Fans at AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas will be in for a treat on Saturday, September 17, as top welterweight contenders Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-1, 13 KOs) and Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (19-1, 11 KOs), make their grand return to the ring in respective 10-round fights.
Ali and Gomez will be headlining the preliminary undercard which will start off the action on Mexican Independence Day weekend, ahead of the live Pay-Per-View telecast.
Diving head first into the action in the Lone Star State this September will be the pride of Brooklyn, as Sadam “World Kid” Alimakes his grand return to the ring to take on Saul Corral (21-7, 12 KOs) of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico in a 10-round welterweight fight. The Bronx’s Eddie “E-boy” Gomez will also be participating in a 10-round fight defending his IBF North American Welterweight Title against Mexican fighter Dario “Maczio” Ferman (13-1, 10 KOs).
Part of the non-televised action streaming live on RingTVLive.com and The Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page (www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing) starting at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT, a trio of undefeated Texas prospects including super lightweight Vergil Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO) of Dallas, and San Antonio’s lightweight Hector “El Finito” Tanajara, Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) and bantamweight Joshua “The Professor” Franco (6-0, 3 KOs) will be looking to make their hometowns proud as they each participate in respective four-round and six-round matches. Franco will be facing Brian Bazan (9-2, 6 KOs) of Mexico City in a six-round bantamweight bout, while fellow stable mate Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (15-0, 7 KOs) will participate in an eight-round super lightweight bout. Also part of the nights events, Alexis Salazar (12-3, 6 KOs) of Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico will participate in a super welterweight match to go six rounds, and Anthony Yarde (7-0, 6 KOs) of London, England will open up the night in a six-round light heavyweight fight. Opponents will be announced shortly.
“The preliminary undercard for Canelo vs. Smith features a string of talented and exciting fighters to watch in the ring from rising welterweight contenders to young, thirsty lightweight and bantamweight prospects,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “On Sept. 17, Sadam Ali is determined to prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with after a difficult loss to Jessie Vargas earlier this year, and Eddie Gomez will show the fans that he is a threat not to be ignored in the hot welterweight division. Additionally, we have some of Texas’s most promising prospects on the card with Vergil Ortiz, Hector Tanajara, Jr. and Joshua Franco and as fight fans know – some of the best fighters in the sport have come from the Lone Star State. In addition to an exciting undercard, Canelo vs. Smith will be an event that celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with activities to enjoy and celebrate Canelo reclaiming Mexican Independence Day weekend for fight fans.”
A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team, Brooklyn’s Sadam World Kid” Ali is one of the best boxers to emerge from New York in recent years, and his victories over the likes of Jeremy Bryan, Luis Carlos “El Potro” Abregu and Francisco “Chia” Santana have allowed him to soar to the top of the welterweight class. In March, Ali suffered the first loss of his professional career in a WBO World Championship fight against Jessie “Ruthless” Vargas, but the road back begins on September 17, and this talented 27-year-old can’t wait.
Mexican Fighter Saul Corral has been looking for a way to break back into the US Fight scene. He is courageously stepping into the ring for second time in the states as he battles Sadam Ali as the main event for the Preliminary Undercard for the live streamed portion HBO’s Canelo versus Smith Pay Per View event. Corral’s last entry to the ring resulted in a victorious technical knockout to receive the WBC FECARBOX welterweight title, as he stopped Francisco Medel at the 5th round in a scheduled 12 round fight. He will be leveraging the win as he steps into the ring, using that as his fuel for his scheduled main-event this 9-17.
A Golden Boy stable mate since 2010, Bronx native Eddie “E Boy” Gomez was born to be a boxing champion. As a two-time Junior Olympic national champion and son of a Honduran boxer Eddie Sr.; Gomez has made a bold mark on professional boxing as well and even impressed the likes of the notorious Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. The 23-year-old fighter has captured 11 KOs under his belt including defeats of well-known boxers Steve Upsher Chambers, Luis Hernandez, and Jovany Javier Gomez. Following an epic takedown of Jonathan Batista a year ago in New York, “E Boy” is filled with a vengeance for a victory when he builds his boxing reputation fighting on the undercard of Canelo vs. Smith.
