Bòkseo Archives | Page 7 of 11

June 28, 2012

Art Hovhannisyan vs. Miguel Acosta

Gary Shaw Productions in association with Thompson Boxing Promotions will bring another exciting night of professional boxing to the Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., on July 20, when undefeated Armenian, Art Hovhannisyan (14-0-2, 8 KOs) and Venezuelan, Miguel Acosta (29-5-2, 23 KOs) fight in the 10-round main event. The lightweight bout will be televised live on ShoBox: The New Generation (SHOWTIME® 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Known for having power in both hands, Hovhannisyan boosts an undefeated record and a great chin as he’s never hit the canvas as a professional or amateur. In his last fight against former world champion, Cristobal Cruz (39-13-3, 23 KOs), an accidental head butt stopped their bout after a cut over Cruz’s right eye was deemed too bad to continue from the referee. Hovhannisyan will look to rebound with a victory and move up the rankings.

“Acosta was on his way to beating Brandon Rios until he ran out of gas,” Hovhannisyan said. “Everyone knows he can fight at the championship level so when I beat him, I too will be considered viable at the championship level. A win against Acosta gets me closer to that world title shot.”

“If Hovhannisyan catches Acosta on that chin it’s good night,” promoter Gary Shaw said. “Acosta is very skilled and has a fun style the fans will enjoy. This is another great fight that SHOWTIME is binging to the fans. Hovhannisyan punches hard and the fans are going to see some fireworks.”

Acosta is a proven warrior that comes to fight every time he steps in the ring. Having victories against three previously undefeated fighters gives Acosta confidence in his ability to come out victorious.

“I’ve been in this situation before, fighting an undefeated fighter with all his fans attending,” Acosta said. “What they don’t realize is that I’m going to spoil the party. Hovhannisyan is a good fighter, but he’s not on that championship level. I’m motivated to end his unbeaten streak. The fans will see great action in this fight.”

Light middleweights headline the eight-round co-main event that feature’s Philadelphia’s unbeaten rising star, Julian “J-Rock” Williams (9-0-1, 4 KOs) against Nevada’s Said El Harrak (10-2, 5 KOs). Williams, known for his great boxing skills, wants to let the fans know he’s the real deal.

“I come to fight every time I step in the ring,” Williams said. “I’m going to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity fighting on ShoBox. I want to thank Gary Shaw for believing in me and I promise to put on a great show.”

The rest of the undercard: Talented undefeated prospect, Roman Morales (10-0, 6 KOs), of San Ardo, Calif., faces Alexis Santiago (11-2-1 5 KOs), of Phoenix, Ariz., in an eight-round super bantamweight bout; local fan favorite Ruffino Serrano (12-4), of nearby Santa Maria, Calif., will fight for the first-ever Central Coast Title against Seattle’s Rob Diezel (8-4, 3 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight contest; Chumash Resort Casino hometown hero, lightweight Francisco Santana (12-3-1, 6 KOs), of Santa Barbara, Calif., will face an opponent to be announced and undefeated lightweight Jonathan Maicelo (16-0, 9 KOs) and featherweight Roy Tapia (3-0-1, 2 KOs) are also slated to meet opponents to be announced.

Tickets priced $35, $45, $55, $70, and $85 are on sale and can be purchased at the Chumash Resort Casino Box office or online at www.startickets.com.

June 26, 2012

Gary Shaw Responds To Tarver’s Positive Drug Test

Promoter Gary Shaw is concerned about the damage done in the sport of boxing after the news Friday that Antonio Tarver tested positive for a banned substance in a pre-fight drug test conducted by the California State Athletic Commission before his fight with Lateef Kayode.

“It’s very worrisome where our sport is heading these days with the recent array of fighters testing positive for banned substances,” Shaw said. “With all these fights being canceled its killing the sport and I hope the networks are not going to lose interest. As promoters, we do our best to make sure everyone is abiding by the rules. I’m happy that the commissions are stepping up their stance on catching fighters cheating because the safety of the fighter should always come first.

