NABF AND NABO SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION DIEGO DE LA HOYA RETURNS IN MAIN EVENT ON GOLDEN BOY BOXING ON ESPN FACING TOUGH CHALLENGER JOSE SALGADO
CARLOS “THE SOLUTION” MORALES TO MAKE COMEBACK IN CO-MAIN EVENT BATTLING DARDAN ZENUNAJ WITH TOP PROSPECTS STACKING CARD LIVE FROM FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
Tickets on Sale Now!
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 17, 2017): After giving a career-defining performance as the HBO Pay-Per-View televised opening bout on the Canelo vs. Golovkin undercard in September against former world champion Randy “El Matador” Caballero, recently crowned NABF and NABO Super Bantamweight Champion Diego De La Hoya (20-0, 9 KOs) will return to the ring on Dec. 14 as the main event for Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.
De La Hoya will face battle-tested Jose “Sugar” Salgado (35-4-2, 28 KOs) of Quintana Roo, Mex. in a scheduled 10-round super bantamweight bout that is sure to be action-packed as both give their final fight performances of the year.
Doors to the Special Events Center open at 4:30 p.m. PT, and the first non-televised bout starts at 4:45 p.m. PT. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will transmit the fights beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, and the ESPN3 transmission will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
“I’d like to thank Golden Boy Promotions and my manager once again for keeping me busy with this final fight of 2017,” said Diego De La Hoya. “It’ll be my fifth fight this year and my team and I feel confident in my progression. I’m looking forward to closing the year off at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and on ESPN. I anticipate 2018 to be even greater!”
“Since my last fight, I have been hoping for an opportunity like this one,” said Jose Salgado. “This fight motivates me. De La Hoya is a great challenge and I hope he is prepared to take me on. On December 14, I am going to give it my all to come out victorious for my fans and family.”
“Diego showed us with every fight this year that he continues to hone his craft and get better with every opponent,” said Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “This will be a fun fight for the fans and a great way to close out what has been a phenomenal year for Diego.”
Leading the co-main event on Dec. 14, LA’s Carlos “The Solution” Morales (16-2-3, 6 KOs) will face Kosovo’s Dardan Zenunaj (14-3, 11 KOs) for a scheduled 10 rounds of action for the vacant NABA Super Featherweight title. Morales will have the opportunity to get back the belt he originally lost to Alberto “Explosivo” Machado in a tough unanimous decision this past August in Puerto Rico.
Hoping to make TV time as part of the ESPN coverage, Ferdinand Kerobyan (6-0, 3 KOs) will face a soon to be announced opponent in a four-round welterweight bout. Kerobyan is coming off a hot first-round knockout victory over Uriel Gonzalez in October.
Rounding out the stacked undercard, Southern California favorite Joet Gonzalez (17-0, 9 KOs) will take on the resilient Juan “Buffy” Montes (25-6-2, 15 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout. Gonzalez is coming off a blazing fifth round knockout win over Deivi Bassa on the undercard of Cotto vs. Kamegai this past August.
San Antonio’s Joshua “El Profesor” Franco (12-0, 6 KOs) will participate in a scheduled eight-rounds of super flyweight fury, and East LA’s Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro (11-0, 6 KOs) will engage in eight rounds of super lightweight action. Opponents for these respective fights will be announced shortly. Opening up the action at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Mexican Olympian Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (1-0) will take on Mexico City’s rugged Israel Villela (6-7, 2 KOs) in a welterweight bout scheduled for six-rounds.
Tickets for the event start at $25 and are now on sale at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Media interested in attending Golden Boy Boxing: De La Hoya vs. Salgado must request credentials by emailing clavoie@fantasysprings.net by Dec. 10.
Header photo by Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions
