Well-known trainer Jorge Rubio says his fighter, Cuban featherweight Luis “La Estrella” Franco (11-1, 7 KOs) knows exactly how to, and his positive he will, beat former interim WBA Champion Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (22-0, 16 KOs) when the two meet on Friday, August 2 at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma.
Rubio, a former trainer of the Cuban national amateur boxing team, who has worked with numerous professional fighters including Guillermo Rigondeaux and Amir Khan, says Fortuna’s ambush style and southpaw stance won’t work against Franco like they have in the past.
“Fortuna doesn’t have as much experience. Luis Franco is a former Cuban Olympian,” he explained. “The amateur experience he’s had, he’s fought all over the world and has all the tools to handle every style. Luis has fought many southpaws and knows what to do with them. He’s sure he’s going to win this fight and so am I.”
Rubio, who has known the fighter since he was 13, says he and Franco have been doing some very focused and intense work at his Xtream Boxing Gym in Hialeah, Florida.
“He’ll be 100% for the fight; I’m putting all my attention on Luis right now because if he wins, it’ll be good for him. He’s training hard, moving well. He has tremendous speed and he wants to win so bad that he’s had a great preparation.
At 31-years old, Franco needs a win if he is to ever reach the potential he had as one of the world’s best amateurs. He suffered his first pro defeat in his last fight, losing a close split decision in an IBF World Championship Eliminator against Argentina’s Mauricio Javier Munoz in Argentina.
“It’s very important for him and me to win this fight,” continued Rubio. “If he wins, he can fight for a championship, but if he loses, he’ll have a problem landing big fights in the future. He must win this fight.”
Franco and Fortuna will clash in the ESPN Friday Night Fights-televised 10-round main event of a night of world-class boxing, presented by Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing and Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing (in association with Tony Holden Productions and the Buffalo Run Casino).
And in the televised 10-round welterweight co-main event, former world champion Kermit “El Asesino” Cintron (33-5-2, 28 KOs) will take on tough Dominican Jonathan Batista (14-1, 7 KOs).
