Deerfield Beach, FL—With the hottest summer in history blistering our shores, it seems the only fans not trying to cool things down are local boxing fans. Indeed with two major promoters now staging cards at Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Live, quality local boxing just went from hot to downright thermonuclear!
Acquinity Sports steps onto center stage to steal the limelight on Saturday, July 21st with a staggering eleven-bout extravaganza of hungry young talent from junior featherweight all the way to heavyweight. Telemundo’s wildly-popular Solo Boxeo will televise the action, adding some Latin spice to the fistic fireworks in the ring.
The twelve-round main event features an IBF super featherweight eliminator between Dominican Argenis Mendez (19-2, 10 KOs) and Mexican Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (32-7-1, 16 KOs) in a rematch of their closely-contested 2010 battle--which Mendez won by majority decision.
Both men have vengeance on their minds for this bout; Honorio for the prior loss to Mendez and Mendez for another crack at IBF champion Juan Carlos Salgado. Mendez dropped and nearly stopped the Mexican champion in Guadalajara during the twelfth round of their savage encounter last September and vows no quarter nor escape for Honorio or Salgado this time around.
Undefeated Dominican 2008 Olympian gold medalist Felix Diaz (11-0, 6 KOs) returns to the Hard Rock to face Miguel Angel “Flaco” Mungia (25-24-1, 21 KOs) in a six-round welterweight co-feature. The southpaw Diaz continues to impress fans and foes with his technical superiority.
Fellow undefeated Dominican southpaw Claudio “Matrix” Marrero (12-0, 9 KOs) squares off against Mexican Juan Jose “Pinocho” Beltran (27-19, 18 KOs) in a 10-round NABA featherweight title bout. Bantamweight Juan Carlos “Baby Pacquiao” Payano (10-0, 5 KOs) steps up against Colombian veteran John Alberto Molina (32-18-3, 20 KOs) in a regional ten-round Fedelatin title contest.
Many fans will watch with a mixture of curiosity and expectation to witness the renewed commitment of former three-time world champion Joan “Baby Tyson” Guzman (32-0-1, 19 KOs) when he steps into the ring opposite Jorge “El Tigre” Pimentel (25-15, 19 KOs) for a ten-round NABA light welterweight title defense. (Guzman’s eighth-round demolition of Jesus Pabon last March instantly shot to the top of the list for contention in ESPN’s Friday Night Fight’s knockout of the year balloting.)
Hollywood’s own welterweight contender Ed “The Lion” Paredes (30-3-1, 20 KOs) finally gets his shot at former WBA light welterweight world champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris (29-7-2, 19 KOs) in a ten-round battle for an NABA and Fedelatin belt. Health issues forced the young “Lion” to scrap a scheduled showdown against the Guyanese warrior in May, but Paredes boldly claims he plans to stop Harris by the fourth round.
Cuban heavyweight Glendy “The Guantanamo Giant” Hernandez (7-0, 3 KOs) makes his Acquinity debut in a six-round bout against Tobias Rice (4-5, 2 KOs). Miami featherweight Jessy Cruz (7-4-1, 2 KOs) battles Jesus Lule (4-2) for a scheduled six rounds. Undefeated Dominican light heavyweight Lenin Castillo (6-0, 3 KOs) fights Ricardo Campillo (7-2-1, 5 KOs) in a four-round bout.
On an unexpectedly tragic note, Acquinity Sports sends its deepest heartfelt condolences to the family of Manuel Bocanegra. Manuel was originally scheduled to fight Felix Diaz in the televised co-main event but passed away just three days ago and well before his time at the age of thirty-six.
The final press conference for Acquinity’s night of professional boxing will be held at Paradise Live in The Seminole Hard Rock on Wednesday, July 19th beginning at 1 PM. Weigh-in is scheduled at the same venue for Thursday, July 20th. Doors open at 5:30 on Saturday, July 21st, first bell at 6 PM. Ticket prices are $54, $74, $104 and $154. Fight fans may win free tickets, including ringside seats, simply by texting: “TIX” to 23000. Acquinity CEO Gary Jonas and Vice President Henry Rivalta encourage all South Florida fans to participate for a chance to win some free tickets and enjoy a star-studded event. You never know who you will see at The Hard Rock!
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