Vic Saludar vs. Wilfredo Mendez WBO Title Clash on August 24
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The Ballroom of the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan will feature a boxing show for the first time, when the WBO’s #1 ranked contender at 105 pounds, Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez, faces the champion from Philippines, Vic Saludar, in another edition of the series Casino Metro Boxing Nights, presented by PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP) in association with Spartan Boxing, which will be broadcast live on Wapa Deportes.
“The expected fight between Vic Saludar, WBO champion, and Bimbito Mendez has already a venue and it will be the Ballroom of the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, which specifically (the Ballroom) will feature boxing for the first time, and will be this important event,” said promoter Iván Rivera, president of PRBBP.
“In PRRBP, we will continue to carry out innovative events, as we have always done, since although the Convention Center has had other sporting events, we will have one in its Ballroom for the first time and as part of the Casino Metro Boxing Nights series.”
The fight will present the young boxer from Trujillo Alto, Bimbito Mendez (13-1, 5 KOs), in his first world opportunity against the champion Saludar (19-3, 10 kos), who will defend his belt for the second time.
“We have worked hard to bring this fight to Puerto Rico and we managed to do it here. We are confident that Bimbito can become a world champion and fill the emptiness of champions (men) we have at the moment,” said Raúl Pastrana, president of Spartan Boxing, who represents the Puerto Rican boxer.
Méndez, 22, comes from an unanimous decision win over his compatriot Janiel “Pototo” Rivera (18-4-3, 11 KOs) on May 24 to defend his WBO NABO title at 105 pounds for the first time and get on the road to face Saludar.
Meanwhile, Saludar, 28, won his WBO belt at 105 pounds on July 13, 2018 when he defeated Japanese Ryuya Yamanaka, and had a defense, on February 26, 2019, when he beat also Japanese Masataka Taniguchi. Both bouts were in Japan.