Undefeated contenders Carlos Cuadras and Gilberto Ramirez have combined to deliver a 45-0 (38 knockouts) record, making them two of Mexico’s most talked about rising stars. On Saturday, June 16 they will get the biggest tests of their respective young careers, when they co-headline Televisa’s “Sabados De Corona” from the Palaya Mamitas in Playa del Carmen, Mexico in separate fights that will also be televised on FOX Deportes in the United States.
In the 12-round main event, the vacant WBC-USNBC Bantamweight Title will be on the line when Guamuchil’s Cuadras battles countryman Javier Franco of Chihuahua and, in the 10-round middleweight co-feature, Mazatlan’s Ramirez takes on longtime-contender J.C. Candelo of Buenaventura, Colombia.
A stellar amateur who won gold for Mexico at the 2007 Pan Am Games, 23-year-old Carlos Cuadras (24-0, 20 KO’s) has quickly made his mark on the professional game, thrilling fans not only in his native country, but in Japan, where he has competed four times thus far. The owner of the WBC Youth Intercontinental and WBC Continental Americas Super Flyweight titles, Cuadras’ power punching and exciting style are sure to get fans up and cheering on June 16.
The winner of five of his last seven bouts, Javier “El Chivero” Franco (16-7-1, 8 KO’s) is a rugged competitor who can do it all in the ring. The Chihuahua native is the kind of fighter who will make a young prospect like Cuadras dig deep and find out if this is the line of work he wants to be in. Franco has no doubts about his vocation, and he is ready to prove it this Saturday.
20-year-old southpaw Gilberto Ramirez (21-0, 18 KO’s) has the ability to beat you with one punch or punish throughout the entire fight and this has made him a must-see fighter for boxing fans across Mexico. The current WBC Youth Middleweight world champion, a title he has defended four times, Ramirez is ready for his step up to the big time beginning June 16 with Candelo.
Winner of five of his last six bouts, including stoppages of then 29-2-1 Chase Shields and highly regarded prospect Justin Flanagan, Buenaventura, Colombia’s Juan Carlos “J.C.” Candelo (32-11-4, 21 KO’s) is a respected veteran who has long battled the best the game has had to offer, including Winky Wright, Kassim Ouma and Vernon Phillips. Eager to add a world title to his resume, the 38-year-old knows that his last run for the gold can only continue with a win over Ramirez.
Cuadras vs. Franco is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Pepe Gomez Promotor Deportivo and sponsored by Corona, Periodico QueQui, Gobierno Solidaridad, Hotel Paradisus, Playa Mamitas and Riviera Maya. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CT and the first fight begins at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Televisa broadcast will air on Canal 5 and begins at 10:30 p.m. CT and the FOX Deportes broadcasts will air on Sunday, June 17 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
