On Thursday afternoon, Tijuana’s Zanfer Promotions announced their first fight card of the new year at the La Corriente Restaurant situated in the heart of the border city. Guillermo Brito, chief operating officer for the company led by Fernando Beltran, mentioned that the event scheduled for this Saturday night at the Tijuana Municipal Auditorium and headlined by the ten round super bantamweight clash between Alejandro Lopez (22-2, 7KOs) and Jose Palma (14-4, 9KOs) is one of “quality boxing compromised of a great cast. The Mexican boxing public deserve this kind of fight card, one that will bring great boxing action to the Azteca channel airwaves.”
Tijuana's Alejandro "Alex" Lopez
Lopez, who after suffering a loss to San Diego’s Aaron Garcia in his first fight of last year, has bounced back against two solid opponents including a twelve round unanimous decision over Teon Kennedy last August to capture the NABA 122 lbs. title stated, “I am very happy to be given the opportunity to headline a bout card in my hometown. We have had a great camp because we know that we are going to against a good fighter in what is the first fight of the 2012 season for my promoter Zanfer. I hope that all the people at the Auditorium and those watching on TV Azteca enjoy the show.”
Brito stated that with a win here, Tijuana’s Lopez could be on the fast route towards a world title whether it be for the IBF or WBO. Brito went as far as to mention that Lopez might just be ready for Nonito Donaire later this year.
As far as his opponent, Jose Palma of Barranquilla, Colombia, the south American stated that he would not let the opportunity to face a world ranked fighter go to waste.
“I am very motivated and I want to thank the promoter for bringing me here,” Palma said during his time at the microphone. “I have come from very far to not take advantage of this chance, this is my fight. I know I am facing a great fighter , a world ranked fighter and we are going to win.”
Palma stated he will not let opportunity go to waste.
A confident Palma also stated that he did not know anything about the style of Lopez but it wasn’t important since he was in Tijuana to win by any means necessary.
The semi-main event has all the ingredients to over shadow the main attraction when the undefeated Roberto “Azabache”Castañeda puts up his unblemished record of 18-0 with 13KOs against the once beaten Felipe “Gallo” Orucuta (22-1, 18KOs) of Mexico City in another ten rounder but this time in the bantamweight division.
“We are expecting important fight this year against tough opponents which is proven with my opponent for this Saturday,” Orucuta said. “He is strong and an undefeated fighter but I want to accomplish my goal of wining a world title so I must defeat good fighters to get there. I expect a good fight, a hard and won but I am going to win.”
Despite Orucuta being the favorite because of his experience and the fact that he is part of the Zanfer stable, Mexicali, Mexico’s Castañeda proved to be more than confident of his chances for this Saturday night, “This is a very important fight for my career. I am confident in myself and my team is confident in me and that is why we took this fight. Every fight carries a risk but I am undefeated and that is how I am going to stay after I beat him. I know him and I know that I can beat him.”
Also seeing action on the ten bout fight card will be super lightweight Rodolfo Quintanilla (10-0, 9KOs) of Tepic, Nayarit, who looks to stay undefeated in a scheduled eight round slug fest versus Jose “Pelon” Ramos (11-11, 10KOs) of Tijuana while Venezuela’s Jose Uscategui (8-0, 7KOs) goes against the experienced Francisco Villanueva (11-25, 8KOs) in a six round middleweight contest.
Teenage Rafael Guzman (3-0, 3KOs) of Ensenada, Mexico, looks to keep his perfect record intact when he faces Tijuana’s Jesus Montenegro (2-2, 1KOs) in a four rounder in the 140 lbs. division. In a super featherweight four round bout, Humberto Rodriguez (3-0, 1KO) of Tepic goes against Tijuana’s Manuel Armendariz (2-7-1) while super flyweight Jonas Salvatierra (2-0) of Ensenada faces Tijuana’s Artemio Garcia (2-1).
Orucuta and Castañeda Face Off
In a bad blood match former amateur rivals meet in their first professional match up and try to settle the score when Gregorio Ronquillo (1-0, 1KO) faces Reynaldo Russell (3-1, 2KOs) in a four round bantamweight clash. Both Ronquillo and Russell hail from Tijuana. In the lightweight division, Ensenada’s Ezequiel Avilez (2-0, 1KO) will face Jose Sillas (2-3, 1KO) of Tijuana for four rounds while two first timers, Juan Sandoval and Enrique Flores, both of Tijuana, go at it in the featherweight division.
The fight card is absolutely free with the doors opening at 4pm and the first punch thrown at 5pm.