“It’s unfortunate that in Lateef Kayode’s first major opportunity, he had to fight on what appears to be an unlevel playing field. I have a lot of respect for Antonio Tarver and would be very disappointed to find out that he knowingly took performance enhancing drugs. It is my hope that Tarver requests that the B sample will be tested and will show that Tarver was clean. However if the sample comes back dirty, then the commission should take appropriate action. It was a very close fight as it was ruled a split draw, but now that we have been informed by the California State Athletic Commission about the alleged drug use, I’ll have to talk to Lateef and his management team to see what we’ll do to resolve this matter.

“In addition, the horrible scoring by the judges, the excessive use of PED’s, and the inability of promoters working together, is only going to kill this sport,” Shaw continued. “Something needs to be done and major changes need to be made, and the time is now. The boxing business is getting worse by the day and we are losing fans by the minute. Boxing has been around longer than any other sport and we must keep the integrity of the game pure. I implore the commissions around the United States to take severe action against any fighter who doesn’t abide by the commissions’ standards. We need a strict drug testing policy to rid the sport of those that don’t want to play by the rules, and we need more competent judges.”

June 12, 2012

Amir “King” Khan & Danny “Swift” Garcia Set For July 14 At Mandalay Bay Events Center

Former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Amir “King” Khan makes his 2012 ring debut when he returns to the venue of perhaps his most accomplished professional triumph when he meets undefeated phenom and current WBC Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia Saturday, July 14 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in a fight televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing.

“Khan vs. Garcia,” a 12-round super lightweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The fight will be broadcast live on HBO World Championship Boxing at 11:00 p.m. ET/ PT in the United States and live on Sky Sports 1HD in the United Kingdom at 1:00 a.m. GMT on July 15.

Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges, are available for purchase at the Mandalay Bay box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase atwww.mandaylaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for fans traveling from the United Kingdom are available for purchase online at www.sportscorporation.com or by calling +44 (0)845 163 0845.

Amir “King” Khan (26-2, 18 KOs), who at only 25 years old is already a star in the United Kingdom, selling out huge arenas and racking up impressive pay-per-view numbers. Considered one of the sport’s future stars, Khan has sailed to the heights of the worlds of amateur and professional boxing, however, he is far from finished on his quest to becoming the best of his era. An accomplished amateur who earned a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens at only 17 years old, the Bolton, England native took the professional game by storm in 2005 and, with the exception of a brief bump in the road in 2008 when he was upset by Breidis Prescott, Khan has since been nearly unstoppable. Khan first became a world champion in July 2009 when he defeated WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Andreas Kotelnik. Khan defended the crown five times, first knocking out previously undefeated Dmitriy Salita in less than one round. Next, in his United States debut at Madison Square Garden in May 2010, he dominated the always tough and current WBA Welterweight World Champion Paul Malignaggi en route to an 11^th round technical knockout win. On December 11, 2010 at Mandalay Bay, Khan battled Marcos Maidana in what was eventually named the Boxing Writers Association of America 2010 Fight of the Year. The fight saw Khan dominate the early rounds, scoring a first round knockdown, but Maidana closed the gap in the later rounds. Khan displayed some extremely impressive fortitude in surviving a vicious 10^th round onslaught by Maidana in which the British star looked to be on the brink of being knocked out. Khan made it out of the round on his feet and came out swinging in the 11th and 12^th rounds, sealing the unanimous decision victory in an instant classic.

On April 16, 2011, Khan retained his title by defeating European Champion Paul McCloskey via technical decision in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 17,000 at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England. Next came a July 23, 2011 win over then IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Zab Judah, making Khan the unified 140-pound world champion. Next up was an IBF mandatory bout against Lamont Peterson, and in another Fight of the Year candidate on December 10 of last year, Khan lost a controversial split decision and his titles. A rematch was the first order of business, but after Peterson failed a pre-fight drug test and their scheduled May 19 bout was canceled, Khan was forced to look for another big fight. Luckily, he found it in the form of a bout against WBC Super Lightweight World Champion Danny Garcia on July 14.

