Philippines, 15 Feb 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


STANDOUT PROSPECT D'MITRIUS BALLARD TO SQUARE OFF WITH ADRIAN LUNA

PhilBoxing.com


FOR USNBC SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF GOLDEN BOY BOXING ON ESPN ON MAY 18 FROM CASINO DEL SOL IN TUCSON, ARIZONA

OSCAR DE LA HOYA TO BE IN ATTENDANCE OF THE TELEVISED LIVE EVENT ON ESPN AND ESPN DEPORTES

WBC YOUTH WORLD CHAMPION DIEGO DE LA HOYA TO HEADLINE EVENT; NUMBER OF GOLDEN BOY'S TOP PROSEPCTS SET TO APPEAR ON CARD

Tickets still Available!

LOS ANGELES (May 15, 2017) The USNBC Super Middleweight title will be up for grabs when red-hot Super Middleweight prospect D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard (16-0, 12 KOs) rides a five-knockout steak into a 10-round battle against heavy-handed Adrian Luna (18-4-1, 11 KOs) in the co-main event of the May 18 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN. The event was originally scheduled to be live on ESPN2, and has now been upgraded to ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya will be ringside watching the action as Diego De La Hoya faces hard hitting Erik Ruiz.

The fight - which will serve as chief support to WBC Youth World Champion Diego De La Hoya's (17-0, 9 KOs) fight with Erik Ruiz (16-6-1, 6 KOs) -- will take place at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona and be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes starting at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST. Calling the action live ringside for ESPN will be Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins.

A slew of Golden Boy's top prospects will round out the stacked card.

Hoping to make TV, super featherweight prospect Hector "El Finito" Tanajara Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs) will face in a four or six-round fight against Daniel Bastien of Monterrey, Mexico. Tanajara is quickly returning from a brutal war in March in which he tasted the canvas for the first time in his career only to rise and win a unanimous decision over Daniel Perales.

Longtime Mexican super lightweight superstar Roberto "Tito" Manzanarez (34-1, 28 KOs) will square off in his second fight in the U.S. under the Golden Boy banner in an eight-round battle against Tijuana, Mexico's Erick "Platano" Martinez (13-6-1, 7 KOs). Manzanarez was last seen in February taking out longtime contender former world champion Gamaliel Diaz with a brutal body shot in the fourth round.

Phoenix, AZ native Eben Vargas (4-0, 3 KOs) will take on Rodolfo "Rudy" Gamez (1-2) in a four-round welterweight fight. Vargas, a decorated amateur, will return to the ring only weeks after a stellar first-round knockout against Jose Mesa.

Staying active, undefeated super lightweight prospect Jonathan "Thunder" Navarro (9-0, 6 KOs) will return for the second time in just over a month and look for a repeat of his April knockout performance. He will fight Ciudad Juarez's Ricardo "Maniac" Fernandez (3-4-4) in a six-round super lightweight bout.

Opening up the card, undefeated super flyweight prospect Joshua "The Professor" Franco (9-0, 5 KOs) will battle for six rounds against Mexicali, Mexico's Marco Sanchez (9-4-2, 4 KOs).

De La Hoya vs. Ruiz is a 10-round super bantamweight bout set for May 18, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Showdown Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate "Born BOLD" and Hennessy, never stop, never settle. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will transmit the fights live from Casino Del Sol beginning at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST. ESPN3 live stream of the fight will begin at approximately 8:30 p.m. EST/5:30 p.m. PST.

Tickets are on sale and range from $30.00-$105.00 (includes convenience fee). Tickets are available for purchase at the Casino Del Sol gift shop and online at casinodelsol.com.

Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/DeLaHoya-Ruiz. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for any photos/video.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxing and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/espn.fnf, and www.facebook.com/ESPNBoxeo; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxeo. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin: Zuffa Heavyweights Square Off on Sunday
    By Chris Carlson, , Sun, 15 Feb 2026
  • “The Nightmare” Back in Action: Oguni vs Tapales April 3 in Japan
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Feb 2026
  • Cold Comfort: Tapales and Vitor Frozen Out in Moscow Heartbreaker
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • WBC Celebrates 63 years of dedication to the sports and fighters
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • BOXING STARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD LINING UP FOR 2026 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND IN "BOXING’S HOMETOWN"
    , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • Filipino Boxers Make Weight in Brico Santig's Valentine's Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • Filipinos Vitor and Tapales Take on Russians for IBF Asia Titles in Moscow Today
    By Dong Secuya, , Fri, 13 Feb 2026
  • Manny Pacquiao Promotions Returns to Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. with a Pair of World Championship Bouts
    , Fri, 13 Feb 2026
  • IOAN CROFT AND GARAN CROFT SIGN FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AS EDDIE HEARN LOOKS AHEAD TO BRIGHT FUTURE FOR EXCITING WELSH TWINS
    , Fri, 13 Feb 2026
  • 3 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera Confirmed for Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Saturday May 2, in Las Vegas
    , Fri, 13 Feb 2026
  • Day One Concludes at 2026 USA Boxing International Open
    , Thu, 12 Feb 2026
  • Female Boxing GOAT Katie Taylor to be Special guest at All-N.E. Golden Gloves Thursday, Feb. 12, in Lowell, MA
    , Thu, 12 Feb 2026
  • Brandon McCarthy Signs with Wise Owl Boxing, Set to Make Noise at 135 lbs
    , Thu, 12 Feb 2026
  • Filipino Boxers Set for Action on Valentine's Day in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Oklahoma Outplays LA Lakers, 119-110; Arrests Skid to Hold on to League Lead
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Malaya Vibrations to play gig at 5th MFPI Mindanao Summit
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Fight of the Night in Thailand: Ador Torres and Sairike Tuolewutayi Battle to a Thrilling Draw
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Young Australian Benji Birchell Claims Title Win in Thailand
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • Tickets for the Inaugural “Mike Tyson Invitational” Amateur Fight Night on Saturday, March 14, in Las Vegas Are on Sale Now
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • 2026 USA Boxing Men's Elite High Performance Team and Squad Rosters Announced
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • IIEE, SAEP shared lead, PIChE won 3rd in a row in the PTC WED NEMO Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • The Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo RETURNS! Saturday May 2, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
    , Wed, 11 Feb 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 9 FEBRUARY 2026: Figueroa Stops Ball in 12; Medina Outpoints Curiel; Asanau, Unal Win in Montreal
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Paradero gets a rematch against Francisco
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026
  • Carcedo wins WBA Asia South super welterweight title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Feb 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.