Boxing has arrived to “The Windy City” as Chicago will be the site of one of the spring’s most intriguing showdowns, when FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes brings the Golden Boy Live! series to the UIC Pavilion on Monday, April 14 for the 10-round junior lightweight bout between unbeaten Ronny Rios and fellow prospect Andrew “Chango” Cancio.
“This type of matchup is what the Golden Boy Live! series was created for and in Ronny Rios vs. Andrew Cancio we could be seeing a fight where the winner goes on to eventually become a world champion,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Both of these young men know what’s at stake in this fight and it’s going to be a good one.”
“We’re happy to once again be partnering with Oscar De La Hoya, Richard Schaefer and Golden Boy Promotions for this world class boxing event,” said Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions. “Events like these are outstanding entertainment for fans while showcasing the great city of Chicago to the world.”
A former United States’ top amateur, Ronny Rios (22-0, 10 KOs) traded his quest for Olympic Gold for a journey toward a professional championship in 2008 and he has developed into one of boxing’s top young talents. Fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif., the 24-year-old Rios emerged as a future contender in 2012 when he won the NABF featherweight title by defeating former World Champion Rico Ramos. Now competing at 130 pounds, Rios will make his 2014 debut against Cancio this April.
Blythe, California’s Andrew “Chango” Cancio (15-2-2, 11 KOs) doesn’t just want to win his April 14 fight to move up the junior lightweight rankings and hand Rios his first loss, but also wants to pick up California bragging rights in the process. An eight-year pro, Cancio has won seven of his last eight bouts, with wins over longtime contender Rocky Juarez and up-and-comer Jerry Belmontes establishing the 25-year-old as a fighter to watch. Now it’s time to deliver in his first Golden Boy Live! main event and he’s ready for the challenge.
Local standouts featured on what is shaping up to be an exciting undercard include Harvey’s Jose Arambula (6-0, 3 KOs), who will be facing off in a six-round lightweight bout against Milwaukee’s David Diaz (4-0-1, 2 KOs), 19-year-old lightweight phenom Jose Felix Quezada (1-0, 1 KO) of Alsip, who stole the show earlier this month with a magnificent professional debut at the Pavilion, six-time Chicago Golden Gloves champion Kristen Gearhart (3-0, 1 KO) of Oak Park, lightweight Jose Romero (1-1) and super middleweight Israel Echevarria (2-2, 2 KOs) of Chicago. Opponents for Quezada, Gearhart, Romero and Echevarria, all of whom are competing in four-round bouts, will be announced shortly.
