Photos: Felix Verdejo, Christopher Diaz – San Juan Presser

SAN JUAN, P.R. – Undefeated Puerto Rican contenders Felix ‘El Diamante’ Verdejo and Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Díaz have promised to put on a big show to the Puerto Rican fans on Friday February 3 as part of the ‘Solo Boxeo’ event at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente of the borinqueña capital.

Verdejo (22-0, 15 KO’s), who will return to the clinic after recovering completely from the abrasions he suffered last August in a motorcycle accident, will face Nicaraguan Oliver Flores (27-2-2, 17 KO’s) and defend for the sixth time his Latin lightweight title of the World Boxing Organization (WBO).  ‘El Diamante’ of Puerto Rico will attempt to prove that he is prepared to challenge Terry Flanagan of the UK for the WBO lightweight world title.

“This is just the beginning. I’m now more focused. I’m coming in here very hungry and very eager to succeed.This is how you will see it on February 3. Felix is ??back!” said ‘El Diamante’ Verdejo when he spoke at the podium.

Meanwhile, ‘Pitufo’ Diaz (19-0, 11 KO’s), currently the WBOYouth featherweight world champion, will face American Efrain Esquivias (17-5-1, 10 KO’s). In 2016, Diaz achieved important victories and has positioned himself as one of the highest ranked contenders of the featherweight division.

“On February 3 you can expect a great fight from me, from my brother Felix Verdejo and the whole El Diamante team,” said Diaz. “I will continue to develop as a fighter to be able to provide a new champion to Puerto Rico,” guaranteed Diaz.

“On February 3 you can expect a great fight from me, from my brother Felix Verdejo and the whole El Diamante team,” said Diaz. “I will continue to develop as a fighter to be able to provide a new champion to Puerto Rico,” guaranteed Diaz.

Tickets remaining for the card, presented by Top Rank in association with Diamante Promotions, are priced at $ 150 (Red Carpet), $ 100 (Ring Side), $ 75 (Stage Center), $ 35 (Stage), and $ 20 Applicable charges, are already on sale and can be purchased at www.Ticketera.in or by calling (787) 305-3600.

The card will be televised from coast to coast in the United States on Friday, February 3 at 11 p.m. ET / PT on the likes of ‘Solo Boxeo’ in a simultaneous transmission of the UniMás and Univision Deportes Network networks.

www.boxingscene.com/photos-felix-verdejo-christopher-diaz-san-juan-presser–112552?print_friendly=1

El púgil boricua venció por decisión unánime a Ray Ximénez

Christopher “Pitufo” Díaz (16-0, 13 nocauts) se topó con el rival más fuerte en lo que va de su carrera, venciendo al mexicoamericano Ray Ximénez (13-1, tres nocauts) por decisión unánime la noche del sábado en el Coliseo Roberto Clemente de Hato Rey.

La votación oficial fue 77-75, 80-72, 78-74 para Díaz, quien con la victoria conquistó el título juvenil de la Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB) en las 126 libras.

“Gracias a Puerto Rico por siempre darme su apoyo. Nunca me han fallado y gracias a ustedes conquisté el título mundial juvenil”, dijo Díaz tras la pelea.

Al inicio, Ximénez mostró sorpresiva velocidad de manos. Díaz lidió efectivamente con ella, usando su jab a distancia y colando oportunas derechas.

Abriendo el dos, Pitufo llegó con una mano fuerte y Ximénez reaccionó disintiendo en negativa con la cabeza, como diciéndole a Pitufo que no la sintió. Sin embargo, su lenguaje corporal le llevaba la contraria.

Poco después, el nacido en Dallas retó al barranquiteño a intercambiar en el centro del ring.

Mostrando su agresividad usual, Díaz lo complació, y ambos intercambiaron por largo rato; Ximénez pegando arriba y Díaz hincando al cuerpo. Una de esas izquierdas al costado obligó al mexicoamericano a doblar su torso en dolor.

