After an explosive night of boxing on January 6, Golden Boy Promotions is excited to return to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California on Friday, March 16 with Weslaco, Texas’ Omar Figueroa Jr., who handed rising star Michael Perez his first loss that night, taking on Mexico’s Ramon Ayala in a 10 round battle for Figueroa’s WBO Intercontinental Youth lightweight title.
In the co-main event, Randy Caballero’s first ShoBox bout promises to be the toughest of his career as he faces Mexico’s Jose Luis “Tapitas” Araiza in defense of his WBC Youth Intercontinental title in a 10 round bout..
When you’ve ended eight of your wins in two rounds or less, it’s clear that you have the kind of power to draw attention from boxing experts and fans alike. Yet while Omar Figueroa Jr. (14-0-1, 11 KO’s) has been on the boxing world’s radar for a couple of years, it wasn’t until January 6 that everyone got a true dose of the potential that the 22-year-old “Panterita” possesses.
It was on that night earlier this year that Figueroa stopped unbeaten and highly regarded fellow prospect Michael “The Artist” Perez in six rounds in the same building in which he will fight on March 16 and the Texan expects the same result against Ramon Ayala.
A respected amateur who is now soaring towards the top of the lightweight division, Ramon “Nino De Oro” Ayala (23-2-1, 11 KO’s) has done a lot of fighting for someone just 23-years-old, but it’s that experience which he expects to lead him to victory when he battles Omar Figueroa in March.
Winner of five in a row, including three by knockout, the former WBC Youth junior welterweight champion has the style, desire and skill to give anyone problems in the ring and that’s just what he’s planning on doing to Figueroa on March 16.
The favorite boxing son of Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, where he has won his last seven consecutive bouts (and eight overall), 21-year-old Randy Caballero (13-0, 7 KO’s) has built a sizable local following that gives him an extra jolt of energy every time he fights.
In July of 2011, the two-year professional won the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental super bantamweight title with a near-shutout of then 8-0-1 Alexis Santiago and has defended his title once, shutting down Arturo Santiago over eight rounds last December. Now he’s looking forward to his ShoBox debut, where he can introduce himself to the rest of the country.
A native of Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico who now makes his home in Tecate, Jose Luis Araiza (29-5-1, 20 KO’s) is a fighter who has the type of power that can put any opponent on his back, and with 11 of his knockout wins coming in three rounds or less, he is dangerous from the moment the first bell rings until the final one heard.
In his most recent bout in January, he fought to a draw with 18-1 prospect Jesus Rojas. On March 16, Araiza will look to introduce Caballero to the loss column.
This ShoBox doubleheader, which is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T, will be televised live on ShoBox: The New Generation at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) on SHOWTIME®.
Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com. Doors at Fantasy Springs will open at 6:00 p.m. PT on fight night and the first bell rings at 6:30 p.m. PT.
