McALLEN ? Imperial ED Promotions on Friday announced its Sept. 18 boxing card with news that it will include a special guest. The organizers say WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) of the Philippines will be in attendance.
?Yes, it?s a done deal, he?s coming,? said Dominique Casas, one of Imperial ED Promotions? organizers, during a news conference at Ponchos Restaurant. ?He?ll be here for three days beginning on Sept. 17. We?re looking forward to it.?
The fight card organizers produced a copy of a contract that appeared to be signed by Pacquiao as proof that the popular fighter has agreed to come to the Rio Grande Valley.
?We are really happy to have Pacquiao coming to visit us,? said Ed Mundo Lozano, also a promoter for Imperial ED Promotions. ?This will be a very good event for the people here in the Valley. We think that?s the most important thing.?
The Sept. 18 show will be the second boxing card presented by Imperial ED Promotions. The first one took place July 17 at McAllen Convention Center. The Sept. 18 show is scheduled at Hidalgo?s State Farm Arena, with six to eight fights planned, Casas said.
He said the event, billed as ?Noche de Box Bicentenario,? will feature at least two title fights, with featherweight Jonathan Samuel Gutierrez (5-8-1) of Saltillo, Mexico, again fighting in the main event, this time set for 12 rounds.
Gutierrez lost to Felipe Casta?eda (7-1) of San Antonio on a four-round unanimous decision in the main event of the July 17 card.
?It will be an inspiration (to fight with Pacquiao watching),? Gutierrez said. ?I?m very happy to have this opportunity to fight for a championship. I?m training 100 percent to make sure I win my fight and give a good show.?
Also scheduled to fight on the Sept. 18 show are bantamweight Gabriel ?El Cadete? Rangel (7-8-4, three KOs) of Veracruz, Mexico, super featherweight Juan ?Nacho? Lucio (4-1-1, two KOs) of Pharr and Edinburg light middleweight Raul ?El Tigre? Cazares (15-2, eight KOs) of Edinburg.
Organizers said tickets will go on sale next week at State Farm Arena.
Roy Hess writes for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him via e-mail at [email protected].
