Fresh off of a triumphant return to the ring on July 28, former World Champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz is back to face Puerto Rico’s Hector Sanchez at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. on Saturday, September 29 in the “Solo Boxeo Tecate” main event on TeleFutura.
Plus, local favorite Andrew “Chango” Cancio will look to thrill his growing fan base when he faces veteran contender Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez in the 10 round junior lightweight co-featured match-up.
An accomplished member of the fighting Diaz family, Coachella’s Julio “The Kidd” Diaz (39-7, 28 KO’s) built his reputation not just with his two stints as a Lightweight World Champion, but with his wins over big opponents such as Jesus Chavez, Ricky Quiles, Javier Jauregui and Herman Ngoudjo. In July, he returned from a 14-month layoff with a fifth round knockout over Henry Aurad and, at welterweight, the 32-year-old feels stronger and better than ever.
25-year-old Hector “El Flaco” Sanchez (19-2, 9 KO’s) is a tall and lanky fighter who will be using every inch of his 6-foot-1 frame to baffle the 5-foot-9 Diaz on September 29. A native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Sanchez was a two-time national amateur champion and 2000 Junior Olympic bronze medalist and owns a 2009 win over former World Champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley. Now he wants to add Diaz’s name to his list of vanquished high-profile opponents.
Blythe, California’s Andrew “Chango” Cancio (14-1-2, 11 KO’s) has long been on boxing insiders’ short list of top prospects, but it wasn’t until his clear-cut 10 round unanimous decision win over Olympic Silver Medalist and longtime contender Rocky Juarez in June that he introduced himself to the boxing world. This September, this 23 year-old versatile up-and-comer is back where he has become a favorite performer in his last four fights, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Long considered a top contender and a tough out for anyone he has faced in the ring, Chino, California’s Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez (27-6, 18 KO’s) is well aware that a win over the up-and-coming Cancio on September 29 could be his ticket to a big fight. In his recent fights, the 34-year old has fought a series of undefeated opponents including Yuriorkis Gamboa, Ronny Rios and Eloy Perez and is confident that those fights have given him the experience to defeat the younger Cancio.
Diaz vs. Sanchez, a 10 round welterweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT on fight night and the first bell rings at 7:00 p.m. PT. The TeleFutura broadcast begins at midnight ET/11:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
