LOS ANGELES, March 14 – On Friday, March 18, a dynamic duo of rising stars will break in Orange County’s newest fight venue, The Hangar at the O.C. Fair & Event Center, as unbeatens Luis Ramos Jr. and James Kirkland co-headline separate bouts that will be featured on the March 18 TeleFutura “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” card.
In the main event, the 17-0 Ramos Jr. faces Fort Worth, Texas’ Jose Hernandez in an eight round lightweight bout and in the co-feature, 26-0 junior middleweight star Kirkland takes on Colombia’s Jhon Berrio in an eight round battle.
The doubleheader, which headlines a night of world-class professional boxing, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roy Englebrecht Promotions’ special edition of “Fight Club O.C.”, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and AT&T. This event marks the first “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” broadcast in Orange County with the special edition series returning to The Hangar at the O.C. Fair & Event Center on May 20, September 30 and November 4. Doors open at 6:30pm PT, the first bell rings at 7:30pm PT and the TeleFutura broadcast begins at 11:30pm ET / PT (10:30pm CT).
Fans at home can also be part of the action by participating in Cinturón Tecate and voting for the fighter in the main event who displayed the most character in the ring by sending a text message to 55333. Voting will be open through the end of the weekend.
Tickets priced at $30 and $50 are on sale now and available for purchase at www.fightcluboc.com or by calling Roy Englebrecht Promotions at 949-760-3131.
Santa Ana’s Luis Ramos Jr. (17-0, 8 KO’s) began his march towards the junior welterweight elite in 2010 by defeating Colombian veteran Walter Estrada (who recently beat former World Champion Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell), ultra-tough Allen Litzau and Joshua Allotey before finishing the year with a shutout win over John Figueroa. Now looking to begin 2011 in style, the 22-year-old southpaw promises to not disappoint his local fans.
Of course, 24-year old Jose “Loco” Hernandez (10-4-1, 4 KO’s) plans to upset the hometown hero and considering that he has already taken on top prospects Sharif Bogere, Mike Perez, Matt Remillard and Mickey Bey Jr., as well as defeated the then 19-1 Noe “Platanito” Bolaños, it’s clear that Hernandez is fearless in the ring and expecting to give Ramos the fight of his life on the 18th.
The return to the ring of junior middleweight knockout artist James Kirkland (26-0, 23 KO’s) on March 5 was one of the most anticipated in recent history and the native of Austin, Texas who now resides in Las Vegas thrilled all his fans with a 34 second knockout of Ashandi Gibbs. Now eager to keep the momentum and the knockouts going, Kirkland will be back in action on March 18, ready to blast through whoever is in his way. Taking on the challenge will be Monteria, Colombia’s Jhon Berrio (15-8, 11 KO’s) who is making his third appearance in the United States and plans on leaving with his hands raised in victory against Kirkland. A tough veteran who has recently battled former World Champion Peter Manfredo Jr. and top contenders Sherzod Husanov and Emilio Julio Julio, Berrio will look to derail Kirkland’s comeback on the 18th.
In undercard action, top Golden Boy Promotions prospect Fidel Maldonado Jr. (7-0, 6 KO’s) steps into the ring in an effort to keep his perfect records intact. The former amateur star from Albuquerque will look for another impressive win in a six round lightweight bout against an opponent to be named.
Plus, San Diego junior welterweight Antonio Orozco (8-0, 5 KO’s) faces Mexico’s Manuel Aguilar (6-1, 4 KO’s) in a six round clash of prospects; undefeated New Jersey native Francisco Contreras (15-0, 13 KO’s) takes on an opponent to be determined in a six round lightweight fight; Santa Ana’s Jose Sanchez (3-1-1) battles debuting Humberto Zatarain in a junior lightweight four round fight; junior middleweights Bobby Chavez (0-2) and Steven Rubalcava (0-2) meet in a four round matchup; and debuting super middleweights J.J. Ambrose and Stephan Lugo collide in the four round opener.
Tecate, cerveza con carácter, is the largest beer brand to sponsor boxing matches in the U.S. Part of its commitment to make boxing accessible to consumers is the title sponsorship of “Sólo Boxeo Tecate,” which creates an opportunity for local fans to witness some of the most exhilarating fights by today’s up-and-coming prospects. Additionally, Tecate has been a primary supporter of Golden Boy Promotions’ marquee events since 2007, and has launched a variety of initiatives to ensure consumers are part of the boxing experience, including boxer autograph signing sessions, commemorative cans, PPV mail-in rebate offers, and most recently the launch of a mobile museum “Tecate Museo de Boxeo,” which showcases decades of the most memorable moments in the sport.
Visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.fightcluboc, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.
CONTACTS:Ramiro Gonzalez/Monica Sears, Golden Boy Promotions: (213) 489-5631
Bill Caplan, Golden Boy Promotions: (818) 831-0046 (O)/(818) 515-1616 (C)
Roy Englebrecht, Roy Englebrecht Promotions: (949) 760-3131
Lara Migliassi, Univision Networks: (305) 304-7211
Maria Amor, Formulatin/Tecate: (212) 219-0321