A title shot will be on the line at the Salon Las Palmas in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday, December 13, when Mexico City’s Armando “Cobra” Santos (14-3-1, 8 KOs) faces Filipino star John Riel “Cuadro Alas”Casimer (20-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round IBF Flyweight Title Eliminator that will air on FOX Deportes and Televisa.
In the co-main event, unbeaten Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (20-0-1, 14 KOs) battles Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico’s Genaro “Duro” Camargo (39-15, 32 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout.
Also in action will be lightweight contender Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez (28-1, 24 KOs) and unbeaten prospect Adan “Speedy” Mares (12-0-1, 3 KOs).
Unbeaten in seven straight since 2011, 26-year-old Armando “Cobra” Santos (14-3-1, 8 KOs) lives up to his nickname with a style that can see him strike opponents down at any given time once the bell rings. A holder of the NABF, WBC USNBC, and IBF International titles at 112 pounds, the number four-ranked Santos has even bigger goals in mind for 2015, and if he defeats Casimero, he will move even closer to them.
Fighting out of Cebu City, 24-year-old John Riel Casimero (20-2, 12 KOs) is on a mission to regain the title he lost on the scales in May. The IBF flyweight champion since February of 2012, when he defeated Luis Alberto Lazarte, Casimero successfully defended his crown three times before he came in overweight for his bout against Mauricio Fuentes. After stopping Fuentes in a single round, Casimero now has a second chance to earn a shot at the belt he never lost in the ring.
Born in Tijuana and now fighting out of Mexico City, 2008 Olympian Francisco Vargas (20-0-1, 14 KOs) has had the biggest year of his career in 2014, and after notable wins over Abner Cotto and former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez, he has the opportunity to close out the year with another big win as he faces the always tough Camargo.
Just 27 years old, Guasave’s Genaro “Duro” Camargo (39-15, 32 KOs) is one of the most active fighters in the sport today, and he’s always ready to test himself against the best in the game. Winner of four of his last six bouts, this 10-year veteran can make a huge impact in his final bout of 2014 if he can defeat Vargas this weekend.
At 19, Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez (28-1, 24 KOs) has been blazing a trail through the lightweight division, winning seven straight fights and earning the WBC Youth Intercontinental title that he has successfully defended three times. Born in Phoenix, Arizona and now fighting out of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico; he is fresh from a third-round stoppage of Ricardo Castillo in August, Manzanarez will seek his fourth victory of the year on Saturday against Tijuana’s Hector Velasquez (56-23-3, 38 KOs), a hard-hitting 39-year-old who always shows up to fight.
The brother of multiple-division world champion Abner Mares, Guadalajara’s Adan “Speedy” Mares (12-0-1, 3 KOs) is a well-schooled boxer looking to take his game to the next level in 2015. But first, the 25-year-old must get past Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico’s Miguel Angel Gonzalez (16-1, 13 KOs), a tough test who will push the rising star to the limit in Monterrey.
