Bantamweight Carlos Carlson (18-1, 12 KOs) and undefeated heavyweight prospect and knockout artist LaRon Mitchell (8-0, 8 KOs) highlight Thompson Boxing Promotions’ “New Blood” event Friday, Aug. 21, from the Omega Products Outdoor Arena in Corona, Calif.
Carlson, fighting out of Tijuana, Mex., faces fellow countryman Pedro Melo (13-8-2, 4 KOs) for the vacant WBC Latino Bantamweight Championship in the “New Blood” eight round main event. In the co-feature, the San Francisco-based Mitchell meets Curtis Lee Tate (7-6, 6 KOs) of Memphis, Tenn. in a fight scheduled for six rounds.
Ranked as the No. 11 bantamweight by the WBC, Carlson is poised to continue his climb up the ranks. He last fought in June on spanish language broadcast station UniMas where he knocked out Heriberto Delgado in the fourth round. After dropping his pro debut more than four years ago, Carlson has since won eighteen straight, twelve of which have come via knockout.
“I’m focused on getting better with each and every fight,” said Carlson, who signed with Thompson Boxing two years ago. “The goal is to be mentioned as a world title contender in the near future, but before that can happen, I have to get through Pedro Melo.”
The heavyweight match up between Mitchell and Tate provides multiple layers of intrigue in that Mitchell is gunning for his ninth straight win by knockout, while Tate hopes to put an end to his two fight losing skid.
Mitchell has become a fan favorite in the Southern California boxing scene. Boxing fans have come to expect explosive things from the powerful southpaw.
“Fans love the knockout, but I never go in looking for one, that’s how you get hurt,” Mitchell said. “In the heavyweight division, one punch can end your night. I always stay disciplined and let the knockouts happen naturally.”
Preceding Mitchell vs. Tate is a pair of featherweights from the Los Angeles area. Fernando Fuentes (6-5, 1 KO) goes up against Leonardo Chavez (4-1, 3 KOs) in a bout set for six rounds.
In other action, Humberto Rubalcava (3-0, 3 KOs), a talented super bantamweight from Orange, Calif., will fight an opponent to be named later (4 rounds).
Middleweight prospect Miguel Trejo (1-0, 1 KO) from Compton, Calif. fights fellow novice Brahmabigi Montgomery (1-0-1) of Los Angeles (4 rounds).
Junior welterweights Manuel Mendez (5-1-1, 1 KO) of Ontario, Ore. and Luis Silva (2-5, 1 KO) of Tijuana, Mex. square off in a four round fight.
Opening the “New Blood” event are welterweights Felipe Lara (0-1) of Santa Ana, Calif. and Alex Vlas (0-2) of Los Angeles.
