Acquinity Sports has announced that an agreement has been reached regarding an Interim World Boxing Association super lightweight title fight, featuring a pair of past world champions, Joan “Little Tyson” Guzman and Vincente “El Loco” Mosquera, tentatively scheduled for May 31 at a venue to be determined.
Guzman (33-1-1, 20 KOs), a 1996 Dominican Republic Olympian now living in Miami, suffered his first loss as a professional this past November, dropping an eighth-round technical decision to Khabib Allakhverdiev for the WBA championship (Danny Garcia is the WBA Super 140-pound champion). Guzman suffered a knee injury when he was tossed to the canvas, leading to the fight being halted by the referee Luis Pabon.
Guzman’s promoter, Acquinity Sports, requested an immediate rematch with Allakhverdiev, based on the mishandling of the event by Pabon. Instead, the WBA granted an Interim title fight between WBA #5 Guzman and WBA #9 Mosquera, and the winner earning a regular WBA title shot with Allakhverdiev.
“Guzman worked had in his last fight and fell short due to injury.” Acquinity Sports CEO Gary Jonas said. “He is a two-time World Champion who knows what to do in the ring very well. This is a very interesting fight. I feel Guzman will win this fight and get another shot at Allakhverdiev and his world title.”
Guzman captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO super bantamweight crown in 2004, stopping Agapito Sanchez in San Diego. Guzman successfully defended that title by way of a 12-round decision over Fernando Beltran.
In 2006, Guzman added the WBO super featherweight title belt to his collection by winning a 12-round decision from Jorge Rodrigo Barrios. Two title defenses against Antonio Davis and Humberto Soto, in which Guzman won by 12-round decisions, before the crafty Dominican moved up in weight class to lightweight and eventually the super lightweight division.
Including the aforementioned fighters, Guzman has beaten a virtual Who’s Who of world-class fighters between 122 and 140 pounds, such as Ali Funeka, Javier Jauregui and Fabio Daniel Oliva.
“I am happy to see Guzman get another shot,” Acquinity Sports Vice President of Operations Henry Rovalta added. “His fight with Allakhverdiev ended in an injury. Khabib won a split decision bit thjere were still four more rounds to go. Guzman won’t be looking past Masquera . We know that he’s tough but Guzman will be ready ready.”
WBA #9 Mosquera (32-2-1, 17 KOs) has won his last eight fights in a row, since being knocked out for the only time in his professional career by the late Edwin Valero in 2006. Panama-native Mosquera won the WBA super featherweight championship in 2005, taking a 12-round decision from defending champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai in New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.
Mosquera made one successful title defense, a year later against Jose Pablo Estrella in Argentina, by way of a 12-round split decision. After losing to Valero in his following fight, Mazquera was inactive for 4 ½ years.
