With three hugely successful boxing events under their belt so far in 2012, Erik “Terrible” Morales’ promotional outfit Box Latino is gearing up to go outside of Baja California and present a mega card on Saturday, May 19th, in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico where hometown favorite and WBC USNBC super bantamweight champion Oscar “Fantasma” Gonzalez (27-1, 24KOs) looks to defend his newly acquired versus elite level challenger Giovanni “Ruso” Caro (23-10-4, 18KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico, in a scheduled twelve round bout. Televisa, as part of their weekly “Sabados de Corona” boxing series, will broadcast the contest live in Mexico.
The Gonzalez-Caro firework-filled match up pits a young hungry lion versus a seasoned veteran looking for another world title opportunity. Gonzalez has not performed in his hometown since late ’09 when he defeated Hugo Morales to capture the WBC Youth super bantamweight title. Caro, who makes his home in nearby Guadalajara, Mexico, is sure to have a number of supporters pleading his case the night of the fight.
The #13 WBC ranked Gonzalez is on an international tear since last year including a win in the Televisa broadcast “Reto de Campeones WBC (WBC Champion’s Challenge)” reality boxing tournament in which he defeated Thailand’s Vacharakrit Senahan and Panama’s Roberto “La Araña” Vazquez to reach the final and stop Caril Herrera of Uruguay in seven rounds to crown himself the king of the tourney. Earlier this year, Gonzalez captured the title he will be defending by stopping world traveled Gerardo “Locomotora” Espinoza in five rounds and in a stay busy fight Manuel Aguilar last month in two rounds.
Despite his busy schedule against world-class opposition, Gonzalez will perhaps face his toughest and most experienced rival in Caro. In a seven-year old career, the twenty-eight year old Caro has faced the much tougher opponents in the likes of Victor Terrazas, Olivier Lontchi and Chris Avalos. Caro owns wins over Francisco “Frankie” Leal, Ricardo “Piolo” Castillo and Genaro Camargo. Late last year, Caro challenged IBF 122 pounder Takalani Ndlovu for his title and came up short with a close split decision loss and is coming off a 1st round KO of Julio Cesar Torres in a comeback fight.
Also featured on the fight card will be undefeated NABF junior flyweight champion Pedro “Pedrin” Guevara (17-0-1, 13KOs) of Mazatlan, Mexico, defending his title versus La Paz, Mexico’s Raul “Pay” Castañeda (14-2, 8KOs) in a twelve round tilt.
The night will also mark the return of super featherweight Omar “Dinamita” Estrella (15-4-2, 10KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico. In his last bout, Estrella battled former super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon for the vacant WBC USNBC 126 lbs. title. Despite a valiant effort in which Estrella sent Ponce de Leon down to the canvas for only the second time in the ex-champion’s career, Ponce de Leon’s experience was too much as Estrella was stopped in six rounds. Estrella will be facing the always dangerous TBA.
