rivalry. The event emanates from the famed Alberque Olimpico (Olympic Center) in Salinas, P.R.

Fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico, Fierro returns to battle following a ninth-round knockout of Alexis Reyes on October 16, 2020. Since turning pro in 2015, the 22-year-old has flashed an aggressive fighting style which is highlighted by six career first-round knockouts.

The next two Ring City USA events (March 18 and March 25) are televised in the United States and Puerto Rico on NBC Sports Network and the NBC Sports app on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with undercard action streaming live on Twitch. The full card, which will be announced shortly, will be available on Twitch outside of the United States.

Follow Ring City USA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates or visit www.ringcityusa.com.

About Ring City USA
Ring City, which launched in 2020, is boxing’s newest sports media platform. Working in tandem with a variety of promoters and talent, its new boxing series places an emphasis on competitive matchups that genuinely test the fighters and excite the fight fans. Ring City provides great fights in the ring and compelling shoulder programming outside of the ring. Ring City is the proving ground where up-and-coming talent can earn their stripes and launch themselves into the upper echelon of boxing stardom.

LAS VEGAS (October 9, 2020) — New weight class, same buzzsaw. Former junior featherweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete defeated Ruben Villa via unanimous decision (115-111 and 114-112 2X) to win the vacant WBO featherweight world title Friday evening from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center.

Navarrete (33-1, 28 KOs), who made five defenses of his WBO junior featherweight world title, is now a two-weight world champion.

Navarrete knocked down Villa in the first and fourth rounds to build a healthy lead on the scorecards. Villa (18-1, 5 KOs), a slick southpaw boxer, did not have the power to keep the all-pressure Navarrete honest. He did, however, find a rhythm in the fight’s closing stages and nearly did enough in the minds of the judges to salvage a draw.

Navarrete said, “I knew that Villa was a fighter that moved a lot, and I knew that he was going to move even more once he felt my power. I didn’t get the knockout, but I got the victory.

“I’m very happy with this championship. It’s a reflection of all the sacrifices and all the hard work I put in. I conquered my second weight class because of all that hard work.

“I have my sights set on all the world champions at 126. I would love to face {Josh} Warrington. I think that our styles will make for a great fight.”

Qazaq Style Thunder

Middleweight contender Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly brought the thunder. The 2016 Olympian improved to 9-0 with a devastating second-round knockout over Gonzalo Coria (16-4, 6 KOs), who had never been stopped as a professional. An overhand left from the southpaw knocked Coria down and nearly through the ropes. The full count was not needed, as Alimkhanuly upped his knockout streak to three.

Alimkhanuly said, “I want to fight a world champion soon, like Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo. Canelo, of course. Top Rank promotes Ryota Murata at 160. I want to fight him as well. Whoever the top guys are 160, I want them next.”

Photos by M. Williams / Top Rank

#WBOChampionshipBouts Weigh-In Results @ The Bubble

Emanuel Navarrete 126 lbs vs. Ruben Villa 125 lbs
(Vacant WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

Janibek Alimkhanuly 159.6 lbs vs. Gonzalo Coria 158.6 lbs
(Alimkhanuly’s WBO Global Middleweight Title — 10 Rounds)

TV: TOMORROW at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT live on ESPN

Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

LAS VEGAS (October 7, 2020) —Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete has won 27 consecutive bouts. Ruben Villa has never lost as a professional. Something will give Friday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET), when the two battle for the vacant WBO featherweight world title, which became available after Shakur Stevenson moved up to the junior lightweight ranks.

The ESPN-televised co-feature will see Kazakh middleweight phenom Janibek Alimkhanuly against Gonzalo Coria in a 10-rounder. Undercard bouts, including middleweight prospect Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson against Sonny Duversonne and junior welterweight puncher Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez against Cameron Krael, will stream live on ESPN+ at 7:15 p.m. ET.

Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) reigned as WBO junior featherweight world champion and became boxing’s most active world champion. He made five defenses of the title he won from Isaac Dogboe in a nine-month span and most recently knocked out Uriel Lopez in a June non-title bout in Mexico City.

Villa (18-0, 5 KOs), from Salinas, Calif, earned this title shot with wins over the likes of Alexei Collado and Jose Enrique Vivas, but Navarrete represents a giant step up in class. Villa fights for his Salinas Valley home region, which has been ravaged by wildfires in recent months. The poor air quality has forced him to wear a mask during roadwork. The field workers are still out there, providing Villa with ample motivation as he awaits his first world title opportunity.

At Wednesday’s press conference, this is what Navarrete and Villa had to say.

Emanuel Navarrete

“With the current situation and the camp we’ve had, {my team} has done a great job. We’ve worked through it, and we’re ready for this match.”

“My body is doing a lot better. I’m growing a little bit more. It was getting a little bit difficult making 122, but now going up to 126, I think I’m more prepared for that.”

“For now, we’re pretty much ready. We’re ready for this weight. We’re ready for this fight on Friday night, so I think we’re ready to go with what we have. After this fight, we’re going to keep moving forward.”

Ruben Villa

“There have been a couple of restrictions and stuff due to COVID, but I’ve been in the gym, I’ve been active. It hasn’t gotten in the way of me training and my team’s training. Yeah, we trained hard, another hard camp, and we’re ready for Friday night.”

“My last couple of fights, they’ve been aggressive guys who come to beat me and think they’re going to get me off my game plan. But I adapted well. We always had good game plans and stuck to game plans, and now we’re here fighting for a world title. I feel like I’m ready. I feel like he’s beatable, and my style is the one to do it.”

“He’s an aggressive guy who throws 100 punches a round. I feel like it’s just going to bring the best out of me to do my job as well as I can.

“I feel like you’re going to see a bigger and better Ruben Villa this Friday.”

“Running with the mask on, seeing the field workers working during the pandemic and fires, it’s just another motivation for me to win this fight and bring Salinas its first world title. I just can’t wait to show you guys what I got.”

“I want to see the best Ruben Villa. I haven’t even seen him yet. I feel like Navarrete will bring it out of me. I’m just excited to perform and, like I said, show you guys what I got. I feel like I’ve been slept on. Maybe a lot of people think I don’t belong here, but I’m going to show everyone I’m an elite 126 fighter. Yeah, I’m coming to win and coming to fight.”

Photos by Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Back by popular demand and fresh off a monster 2nd round KO victory over Daniel Jimenez, undefeated 22-0, 6KO’s NABO Super Featherweight Champ Eloy “The Prince” Perez, steps into the ring once again to defend his title against Ira Terry 24-6, 14KO’s of Memphis, TN, on October 28th at Sherwood Hall, Salinas, CA, broadcast live on Telefutura. Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Don Chargin Productions and Paco Presents.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring again so soon after my great KO victory in my last fight I want to thank my opponent for stepping up on such short notice,I look forward to giving my fans an amazing fight and a victory”-Eloy Perez.

Ticket info and prices:
VIP $125, RINGSIDE $75, RESERVE $50

(831) 261-0532, Espanola (831) 905-7354 or in person at 2stepsahead gym located at 832 South Main Street, Salinas and at the door on the night.

At the press conference for unbeaten junior lightweight Eloy “The Prince” Perez’s upcoming Sept. 2 NABO title defense against Daniel “Azuquita” Jimenez, the mood was celebratory.

After all, not only was the 24-year-old Perez (21-0-2, 5 KOs) returning to his current residence of Salinas, Calif., but promoter Don Chargin was also commemorating the 60th anniversary of his very first fight card.

“I’m happy to be fighting at the Salinas Sports Complex in front of my adopted hometown,” said Perez, who is originally from Rochester, Wa. “It’s great to bring this fight to the fans and something positive to the city of Salinas.”