Ximénez volvió a retar a Díaz a intercambiar en el tercero y tuvo más éxito. Obligó al Pitufo a subir la guardia y a irse de espaldas a las cuerdas en dos ocasiones.

Para el cuarto, Ximénez lucía en remonte. Presionaba a Díaz y llegaba con sus golpes, en particular un sólido oper finalizando el episodio.

Díaz volvió a su jab desde afuera en el quinto. Pegó un buen gancho abajo y otro arriba, pero en instantes recibió una riposta al rostro.

La pelea se tornaba en una en que dominaba no el que pegaba más fuerte sino el que mejor asimilaba golpes.

Una mano fuerte de Ximénez a la cabeza agitó nuevamente a Díaz, quien se mordió el labio inferior y se lanzó a fajarse con su oponente. Pitufo logró ganar ese intercambio y llevarse el asalto.

“Fíjate, me sorprendió que viniera a intercambiar”, admitió Díaz en un aparte con este medio en la falda del ring. “Varias veces quise como decirle, ‘aquí mando yo’ y me fui al toma y dame”.

Abriendo el seis, Ximénez salió con guardia zurda. Poco después comenzó a retroceder como buscando un segundo aire. Díaz tiró menos pero tuvo mejor puntería.

Ximénez seguía zurdo para el séptimo, pero retrocedía, tiraba poco y solo en contragolpeo.

El de Barranquitas aprovechó con su ofensiva y pegó un buen oper. Luego pasó el último minuto evadiendo y haciendo muecas y gesticulando con las manos.

“Me llevé un regaño de Ricky, pero le puse pique a la pelea y el público quedó satisfecho”, dijo Díaz, quien selló la victoria abriendo el octavo con un potente 1-2 que tambaleó a Ximénez.

El mexicoamericano no cayó, sin embargo. Por el contrario, retó nuevamente al boricua y ambos se fueron a otro tiroteo a corta distancia. Lo ganó Díaz, pero terminó exhausto y sus manos salían como en cámara lenta. El de Barranquitas usó su maña y cintura para evadir golpes, y luego -cansado pero valiente- cerró el episodio ganando el extendido intercambio final. Lo logró pegando barrecampos y doblando el torso para evitar la mayor parte de los envíos de Ximénez.

“Me sorprendió que asimiló todos mis golpes. Le di los golpes más fuertes que le he dado a un rival y él no se cayó”.

www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/boxeo/nota/christopherpitufodiazsecoronacampeonmundialjuvenil-2188063/

By Ryan Burton, photos by Pete Amador –

As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Jose Luis Rodriguez (17-6-1) came in on late notice to face blue chip lightweight prospect Felix Verdejo (20-0) on April 16th at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Verdejo was originally scheduled to face Daniel Evangelista who pulled out of the fight with an injury last week. The fight will headline an UniMas Solo Boxeo card. Featherweight prospect Christopher Diaz (15-0) will face an opponent to be determined in the co-feature bout.

Assuming Verdejo defeats Rodriguez and escapes the fight injury free, he is scheduled to return to the ring on June 11th at Madison Square Garden in New York in a HBO telecast that will possibly be against Jose Felix Jr. (33-1-1) of Mexico.

The fight will be Verdejo’s second HBO appearance on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City.  Verdejo’s promoter Top Rank previously used the June dates to help build the career of Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto.

Top Rank is trying to finalize a deal for former featherweight champions Vasyl Lomachenko and Nicholas Walters to face each other in a bout at 130 pounds to serve as the main event.  WBO super featherweight champion Rocky Martinez has also been mentioned as a possible opponent for Lomachenko who currently holds the WBO featherweight title if an agreement with Walters cannot be reached.