The latest world champion to emerge from the fighting city of Philadelphia, WBC Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs) is unbeaten and untouched as a pro, a testament to his world-class talent, style and determination. A United States Olympic alternate who compiled a 107-13 record as an amateur and won the 2005 Under-19 National Championship, the 2005 International Championship in Finland and the 2006 United States National Championship before deciding to turn pro in November 2007, Garcia’s road to the top has been a smooth one for him, but not for his opponents. After winning seven of his first eight professional fights by knockout, Garcia began showing aspects of his game other than his power as his level of competition increased. By mid-2009, he started to make his move with knockouts of well-regarded Pavel Miranda, Oscar Leon and Enrique Colin, the latter fight earning him the WBC Youth Intercontinental title. 2010 was even more impressive for Garcia as he defeated top prospect Ashley Theophane and stopped contenders Jorge Romero and Mike Aranoutis, before announcing his arrival to the world in 2011. Last year, “Swift” defeated former World Champions Nate Campbell and Kendall Holt in successive bouts, earning himself a shot at a world title against legendary future Hall of Famer Erik Morales. In that fight on March 24 earlier this year, Garcia was in top form, knocking the Mexican icon down in the 11^th round en route to a unanimous decision and the world championship. As the old adage goes, winning the title is the easy part, defending it is the tough part. After a celebratory few months that included being honored by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, the tough part now begins for Garcia, and the 24-year-old is ready to defend his belt against all comers, starting with an extremely stiff test in former Two-Time World Champion Amir Khan this summer in Las Vegas.

June 12, 2012

Cornelius Bundrage vs. Cory Spinks II

After nearly two long years, former Two-Division World Champion Cory Spinks will finally get the chance to even the score with IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage, when the two will meet up in an intriguing title fight rematch that headlines a special Saturday night edition of ShoBox: The New Generation on June 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

In their first fight on August 7, 2010, Bundrage stunned Spinks in front of his hometown fans in St. Louis, seizing the IBF 154-pound title with a 5^th round technical knockout victory. Spinks will look to exact revenge on neutral ground in Indio on June 30.

Bundrage vs. Spinks, a 12 round fight for the IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The ShoBox: The New Generation telecast will air live on SHOWTIME at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Hard-hitting Cornelius Bundrage (31-4, 18 KO’s) didn’t have an easy road on his way to the top, but with determination, an aggressive style and fight-ending power, he earned championship gold. A former star of NBC’s hit boxing reality show ‘The Contender,’ the Detroit native used his notoriety from the series to propel himself into the top ten and beyond, defeating Chris Smith, Kassim Ouma and Grady Brewer to earn a title shot in 2010. Despite the odds against him, Bundrage defeated the hometown hero and after defending his title (and avenging an earlier loss) by beating Sechew Powell in 2011, the 39-year-old is ready to meet Spinks again.

One of the top boxers of this era, St. Louis’ former Undisputed Welterweight World Champion Cory Spinks (39-6, 11 KO’s) is a slick boxer who possesses an impressive defensive game along with a will to win that is second to none. A member of one of boxing’s first families, along with his father Leon and uncle Michael, Spinks joined them among the roll call of world champions in 2003 when he defeated Michele Piccirillo for the IBF Welterweight World Title. Spinks defended his belt three times before losing it to Zab Judah in their 2005 rematch, but by 2006 he was a champion again, beating Roman Karmazin for the Junior Middleweight World Title. After losing and regaining the belt in 2008 and 2009 respectively, Spinks lost his title to Bundrage in August of 2010, but after back-to-back wins on the comeback trail, the 34-year-old has his sights set on capturing a world championship yet again.

June 12, 2012

Future Hall of Famer Winky Wright Retires At 40

Following a hard-fought 10-round battle with Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin this past Saturday night at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., former Undisputed Junior Middleweight World Champion and longtime middleweight contender Ronald “Winky” Wright has decided to retire at the age of 40.

“Part of being a boxer is knowing when to call it quits,” said Wright. “It’s time for me. I did what I set out to do and that was to be great and become a world champion. I have a lot of great memories from my career and will still support this great sport which I have dedicated my life to. I want to thank all of the people who helped me along the way and especially the fans that supported me all of these years.”

