DIEGO DE LA HOYA FIGHTS FOR FIRST TITLE AGAINST JESUS RUIZ AT LA FIGHT CLUB ON SEPTEMBER 4
LOS ANGELES (August 31, 2015) – Undefeated featherweight sensation Diego De La Hoya (11-0, 7 KOs) will fight for his first professional title on Friday, September 4, as he takes on former world title challenger Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (32-6-5, 21 KOs) for thevacant WBC Youth Featherweight Title in the latest edition of LA FIGHT CLUB. The 10-round featherweight bout will be televised live nationally on Viernes de Boxeo Estelaron Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT from Downtown Los Angeles’ Belasco Theater.
In the co-main event, two-time Brazilian Olympian Everton Lopes (3-0, 1 KOs) will be featured in an eight-round super lightweight bout against undefeated fighter Omar Tienda(13-0, 8 KOs) of Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico in an exciting match sure to test both fighters in their young careers. Also stepping through the ropes in the opening televised event, Los Angeles favorite Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (10-0, 9 KOs) will take onErick “TJ” Orozco (5-1-2, 3 KOs), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in a six-round super featherweight bout.
Featured on the non-televised undercard, Los Angeles-based favorites, Rafael Gramajo(4-1-1, 2 KOs), Ivan “Striker” Delgado (6-0-1, 2 KOs), and Jonathan Navarro (1-0, 1 KOs) return to the LA FIGHT CLUB ring on Sept. 4. First, Rafael Gramajo is scheduled to face Monterey, Mexico’s Andres “Black Power” Balderas (3-3, 2 KOs) in a six-round super bantamweight fight, and Jesus Ivan Delgado will fight in a six-round super featherweight fight against an opponent soon-to-be-announced. Opening up the night in a four-round super lightweight bout, Jonathan Navarro will compete in his second professional fight of his career when he faces Santa Ana, Calif.’s Gibran Gutierrez who is making his professional debut.
LA FIGHT CLUB: De La Hoya vs. Ruiz, is a 10-round bout for the vacant WBC Youth Featherweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV broadcast will air live on Friday, September 4 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets, starting at $20 are available for purchase online atwww.goldenboypromotions.com or by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For ticket information, email us at LAFightClub@ goldenboypromotions.com.
The “Knockout Experience VIP Package” is also available for an additional $25 upgrade and includes VIP entrance, access to an exclusive lounge offering food and beverages for purchase; a meet and greet opportunity with fighters and celebrities attending the event, past guests have included Oscar De La Hoya, Kate Del Castillo, Mario Lopez, George Lopez, Lucas Matthysse, Randy Caballero and other stars have all made appearances in the past; an automatic entry into the LA FIGHT CLUB grand prize drawing, which can include but is not limited to: autograph gloves, picture in the ring, backstage access, tour of locker rooms, fighter ring walk, tickets to upcoming boxing events and additional merchandise and prizes.
The cousin of boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya, 21-year-old Diego De La Hoya has been doing an impressive job of carving out his own place in the fight game, with his fast hands, poise and power allowing him to defeat everyone who has faced him thus far. Already 3-0 in 2015 with impressive victories over title contender Manuel Roman at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in February, defeating Ramiro Robles in his first appearance at LA FIGHT CLUB in May and a quick follow up victory against Jose Estrella on the July 2 installment. Now the Mexicali native is ready for his first title fight on September 4 when he faces former world title contender Jesus Ruiz.
A former world title challenger who gave Leo Santa Cruz a spirited battle in their super bantamweight bout in January, Nogales’ Jesus Ruiz is a young veteran of the sport. Having already competed in 45 bouts despite being just 25, he is the owner of wins over Leonilo Miranda, Andres Gutierrez and Ruben Tamayo. Ruiz is the most experienced foe De La Hoya has ever faced, and he plans on being the first one to hand him a loss on Sept. 4.
Two-time Brazilian Olympic team member Everton Lopes was one of his country’s most decorated amateur fighters of all-time, and now he wants to bring a world title back home to Salvador, Brazil. On Feb. 27, the talented 26-year-old southpaw made his professional debut in a super lightweight bout against Evan Woolsey winning by unanimous decision. He shined at his debut at LA FIGHT CLUB defeating Robert Alexander Seyam on April 2and triumphed over Marcelo Ezequiel Mesa in his first professional bout in his home country of Brazil on June 6. On September 4, Lopes will make his second appearance at LA FIGHT CLUB, eager to clench another win.
