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Sosa-Pazos Matchup Headlines October 2 Puerto Rican Boxing Classic

Hard-hitting junior lightweight contender Jason Sosa, of Camden, NJ, takes on Jorge Pazos, of Guamuchil, Mexico, in the scheduled eight-round main event Friday evening, Oct. 2, at the First Annual Puerto Rican Boxing Classic at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.

​Sosa-Pazos Match Headlines Puerto Rican Boxing Classic

at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia October 2

Philadelphia, PA — Hard-hitting junior lightweight contender Jason Sosa, of Camden, NJ, takes on Jorge Pazos, of Guamuchil, Mexico, in the scheduled eight-round main event Friday evening, Oct. 2, at the First Annual Puerto Rican Boxing Classic at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.

Sosa, 27, is fresh off his first-round knockout over former world-title challenger Jerry Belmontes, of Corpus Christi, TX, on Aug. 16 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

The win over Belmontes marked Sosa’s 12th consecutive knockout and his 13th K0 overall on his 17-1-3 record. He is ranked No.13 in the world by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

Sosa turned pro in 2009 after only three amateur fights—he lost two of them—and he has developed into a world-class fighter since teaming up with manager/trainer Raul “Chino” Rivas in 2012.

The Oct. 2 card will mark Sosa’s third appearance at the 2300 Arena, where he is 1-0-1. He boxed a four-round draw with Jose Ortiz, of Jersey City, NJ, there in 2010 and this year he knocked out Bergman Aguilar, of Nicaragua, in four rounds. Aguilar suffered a broken jaw in the match.

Sosa’s other major victory came in 2014 in Atlantic City where he knocked out Michael “Lefty” Brooks, of Staten Island, NY, in nine rounds. Brooks also suffered a broken jaw in that match.

In other fights this year, Sosa knocked out Herbert Quartey, of Ghana, and Santiago Bustos, of Spain.

Pazos (right), 26, makes his second appearance in Pennsylvania, having lost a 10-round decision there to Gamalier Rodriguez, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, for the vacant NABO featherweight title two summers ago in Bethlehem.

A pro since 2007, Pazos is 14-8-1, 8 K0s. In his last fight Feb. 20 in New York, Pazos lost an eight-round decision to unbeaten Bryant Cruz, of Port Chester, NY.

The seven-bout fight card figures to attract a sold-out crowd.

From bantamweight Sixto Escobar, who became the first Puerto Rican world champion in 1935, to current title-holder Danny Garcia, of Philadelphia, Puerto Ricans have had a long and storied history in boxing.

Among area fighters looking to display their talents on the Oct. 2 card are local Puerto Rican fighters from Philadelphia and New Jersey. Many of them bring a loyal following to their fights.

In addition, invitations to attend and sign autographs will be sent to outstanding Puerto Rican fighters up and down the East Coast.

First fight is 7 pm.

​About Oct. 2

The first annual Puerto Rican Boxing Classic, featuring seven bouts, begins at 7pm at the 2300 Arena at 2300 South Swanson Street in South Philadelphia. Doors open at 6 pm. The Oct. 2 event is being sponsored by Parx Casino, DonQ Rum, The Penthouse Club, Lyrics Lounge, Nationwide Auto Warranties and Cricket Wireless. The card will be streamed live by www.gofightlive.tv and on a delayed basis by Comcast SportsNet. Tickets are $50 and $75 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and Wanamaker’s Tickets (215-568-2400). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com and www.wanatix.com. The Oct. 2 card is promoted by Peltz Boxing, Joe Hand Promotions and BAM Boxing.

About Oct. 4

The Puerto Rican Day Parade is the Crown Jewel of the Puerto Rican Festival every year in Philadelphia. It is a showcase of Puerto Rican and Latin culture. The Parade begins Sunday morning, Oct. 4, at the Eakins Oval in center city and continues throughout the day along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with music, concerts and vendors selling their wares. City officials expect more than 5,000 people to attend. The Parade, one of the first of its kind to be televised, will be aired on ABC-TV locally and on Univision nationally.

 

Header photo by J. Meric/Getty Images North America

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