“Winky Wright is a class act in and out of the ring and if you wanted to see what true skill was, you watched him fight,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “I congratulate him on his amazing career. I know we’ll be seeing him in the Hall of Fame very soon. Winky, it was an honor to watch you in the ring and to promote some of your fights.”

“Winky is the consummate athlete, but more importantly a man of character, trust and a great parent,” said Jim Wilkes, Wright’s attorney and long-time friend. “In a world of indulgence, he has never smoked a cigarette or had a drink of alcohol. He is a great friend and I look forward to his adventures to come.”

“It’s been an incredible and blessed experience to represent one of the all-time greatest pound-four-pound fighters in Winky Wright,” said Damian Ramirez, Wright’s advisor and long-time friend. “I’ll miss the fun times and laughs we enjoyed during his road to greatness inside the ring. I consider him not only a friend, but a brother. He is an extraordinary person and, in my eyes, a world champion for life!”

A true throwback fighter who competed around the world while taking on all comers, Wright (51-6-1, 25 KO’s) thrilled fans in the United States, France, Germany, Argentina, South Africa and England over the course of his nearly 22-year career, showing off the finer points of the sweet science every time he stepped into the ring.

After building his reputation on the international scene, the only place where he could get anyone to fight him, the pride of St. Petersburg, Florida finally got his first shot at a world title in August of 1994, when he lost a decision to WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Julio Cesar Vasquez.

Undeterred, Wright ran off nine consecutive victories and in his 10^th fight following his fight against Vasquez, he defeated Bronco McKart on May 17, 1996 to win the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title. Wright defended the belt three times before a loss to Harry Simon in August of 1999. Two fights later he made his HBO debut and lost a highly controversial decision to then unbeaten Fernando Vargas which was widely seen as one of the worst verdicts of 1999.

Wright’s resilience was unmatched and by 2001, he was a world champion again, defeating Robert Frazier for the IBF 154-pound title. For the next six years, no one touched Wright as he earned a place on the pound-for-pound list by unifying the junior middleweight titles while defeating the likes of Sugar Shane Mosley (twice), Felix Trinidad and Ike Quartey.

Fighting sporadically following a 2007 loss to Bernard Hopkins, Wright would suffer defeats in 2009 to Paul Williams and this past Saturday night to Quillin, but as was his custom, he went out fighting, leaving it all in the ring for the world to see.

Wright now looks forward to the day he will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Until then, he’ll spend his time with loves of life; his wife Pie, his children, nieces, nephews and the golf courses of the west coast of Florida.

June 12, 2012

Showtime Sports® Announces New Documentary Series: All Access

Building off its Emmy® Award-winning campaign in 2011, SHOWTIME Sports®will introduce a new documentary series titled ALL ACCESS in June.

The first installment, ALL ACCESS: Victor Ortiz, will premiere on Wednesday, June 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®, ahead of the former welterweight world champion’s headlining fight against Josesito Lopez on the June 23 edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, and in place of the previously announced FIGHT CAMP 360° series on the event. Following the premiere, ALL ACCESS: Victor Ortiz will re-air multiple times on CBS Sports Network, SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME EXTREME®, and will be available anytime on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®.

From the network that created the acclaimed FIGHT CAMP 360°, ALL ACCESS will provide viewers with intimate portraits of the most compelling personalities in sports. Although not limited to the fight game, initial series subjects will take viewers behind the curtain and inside the provocative and often edgy world of boxing and mixed martial arts with virtually unrestricted access as only SHOWTIME can.

“Captivating storylines abound in the world of sports, and ALL ACCESS will illuminate them in a unique and thorough manner,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “No longer reserved for blockbuster events, this series will give viewers a behind-the-scenes ‘all access’ look at individual personalities, places and storylines throughout sports like no other show on television.”

The 30-minute debut will chronicle the charismatic and hard-hitting welterweight boxer’s journey from his perspective.