Hailing from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, Dario “Macizo” Ferman will fight for the first time in Texas to seize the vacant IBF North American Welterweight title as his own. Having been on a winning knockout streak since turning professional three years ago, Ferman will not go down easy as he fights on the undercard of fellow Mexican knockout artist Canelo Alvarez. After a heart wrenching loss to Abel Ramos earlier this year, “Macizo” is fired up for redemption in the ring when he faces the pride of the Bronx, Eddie “E-boy” Gomez this September 17.
Winner of 140 amateur bouts and seven national championships, Dallas’ own Vergil Ortiz Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) got his professional career off to a spectacular start on July 30 when he knocked out Julio Rodas in 97 seconds at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. Now looking to make it two for two, the 18-year-old super lightweight will be getting a home game this September against a soon to be named opponent.
San Antonio’s “El Finito,” Hector Tanajara, Jr. is another Texas star on the rise, and at 19 years old, he hasn’t even started to scratch the surface of his enormous potential. Unbeaten in six bouts, Tanajara has ended four of those bouts in a single round, most recently stopping Francisco “El Mono” Medel on May 25. Tanajara will jump back in the action for a six-round lightweight fight, eager to take on any opponent willing to step up for the challenge.
San Antonio, Texas’s Joshua “The Professor” Franco, who made his debut less than a year ago as a new Golden Boy fighter on the August 6 edition of the popular LA FIGHT CLUB series in Los Angeles, defeating Temoatzin Landeros via split decision, and quickly followed up with a victory over Saul “Bebe” Hernandez at the October installment. He ended 2015 on a high note, with a first round knockout victory over Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico’s Leonard Reyes in December. Franco has stayed active in 2016, having fought three times previously this year and obtained victories once by knockout and twice via unanimous decision.
Tijuana’s Bryan Bazan will step in to the ring to defend his name on Mexican Independence Day weekend, as he fights for the first time in the United States. With experience fighting all over Mexico, Bazan is sure to bring his fans out to cheer him on when he takes on Joshua Franco for a six-round bantamweight battle. Having never been knocked out, this fighter’s resilient spirit and relentless punching power make him an opponent to watch out for.
Proud Brooklyn, New York native Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa built his reputation on the tough local circuit in the Big Apple, but since 2015, the 23-year-old has taken his show on the road, winning fights in Texas, Puerto Rico, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In October 2015 of last year, he showed off his massive talent, battling Alejandro Rodriguez at the historic Belasco Theatre, where he got the impressive third round stoppage. He then went on to fight Rosbel Montoya at the DC Armory in Washington DC, as boxing critics praised the young talent’s quick combinations and nearly perfect shoutout of Montaya. Ochoa’s last performance was held at the Belasco theatre, in which he landed a massive knock out against Luis Joel Gonzalez. He is looking to do the same this time around again, as part of the Canelo-Smith PPV undercard.
As a sparring partner to Canelo Alvarez, super welterweight all-star Alexis Salazar has been high on a knockout streak after taking down fellow fighters Victor Marquez and Michel Rosales. After his impressive unanimous decision win on May 25th over Hector Velasquez at the annual Sugar Ray Leonard charity event, this Mexican fighter will be making his second fighting debut on American soil when he faces a soon to be named opponent on the undercard of Canelo vs. Smith.
Opening the mega-fight with the first bout of the night, London, England’s Anthony Yarde will participate in a light heavyweight match scheduled to go six rounds against a soon to be named opponent. Having made quite a reputation for himself, by ending six out of his seven professional bouts by way of knockout, Yarde will beginning the night with a bang as he brings his strength and power in to the ring as the first fight on the Canelo vs. Smith undercard.