FULL WEIGHTS

• Félix ‘El Diamante’ Verdejo 134 lbs – vs. – José Luis Rodríguez 134 lbs

• Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Díaz 125 lbs – vs. – Ray Ximenez 125 lbs

• Jean Carlos Rivera 124 lbs – vs. – Harold Reyes 124lbs

• Jean ‘Lobo’ Torres 136 lbs – vs. – Mike Erosa 135 lbs

• Luis ‘El Diamante Negro’ Sánchez 149 lbs – vs. – Joseph Roman

• Hector Fernandez 132 lbs – vs. – Steven Ortiz 134 lbs

• Luis Lebron 128 lbs – vs. – Eliezer Agosto 126 lbs

• Fernando Orona 126 lbs – vs. – Pedro Marquez 125 lbs

• Orlando Fernandez 143 lbs – vs. – Roberto Cruz 140 lbs

• Eduardo Morales 134 lbs – vs. – Jonathan Irrizarry 135 lbs

www.boxingscene.com/photosweights-felix-verdejo-jose-rodriguez-ready-battle–103503?print_friendly=1

By Chris Williams: The World Boxing Organization recently stripped their unbeaten super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux for him having failed to defend the belt in 11 months.

The vacant WBO 122lb title will be on the line this Friday night for the clash between #1 WBO Cesar Juarez (17-3, 13 KOs) and #2 WBO Nonito Donaire (35-3, 23 KOs) at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Donaire, 33, has lost 2 out of his last 6 fights, and is a very poor option to be fighting for a world title after his defeats to Rigondeaux and Nicholas Walters. By stripping Rigondeaux and letting the guy that he easily beat just two years ago, the WBO is putting their organization in the position where they could wind up with a much weaker champion than the one they had when Rigondeaux was holding the title.

“As expected, WBO announces that Friday’s @filipinoflash-Cesar Juarez fight will be for organization’s vacant 122 world title. #boxing,” Dan Rafael said on his Twitter.
Juarez, 24, is an even worse candidate for the WBO’s 122lb title, as he’s previously been beaten by Hugo Partida, Jorge Lara and Edgar Lozano. Juarez has done nothing to deserve the #1 WBO ranking that he’s currently holding with the WBO. Juarez’s recent controversial 8 round decision win over Cesar Ceda appears to be the reason for him getting the No.1 ranking with the WBO.

That fight should have been a 12 round fight rather than an 8 rounder, and Juarez should have had to fight someone better than the guys he’s been fighting to get the ranking.

Donaire will likely win the WBO title and wind up being seen as a paper champion. It would be nice if Donaire volunteered to fight Rigondeaux to try and clear up his one-sided loss to him, but I don’t see that happening. Donaire’s 84-year-old promoter Bob Arum will likely never let him fight Rigondeaux ever again.

I think it was a really bad experience for Arum the last time that Donaire and Rigondeaux fought, because the loss for Donaire really took the wind out of the sails of his pro career. Donaire still hasn’t gotten his career back to where it was before his one-sided loss to Rigondeaux, and beating the little known Juarez with his inflated resume won’t do anything to make boxing fans forget about his loss to the Cuban star or to Nicholas Walters.

It’s like that Arum will look to match Donaire up against the winner of the Scott Quigg vs. Carl Frampton unification fight in 2016. Rigondeaux, who is seen as the best fighter in the 122lb division by many boxing fans, will probably be locked out of a fight against any of those guys, especially against Donaire. No way do I see Arum letting Donaire get schooled a second time by Rigondeaux, because the way that he was beaten by him suggests that the will always get beaten by him no matter how many times they fight.

In other news, Arum will be announcing Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent this Friday on the Donaire-Juarez card on truTV. The name that is being mentioned by boxing fans is WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley in what would be a third fight between Pacquiao and Bradley.

You’ve got to wish Pacquiao and Arum good luck in trying to sell that fight to the boxing public. Even if they load up the undercard with top fighters, which seriously they will do, I doubt the Pacquiao-Bradley fight will do more than 400,000 PPV buys on HBO. I know their two previous fights have brought in between 800,000 to 900,000 PPV buys, but I see there being diminishing returns this time around.

It’s like when you play a movie at a theater for a month or so. Initially, people are interested in seeing it, but after a while people lose interest and stop coming out to see it. Finally, they just wish the theater will get a new movie and quit wasting time advertising something that people have already seen before.