Making his U.S. professional debut, Omar Tienda of Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, will be looking to go home an undefeated fighter on Sept. 4. In his third fight of 2015, Tienda has recently faced Roman Mendez in March and Ivan Chavelas in April ending both fights quickly via technical knockout. Now, the super lightweight is will be looking to impress U.S. fight goers and add a third knockout to his resume to when he goes up the decorated Everton Lopes at LA FIGHT CLUB.
Rapidly becoming one of the local scene’s most popular fighters, Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez has an opportunity to start a new knockout streak against a hungry Tijuana southpaw in Orozco, who is unbeaten in six of his last seven bouts. A sixth-round stoppage of Julio Sarinana at the inaugural LA FIGHT CLUB forced him to rise from the canvas for the first time to win on March 6, and the fan favorite continued to dominate defeating Darryl Hayes by unanimous decision at the June edition. Now, Gonzalez is ready to please his fans in his third appearance in the Los Angeles series.
Erick “TJ” Orozco of Gudalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will be looking for a victory when he faces Los Angeles’ favorite Christian Gonzalez on Sept. 4. After fighting in March against Ricardo Diaz and Samuel Garibaldi in August and coming up short after and undefeated streak from 2013-2014, Orozco will be hungry for victory in his third fight of 2015.
Born in Garden City, Kansas, and raised in Los Angeles, Rafael “El Alikin” Gramajo started boxing at the age of 11 in the same gym that saw the likes of Brandon Rios and Victor Ortiz. After an ambitious amateur career where he participated in around 100 fights, Gramajo decided to take his career to the next level, making his professional debut against Jimmy Small in April 2012. In 2014, Gramajo moved to Los Angeles to train out of the famed Westside Boxing Club under the Saucedo Brothers. Boasting two impressive wins at Fantasy Springs in 2015, Gramajo made his LA FIGHT CLUB debut on June 4 with an impressive win over Pablo Cupul. Gramajo will return to the Belasco Theater looking to impress the crowd once again as making his second appearance at the popular series.
Hailing from Monterey, Mexico, Andres “Black Power” Balderas is looking to make an impression in his second fight of 2015. Most recently the fighter faced Luis Rosario in June in his U.S. professional debut. Chasing the ‘American Dream’ Balderas is ready to prove he has what it takes to win in the sweet science when he faces the tough Rafael Gramajo on Sept. 4.
Unbeaten Ivan “Striker” Delgado will make his third LA FIGHT CLUB appearance in a six-round super featherweight bout against an opponent to-be-named. In the premiere event ofLA FIGHT CLUB on March 6, Delgado made a standout appearance dominating Rocco Espinoza in all four-rounds, releasing relentless powerful punches to win the bout by unanimous decision. Since his professional debut in January 2014, Delgado has stayed local, building up his name and reputation on the Southern California boxing circuit most recently defeating Benjamin Vinson by technical knockout in the third round on the May 7edition of LA FIGHT CLUB, and a win by unanimous decision against Angel Albelo at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on July 11.
Hailing from East Los Angeles, Jonathan Navarro is a boxing legacy who made an impression on his professional debut on the Aug. 6 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB defeating Andrew Lee Gomez via knockout in the first round. The nineteen-year-old, whose uncle Jose Navarro was a 2000 U.S. Olympian and a flyweight title challenger in his professional career, has a decorated amateur career winning gold in 15 tournaments, four of which were international while representing the U.S. on the national team. A gifted boxer who began his boxing career at seven-years-old, Navarro won his first Golden Gloves at nine years of age. Now the 19-year old is ready to create his own history when he competes in his second professional fight on Sept. 4.
Making his professional debut, Santa Ana, Calif. Gibran Guiterrez will be looking for victory on Sept. 4 when he faces boxing legacy Jonathan Navarro from East Los Angeles.
LA FIGHT CLUB is a monthly boxing series featured on the first Friday of each month, with upcoming shows on Oct. 2, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4. The series showcases the brightest stars in the sport and present these exciting matchups in a nightclub atmosphere with an original setup. The boxing ring is set on the main floor of the Belasco Theater with on-camera standing room for fans in front of the ring similar to a concert pit, as well as reserved balcony and floor seats. Los Angeles’ own DJ Ray of Big Boy’s Neighborhood spins music during the fights and fans are able to dance and mingle with the fighters when the venue converts into a night club, in a VIP experience not matched by any promoter in the industry.