After a long wait, Erik Morales’ Box Latino returns to their hometown with “Sangre y Patria (Blood and Country)” set for the Tijuana Municipal Auditorium on Saturday, February 11th. In the main event, super bantamweight Oscar “Finito” Gonzalez (27-1, 21KOs) will take on Mario “Maka” Briones (21-1-1, 15KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico, for the vacant WBC International super bantamweight title. In the co-main event, Tijuana KO artist Javier “Cobra” Mendoza (15-2-1, 12KOs) will look to strike against Armando “Chiquita” Vazquez (20-7, 4KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico, in his second defense of his WBC Continental Americas light flyweight title. The double explosive twelve round co-main events will be televised live in Mexico by Televisa as part of their weekly series “Sabados de Corona”.
Gonzalez of Mexico City is a slick boxer who is ready to take a big leap in 2012 and his first step is a convincing win over Briones. Gonzalez is coming off his recent win of a Televisa sponsored tournament where he defeated both Roberto Vazquez and Vacharakrit Senahan to walk away with the victory.
Briones is the current WBC FECOMBOX 122 lbs. super bantamweight title holder. “Maca” is coming of a fourth round KO over Octavio Ascencio after dropping a controversial decision to Filipino AJ Bernal earlier late last year.
In the co-main event, hometown favorite Javier “Cobra” Mendoza will defend his WBC Continental Americas light flyweight title versus Armando “Chiquita” Vazquez in another chapter of the Tijuana vs. Mexicali rivalry. Despite only 108 miles separating the two border cities, Tijuana and Mexicali have battled each other through out the years for northern Mexico boxing supremacy. With each location boasting of former world champions and current up and coming prospects, the Mendoza-Vazquez face off will add to the ongoing war between the two near neighboring towns.
The hard hitting Mendoza captured the vacant title when he spectacularly stopped the rugged Osvaldo “Drakys” Ibarra in four rounds in June of 2010 in front of a packed Tijuana Auditorium. After suffering a surprising loss last July, the southpaw Mendoza has strung together two KO wins in stay busy fights and now is ready to take on a challenge in Vazquez.
Known for his fluid boxing technique, Vazquez is the slightly more experienced of the two as he has taken on the likes of Donnie Nietes, Juan “Churritos” Hernandez and Julio Cesar “Gatito” Felix.
In a special attraction super flyweight eight rounder, undefeated Ivan “Niño Maravilla” Morales (15-0, 10KOs) will take on Tijuana journeyman Ricardo “Rocky” Armenta (15-13-1, 7KOs). Morales, the twenty-year old younger brother of current WBC light welterweight champ Erik “Terrible Morales” and former super flyweight champ Diego “Pelucho” Morales who trains him, is steadily climbing up the ranks and looks to challenge for a regional title later this year. Trained out of the same Zona Norte gym as his older siblings, the southpaw Ivan possesses the same aggressive boxer/puncher style the Morales’ brothers are known for.
Also featured on the card will be Tijuana super flyweight Jose “Hollywood” Estrella (9-3-1, 8KOs) as he faces a stern test in Mexico City’s Pedro “Guerrero” Melo (7-2, 1KO) in a six round clash. The hard hitting Estrella is coming off a loss at the fists of Victor “Ranita” Godinez last December and now will look for redemption against Melo who barely squeaked by Sergio Najera on the same card. In a classic puncher versus boxer, Estrella will look to get back in the winning column and score another of his signature knock out wins.
Lightweight Mario “Popeye” Padilla (9-4-3, 1KO), flyweight Osvaldo “Waldo” Castro (11-4-1, 8KOs) and welterweight Javier “Pelon” Gomez (11-7, 8KOs) will appear.
Two more bouts flesh out the card.
The Tijuana Municipal Auditorium “Fausto Gutierrez Moreno” is located on Diaz Ordaz Blvd., a mere fifteen minute taxi ride from the San Diego-Tijuana international border. Tickets are located at the Auditorium’s box office. Prices range from $80 pesos ($7.00 dlls.) to $200 pesos ($16.00 dlls). Doors open at 4:30pm with the first punch thrown at 5:30pm. All ages welcome.