“The tumultuous events of the last year of Victor’s career have been documented, but never before from an intimate, first-person perspective,” said Espinoza. “ALL ACCESS: Victor Ortiz will do just that as Victor continues his journey back toward the top of the 147-pound division. ALL ACCESS will reveal Victor Ortiz as a person, living in the real world with some of the same challenges that we all face in life, and some of the challenges reserved only for his profession.”

In 2011, Ortiz participated in two of the year’s most anticipated bouts: the 2011 Fight of the Year (USA Today, The Ring magazine) where he captured Andre Berto‘s World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight world championship and a high-profile, controversial knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather on pay per view. Conversely in 2012, Ortiz participated in two of the year’s most discussed non-bouts: a Feb. 11 rematch against Berto that was postponed when Berto suffered a torn left biceps injury in training camp and the pair’s rescheduled June 23 matchup that was cancelled after Berto failed a pre-fight drug test.

The Saturday, June 23, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will be a live three-fight event (SHOWTIME, 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) featuring an all-action 12-round bout between super lightweights Humberto Soto and Lucas Matthysse as well as 10-round fight featuring hard-hitting American heavyweight Chris Arreola.

June 12, 2012

Adrien Broner To Return To Cincinnati For July 21 Title Defense

U.S. Bank Arena will have a “Problem” on its hands on Saturday, July 21 when undefeated WBO Junior Lightweight World Champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner returns home to Cincinnati, Ohio to make his second world title defense against former 2004 United States Olympian and number one rated WBO 130-pound contender Vicente “Chente” Escobedo in the main event of the HBO Boxing After Dark broadcast.

“Battle On The Banks: Broner vs. Escobedo,” a 12-round fight for Broner’s WBO Junior Lightweight World Championship will take place Saturday, July 21 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and R&R Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The HBO Boxing After Dark® broadcast will air at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets, priced at $128, $78, $53 and $28, go on sale this Saturday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. ET and will be available for purchase by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the U.S. Bank Arena Box Office beginning Tuesday, June 12 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Following in the footsteps of great Cincinnati champions like Ezzard Charles, Aaron Pryor and Tim Austin, Adrien “The Problem” Broner (23-0, 19 KO’s) is adding more fans to his bandwagon with each and every fight. A rare talent in the ring and wildly charismatic outside of the ring, the dynamic 22-year-old finished off a 4-0 campaign in 2011 with a November 26 knockout win over Vicente Rodriguez that earned him the vacant WBO Junior Lightweight World Title in front of him hometown fans in Cincinnati. Broner was even more impressive in his first title defense on February 25 when he stopped previously unbeaten Eloy Perez in four rounds to retain his crown. Next up is Escobedo and Broner has no intention of giving up his title, especially not in Cincinnati.

A member of the 2004 United States Olympic team, Vicente Escobedo (26-3, 15 KO’s) has cut a steady path through the obstacles in his path over the last eight years and now he’s more than ready to claim a world championship in Ohio this July. A talented boxer-puncher with power in both hands, the 30-year-old from Woodland, Calif. who now makes his home in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. has defeated former World Champions Carlos Hernandez and Kevin Kelley at lightweight on the way to a world title fight against Michael Katsidis in 2009 that he lost via a controversial split decision. Escobedo then moved down to junior lightweight where he found his niche and now boasts a four-fight winning streak, including a March win over Lonnie Smith for the NABO Junior Lightweight Championship, earning him status as the WBO’s number one rated junior lightweight contender and another shot at a world title. On July 21, he’ll look to shock the Cincinnati crowd and bring the title back with him to Calfiornia.

June 12, 2012

Gary Shaw Productions Not Interested in Kayode vs. Flores Bout

Once beaten cruiserweight contender BJ Flores (27-1-1, 17 KOs) has gone public, calling out undefeated Nigerian Lateef “Power” Kayode (18-0-1, 14 KOs) after his fight on Showtime Championship Boxing where he had a draw with five-time world champion, Antonio Tarver (29-6-1, 20 KOs). Flores contacted Gary Shaw Productionslast week with his request.

