Back on June 23rd, the San Fernando Valley’s legendary Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, CA hosted its first boxing event in 17 years before an appreciative full house. On Saturday night, August 11, Goossen Tutor Promotions, the Valley’s first family of boxing, will present the second program in its “LIVE AT THE LODGE” series of boxing events held every two months throughout the year designed by promoter Dan Goossen to produce a number of “Tomorrow’s Champions, Fighting Today.”
In the main event, 2008 U.S. Olympian Shawn Estrada (14-0, 12 KOs) will square off with undefeated Felix Piedra (8-0-1, 5 KOs) in a scheduled 8-round light heavyweight contest — with both fighters taking on their toughest challenge to date.
In addition to the main event, young knockout artist Jessie Villanueva (3-0, 3 KOs) of Palmdale, CA. – who won by first-round TKO in the inaugural show last month — will be featured in a 4-round junior featherweight bout.
Slated to fight for first time as a pro outside of his home state of Missouri, in a scheduled 4-round ‘Special Attraction’ bout, is Leon Spinks, III (2-0, 1 KO) – grandson and great nephew of former Olympic champions and World Heavyweight kings Leon and Michael Spinks, respectively. Can the young Spinks replicate the “Spinks Jinx?”
As Goossen did with the old Country Club, looking for that next big one, making his highly anticipated pro debut will be Armenian heavyweight Sergo Pogosyan. Now fighting out of Glendale, CA, Pogosyan was a member of the Moscow Kremlin Bears of the World Series of Boxing’s European Conference and is a big heavyweight.
Rounding out the card in another four-rounder will be John Hays (1-0), of Los Angeles, CA.
“This is a big fight for me,” Estrada, who will be fighting for just the second time in a year, admitted. “I’m back healthy from all my injuries and I am at the point in my career when I have to step it up. I should have been at a point where we were now starting to think about title shots, so I have to get back into regular action and rattle off a string of impressive wins starting with August 11th. I am working with Joe Goossen and anybody who knows Joe knows that his fighters come into the ring in shape and ready to fight.”
Villanueva and his also undefeated older brother, Matthew, are starting to remind Southern California boxing fans of another sibling duo that gained international acclaim and world championship belts under the promotional guidance of Dan Goossen when he headed up Ten Goose Boxing.
“I am happy to be following in my brother’s footsteps and confident in the hands of Goossen Tutor that we will be a mirror image of the Ruelas Brothers,” said Jessie.
Going by the handle “The Third Generation,” the 24-year old Spinks debuted as a pro back in March with a first-round TKO win and followed that up in May with another win.
“It’s a dream come true to have my pro debut on the card of such a famous promoter like Dan Goossen,” Pogosyan, who had 70 amateur fights and was a three-time Armenian champion and Olympic alternate, said through an interpreter. “And I won’t let anyone down.”
“We’re expecting another exciting night of boxing at “The Lodge” on August 11,” Goossen said. “Shawn Estrada is a big puncher and once the bell rings he’s looking to land one bomb after another. Mention the name Leon Spinks, III, and it makes you want to see if he inherited the Spinks champion bloodlines. Heavyweights also have a way of getting fans excited, and it’s the same for me, with the debut of Pogosyan, along with Jessie Villanueva taking another step in his development.”
The recently- renovated Events Center at “The Lodge,” boasts room for 1,000 boxing fans. Tickets priced at $100.00 VIP, $50.00 Ringside & $30.00 (plus fees) are on sale this Friday, July 13 at www.goossentutor.com/schedule or email irma@goossentutor.com or by calling the Goossen Tutor office at (818) 817-8001. Tickets will be available the day of the event only at the Sportsmen’s Lodge starting at Noon.
