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Philippines, 16 Jan 2026 |
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TICKETS ON SALE NOW AS FLORES FACES CORDINA IN STOCKTON SHOWDOWN PhilBoxing.com Thu, 23 Oct 2025  Hometown favorite takes on former World ruler on December 13 - Mercado, Nicolson and Cardenas opponents announced Gabe Flores Jr will take on Joe Cordina for the WBO International Lightweight title at the Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, CA on Saturday December 13, live worldwide on DAZN. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM Flores (27-2 8 KOs) is on a six fight winning streak that’s seen the Stockton fan favorite climb to #4 in the WBO rankings, and a statement win over Cordina could see the 25 year old land a coveted World title shot in 2026. Flores’ unbeaten run started at the arena in which he takes on the Welshman in May 2023 and the latest wins came this year with a pair of ten round triumphs in Jamestown, CA to solidify his position in the 135lb division. Cordina (18-1 9 KOs) is hunting a shot at becoming a two-weight World ruler, and the former IBF 130lb king is handsomely placed in the WBO rankings at #6 and the Welsh Wizard can take a big step towards his two-weight dream with victory on hostile territory in Stockton. Flores and Cordina’s clash is part of a stacked night of action in Stockton, headlined by LA’s Super-Middleweight sensation Diego Pacheco taking on Kevin Lele Sodjo. Pacheco (24-0 18 KOs) is well placed with the governing bodies as the #3 ranked fighter at 168lbs with the WBO, and sits pretty at #8 with the WBC and #9 with the WBA. The South Central man is gunning for a shot at the World titles in 2026 that are now held by undisputed champion Terence Crawford following his win over Canelo Alvarez in September, but faces the stiffest test of his blossoming career to date in Sadjo (26-0 23 KOs) the unbeaten Cameroonian-Frenchman with a fearsome looking KO ratio that sees him hunting down his own World title shot with lofty rankings in the WBO (#8) and WBC (#10). Another Californian star hunting World title action in 2026 is Pomona’s Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado, who takes on Antonio Moran for the WBO International Super-Lightweight title. Mercado (17-0 16 KOs) has had to wait for his second bout under promoter Eddie Hearn after an injury ruled him out of a fight in New York in June. Now fully recovered, the 23 year old will look to extend his KO winning streak to seven fights as he continues to make the big names at 140lbs stand up and take notice, with the sixth KO in that run coming with a demolition job on former World champion Jose Pedraza in Las Vegas in January. Standing in his way is Mexican Moran (31-7-1 21 KOs) who makes the first defense of the International title he won in April in his first fight at the weight and as the away fighter in Philadelphia where he handed Mykquan Williams his first pro defeat. Skye Nicolson returns to action and starts her hunt to become a two-weight World champion by taking on Yuliahn Luna for the WBC interim World Super-Bantamweight title. Nicolson (14-1 3 KOs) moved down to 122lbs in July and in her second outing at the weight in Brisbane, stopped Urvashi Singh in the second round to claim the IBF International title. The Australian, who previously reigned as the WBC champion at Featherweight, can move into pole position to meet unified Super-Bantamweight ruler Ellie Scotney in 2026, first needs to see off former two-weight champion Luna (28-4-1 4 KOs) who herself is looking to conquer the world again having previously held the WBC strap at Bantamweight and IBF title at Super-Bantamweight. The fourth title fight announced on the card sees Arturo Cardenas defend his WBC Continental Americas Super-Bantamweight title in an all-Mexican showdown against Cesar Vaca. Cardenas (16-0-1 9 KOs) landed the vacant title in Oaxaca in February 2024 and has defended it twice since in Phoenix and Los Angeles, and puts it on the line for a third time in his second action in 2025 after an eight round outing in Atlantic City in April. Vaca (19-2-1 12 KOs) steps through the ropes for the third time this year and in a third different country, having won the WBC FECARBOX Bantamweight title in Guadalajara in February before going to Australia to take Sam Goodman the distance over ten in Sydney in May. QUOTES GABE FLORES JR. “I’m fired up and ready to put on my best performance of my career in front of my hometown Stockton, CA with Matchroom Boxing.” JOE CORDINA “He talks the talk, let’s see if he can walk the walk. I’m excited to go over to America, make a statement and remind people that I’m not going anywhere.” TITO MERCADO “You’ve been waiting and now it’s time - you better load up on your Team Mercado stock now cause I plan on stealing the show in Stockton! It’s going to be an entertaining but short fight so make sure you're there early to watch me tuck Moran in for a good night's sleep.” SKYE NICOLSON “This is a big, big fight and I feel more ready than ever. My career weighs on this fight and it’s going to bring out the best in me. My opponent is highly avoided for a reason, she’s a seasoned pro, former two-weight world champion with a very good boxing IQ. “But she hasn’t faced anyone like me and on December 13 I’m going to show the world there’s a new girl on the block at 122lb, I’m a different beast here and it’s going to show. Winning this fight will make me mandatory for the WBC gold and an opportunity to be in a super fight with the current unified champion, Ellie Scotney.” YULIAHN LUNA “My story continues on December 13 in California and I will return home to Mexico as interim World champion by the hand of God!” EDDIE HEARN “We are ending our year in America with a bang with an incredible card in our first fight night in Stockton, CA. “The main event pits two undefeated massive punchers at Super-Middleweight in Diego and Kevin. We believe Diego is the next king at 168lb and this is going to be a real test of that, with Kevin desperate to take this opportunity to prove he is ready for the biggest names - it promises to be an explosive headliner. “Gabe’s clash with Joe is a cracker. We know that Gabe is a massive draw in Stockton and the crowd are in for a treat as this is going to be a great fight. Gabe is on a hot streak and credit to him for seeking out a fight with Joe, who is one of the best fighters Britain has produced in recent times, and the Welshman is out to prove that he still has plenty to give as he aims to win a World title at a second weight in 2026. “Tito wants all the smoke at 140lbs and is champing at the bit to get back in the ring and he’s itching to take on the big-guns. Victory over Antonio would put him right in line to do just that, so this is a big fight for Tito with the Super-Lightweight division on notice. “Everyone loves an all-Mexican war, which is just what Arturo and Cesar will deliver on December 13 - we can’t wait to be in Stockton to deliver a brilliant night for the fans there and watching on DAZN.”  |
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