It would better for Pacquiao to fight anyone else at this point as long as they’re someone new, and someone the boxing public actually cares about seeing on PPV. I don’t personally see Bradley as a PPV fighter, so I don’t have any interest at all in paying to see Pacquiao-Bradley 3. Maybe if Arum makes it a complimentary showing where it’s free, I might want to see it, but other than that, I can’t see myself paying to see a third fight between these two old timers.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2015/12/donaire-juarez-to-fight-for-rigondeauxs-wbo-122lb-title/

  Credit:  Photo by Alexis Cuarezma / Getty –

Former five-division champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (35-3, 23 KO) will look to move one step closer to another shot at a world title. On Friday night in San Juan, PuertoRico, the 33-year-old Donaire will take on 24-year-old Cesar Juarez (17-3, 13 KO) for the regional WBO International junior featherweight (super bantamweight) title.

The fight is the co-featured bout on a card that will also see young Puerto Rican star Felix Verdejo in a showcase fight against JosenilsonDos Santos.

Juarez is listed as the No. 1 contender in the WBO‘s latest rankings, per the organization’s official site; Donaire is second. Despite Juarez’s higher current ranking and possession of the WBO regional title, Donaire has far more experience, and it would appear he is the more talented fighter.

When: Friday at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico

TV: truTV

Live Stream: truTV Live

Last Time Out

Juarez Guts Out Victory over Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr.

The Mexico native deserves credit for his heart and desire. In his last fight in July, Juarez faced Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. The former never stopped coming forward, throwing punches and battling for the WBO International junior featherweight title. Juarez would drop Sanchez in the 10th round.

After 12 grueling frames, Juarez proved to have more in the tank than his opponent. He was rightfully awarded a unanimous-decision victory and the title. It was easily the biggest win of Juarez’s career.

 Credit:  Photo by Anthony Wallace / Getty Images –  Donaire punishes Settoul with a hard right hand in July.

In a vintage performance, Donaire disposed of Anthony Settoul in the second round. Donaire had all of his weapons on display in the short, but destructive bout.

He dropped Settoul twice in the first round with crushing left hooks to the body. In the second round, he masterfully slipped a Settoul jab and countered with a lighting-quick right hand over the top.

Settoul went down in a heap. Seconds later, his corner threw in the towel, giving Donaire the TKO victory.

Donaire Reflects and Looks Forward

Coming off such a spectacular win, Donaire has to feel a little better about his career than he did this time last year. In October 2014, Donaire lost his WBA Super World featherweight title when he was stopped for the first time in his career by Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters.

Top Rank Boxing tweeted a quote from Donaire discussing the loss to Walters:

“For the 1st time in my life, I touched the canvas.” – @filipinoflash on the @AxeManWalters fight #truTVboxing

Since that loss, Donaire is 2-0, including the win over Settoul. He now has his eyes on some of the best fighters in the weight region. That includes WBO featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko:

“It’s not just @vasyllomachenko, who ever the best TR have , I want to be in there with them.” – @filipinoflash on possible opponents.

That said, Donaire doesn’t appear to be looking past Juarez. He was complimentary of his young opponent:

.@filipinoflash on Dec 11th opponent, Cesar Juarez -” He’s non stop all the time. He seems to get stronger every round ” .

Is that going to be enough for Juarez to pull off the improbable victory?

Prediction

There’s no way Juarez has a chance to compete with Donaire. The speed and quick-twitch athleticism are drastically in favor of the more decorated Filipino fighter.

The physical advantage says nothing of Donaire‘s decided edge in experience. If this fight makes it beyond the fourth round, it’ll be a testament to Juarez’s heart.

If it goes beyond the sixth, Juarez’s corner should be investigated for allowing their fighter to take unnecessary punishment. In any case, Donaire will win by KO/TKO.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2596967-nonito-donaire-vs-cesar-juarez-fight-time-date-live-stream-and-tv-info