Heavyweight Dominic Breazeale leads an avalanche of top boxers headed this way when he fights in Indio this week. Some of the biggest names in the sport will be in action within a 200-mile radius in the next two months.
Here?s a list of fight events to help organize those interested:
Former U.S. Olympic boxer Breazeale (9-0, 9 KOs) meets Nagy Aguilera (19-7, 13 KOs) in a heavyweight battle at the Fantasy Springs Casino on Thursday. Two other heavyweight contests will also take place, including undefeated Cuban heavyweight Luis Ortiz (20-0, 17 KOs) facing Monte Barrett (35-10-2) in a 10-round fight and Gerald Washington (11-0, 8 KOs) fighting Skipp Scott (16-1). Breaking up the heavyweight stranglehold will be junior featherweight Diego De La Hoya (3-0, 3 KOs), cousin of Oscar De La Hoya. The 19-year-old already has opened up a lot of eyes with his crackling speed and power. He fights Jaxel Marrero (1-1-1) early in the fight card.
In San Diego, female Mexican sensation Kenia Enriquez (10-0, 5 KOs) fights Jolene Blackshear (8-4) in the main event at the Four Points Sheraton on Friday. The flyweight from Tijuanadazzled fans in her last fight a month ago. Blackshear is a talented boxer from the San Diego area. Amaris Quintana (6-2-2) fights New York?s Susan Reno (1-1-1) in another flyweight bout.
On April 11, Mercito Gesta (26-1-1) will fight Miguel Munguia (29-31-1) in a lightweight fight on a card in Del Mar.
That same day in Las Vegas, undefeated Jessie Magdaleno (18-0, 14 KOs) will face Cuauhtemoc Vargas (18-6-1, 12 KOs) in a junior featherweight clash at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
On April 12, WBO welterweight titlist Tim ?Desert Storm? Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) fights Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) in the main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. It?s a rematch of their first encounter that took place nearly two years ago. Pacquiao has been eager to avenge the loss. ?Bradley?s talk that I am no longer hungry has inspired me throughout this training camp,? Pacquiao said.
More heavyweights lead the charge April 16 when local undefeated boxers Charles Martin (15-0-1, 13 KOs) fights Pomona?s Alex Flores (14-0, 12 KOs) in the main event at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Martin enters the boxing ring by stepping over the top rope, that?s how tall he is. Both heavyweights are on the cusp of being contenders. For more information call (800) 745-3000.
On April 19, Cleotis ?Mookie? Pendarvis (17-4-2) of Los Angeles fights Vernon Paris (28-1, 16 KOs) of Detroit in the main event at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown L.A. Pendarvis is a talented speedy southpaw who will be severely challenged by Paris, whose only loss came to former welterweight world champion Zab Judah. The hotel is a beautiful venue in the heart of downtown. Most of the fight card features local talent from around Southern California. For more information call (323) 816-2000.
On April 24, Riverside?s Josesito ?Riverside Rocky? Lopez (31-6, 18 KOs) faces Aron Martinez (19-2-1) of East L.A. at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. Lopez is training in San Diego for this fight.
On April 26, three of the fight game?s hardest hitters are in action when Keith Thurman (22-0, 20 KOs) fights Indio?s Julio ?The Kidd? Thurman (40-9-1, 29 KOs), Lucas Matthysse (34-3, 32 KOs) meets John Molina (27-3, 22 KOs) and Omar Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) defends the WBC lightweight title against Jerry Belmontes (19-3). The fight card takes place at the StubHub Center in Carson. Don?t bet on any of these fights going the distance.
May 2, WBA junior middleweight titlist Erislandy Lara (19-1-2) defends against former champion Ishe Smith (25-6) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
May 3, undefeated Floyd ?Money? Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) defends the WBC and WBA welterweight titles against Argentina?s Marcos Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs) at the MGM Grand. On the same card, Amir Khan (28-3, 19 KOs) fights Luis Collazo (35-5, 18 KOs), who recently knocked out Victor Ortiz. Also, Adrien Broner (27-1, 22 KOs) fights Norwalk?s Carlos Molina (17-1-1). All three are welterweight bouts.
May 10, Riverside?s Chris ?The Nightmare? Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs) meets Bermane ?B.Ware? Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs) for the vacant WBC heavyweight world title at the Galen Center. It?s Arreola?s second attempt at the heavyweight title. His first was against Vitali Klitschko in 2009. ?It?s not going to be easy,? Arreola said. ?I respect him. I respect him a lot. But I know that when it?s over I will be the heavyweight champion of the world.?
May 17, Mexico?s Juan Manuel Marquez (55-7-1, 40 KOs) returns to The Forum where he fought many times during the 1990s. Marquez faces former champion Mike Alvarado (34-2, 23 KOs) in a welterweight clash. ?It?s where it all began for me. It makes me feel young again to be fighting at this historical place,? said Marquez about his return to The Forum.
The next seven weeks will definitely be a boxing bonanza for fight fans.
FIGHTS ON TELEVISION
Thurs. Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m. ? Luis Ortiz (20-0) vs. Monte Barrett (35-10-2)
Fri. NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m. ? Curtis Stevens (26-4) vs. Tureano Johnson (14-0)
Fri. Telemundo, 11:30 p.m. ? Joebert Alvarez (13-0-1) vs. Julian Rivera (13-8-1)
Sat. UniMas, 11 p.m. ? Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. (22-0-2) vs. Juan Alberto Rosas (38-8)