Said John Beninati, matchmaker for Gary Shaw Productions, “Dear BJ, first I want to say that I think you are great for boxing and I am a big fan. However, Lateef Kayode had a draw with the best Cruiserweight on the planet last week in Antonio Tarver. Although we at GSP think you’re a good fighter, Lateef Kayode is looking for much bigger fights in the future.”

June 12, 2012

Alejandro Berrio Returns This Friday June 15, 2012 in Colombia

Columbia’s former super middleweight champion, Alejandro Berrio (32-5, 29 KOs), returns to the ring this Friday, June 15, when he faces fellow countryman Evert Bravo (18-4-1, 14 KOs) in the 10-round main event at the Coliseo Cubierto Elias Chegwin in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Berrio has big wins against current WBO super middleweight titlest, Robert Stieglitz (42-2, 23 KOs) and American Yusaf Mack (30-4-2, 17 KOs), giving both fighters their first losses as professionals.

“I know I can beat anyone in the world if I’m 100 percent focused,” said Berrio. “I’ve proven that I’m a fighter that can compete on the championship stage. I’m looking to knock out my opponent and move on to a big fight, hopefully a world title shot.”

“Berrio has been out of the ring for over a year and my goal is to get him back into title contention,” said Boxing 360 promoter Mario Yagobi. “He’s a powerful puncher and is currently riding a six-fight winning streak. He has talent and he’s hungry to get back on top. A big opportunity lies ahead if he can win this fight.”

May 23, 2012

Josesito Lopez Steps In To Face “Vicious” Victor Ortiz

It was officially announced today that popular contender Josesito Lopez, of Riverside, California, has been tapped to meet “Vicious” Victor Ortiz in the main event on Saturday, June 23, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Welterweight title, live on SHOWTIME. Lopez, who had been training for a June 22 bout that was canceled days ago, replaces Andre Berto following Berto’s failed pre-fight drug test which was revealed last Friday.

Ortiz vs. Lopez will headline a three-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast (live at 9 p.m. ET/PT, tape delayed on the West Coast) that now will include top rated heavyweight Chris Arreola in a 10-round bout against an opponent to be determined and the previously announced 12-round bout between Humberto Soto and Lucas Matthysse for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight title.

The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. Soto vs. Matthysse is presented in association with Baja Boxing Promotions and Arano Box Promotions. All tickets purchased for Ortiz vs. Berto II will be honored for this event.

The star of Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO’s) has been on the rise for the last few years, but in 2011, the native of Garden City, Kansas, finally put everything together for the entire world to see. The owner of wins over Mike Arnaoutis, Nate Campbell and Antonio Diaz, Ortiz stepped it up in April 2011 with a thrilling 12-round decision win over Berto that captivated the boxing world and earned him the WBC Welterweight Championship. Five months later, Ortiz would lose a controversial bout to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., but on June 23, the 25-year old begins his quest to get back to the top of the division.

The latest in the line of talented contenders from Southern California, 27-year old Josesito Lopez (29-4, 17 KO’s) has the style and determination to add “championship” to his resume sooner rather than later. A boxer-puncher who isn’t afraid to mix it up, Lopez flew under the radar for the early part of his career, but after a controversial decision loss to Edgar Santana in 2008, fight fans started taking notice of him. Following a seven fight winning streak that included a knockout of unbeaten Mike Dallas Jr. in 2011, Lopez got a coveted undercard fight against Jessie Vargas last September beneath the Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz pay-per-view mega-fight. While he lost a razor-thin split decision which many ringside observers had him winning, he proved that he can compete at the highest level of the sport.

A big puncher with an even bigger personality, Riverside’s Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (35-2, 30 KO’s) has long been considered one of the best and most popular heavyweights in the game today. A former world title challenger who took on Vitali Klitschko at STAPLES Center in 2009, the 31-year old Arreola has since won eight of his last nine bouts, including knockouts of Raphael Butler and Eric Molina. With a world championship fight right around the corner, he will have a lot at stake when he enters the ring in front of his loyal hometown fans at STAPLES Center.