“I’m really excited about this fight,” said Chargin of the ten-rounder that will be televised on TeleFutura’s Solo Boxeo Tecate. “I actually promoted the fight when Jimenez upset [Vicente] Escobedo in Sacramento. Eloy’s at the point where you got to step up, and he’s fired up and in real good shape.”

Jimenez (20-3-1, 12 KOs), a 30-year-old from San Juan, P.R., once held the same NABO belt five years ago, but hit a snag in his career soon after, losing back-to-back bouts to former world champions Roman Martinez and Jesus Chavez. He has since rebounded, winning three in a row including a fifth-round stoppage of Miguel Angel Munguia in February.

“He’s fought a lot of good fighters and lost to two world champs,” Perez said of his opponent. “I want to dominate Jimenez and show everyone that I belong with the elite fighters in the division.”

“This is definitely history in the making,” said Sam Garcia, Perez’s assistant trainer. “We’ve been waiting to come back here and Eloy’s ready to make moves in the division.”

Currently ranked No. 4 in the WBO 130-pound rankings after a stint in the top contender spot, Perez hopes that an impressive victory here will send him back up the ladder. Despite “The Prince” remaining undefeated, fellow Golden Boy stablemate Adrien Broner leapfrogged him in the rankings and will likely get a coveted title shot at Scotland’s Ricky Burns.

“I’d like to fight for a world title, but I’m not worried about whoever Broner is fighting,” Perez said. “I’m focused on Sept. 3, and Jimenez is going make me look good. I’m going to give the fans a show.”

In the co-feature, super middleweight prospect James Parison (14-1, 4 KOs) of San Diego takes on Paul Mendez of Walnut Creek, Calif. (6-1, 2 KOs).

“This is the first time’s anyone’s asked for James,” said Chargin of Parison, whose lone loss was a decision to Craig McEwan in 2009. “Not too many people want to fight him because he has a tough style, but Paul does. Paul’s been sparring Andre Berto up north and I’ve been hearing that he’s getting some good work in.”

A trio of hot junior featherweight prospects from California will also see action. Fairfield native and Golden Boy signee Manuel Avila (5-0, 2 KOs) fights Ruben Calderon of Kansas City, while fellow 122-pounders Roman Morales (6-0, 4 KOs) of San Ardo and Bruno Escalante (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of San Carlos take on the dreaded TBD in separate bouts.

“About 75 to 100 people will come to support me from home, and it makes you much less nervous,” Morales, a Gary Shaw-promoted fighter, said. “But once you’re up there in the ring, you forget about the noise…I hope to win here and then fight in an eight-rounder by the end of the year.”

“I’ve been sparring with a Glenn Donaire and a couple others for this fight,” Escalante said. “I’m feeling good and ready to go.”

Highly touted amateur Rudy Puga Jr. will make his pro debut in front of his hometown fans against an opponent yet to be determined. Puga went 89-10, earning numerous accolades along the way including a spot with the USA Boxing national team, where he fought overseas in places as far as Azerbaijan.

Puga, who shares manager Kathy Garcia with Perez, takes off the headgear and singlet while trading his gloves for a pair of lighter ones.

“This first fight’s going to be at 165 pounds, and I want to make a great first impression,” Puga said. “I have a pro style and I’m ready to figure out how tough the pros can be.”

Seeing the excitement in Salinas has brought a smile to Chargin’s face in the twilight of his career.

“The past year and a half has been tough since I lost my wife Lorraine,” said the Hall of Fame promoter known for his “war-a-week” persona. “It was tough even making the drive from Cambria to here. Even at our age, we’d get a kick out of going to fights, and it makes me miss her more. But I know she’d want me to keep doing this. I’ve been going nuts by myself around the house, so I had to get back and be more active in the game. It’s great to be back.”

By Ryan Maquiñana
http://www.boxingscene.com/eloy-perez-vows-i-want-dominate-daniel-jimenez–42515