Felix Verdejo will return to the ring on February 28 in Tampa

Credito de FOTO: Peter Amador / Top Rank

In 2013 and 2014, Puerto Rico’s Felix Verdejo planted his flag on Floridian soil by conquering Orlando with impressive victories in three visits to “The City Beautiful.” Now, “El Diamante” will try to conquer another Florida city when he fights in Tampa in his first bout of 2015.

Verdejo, who is undefeated with a record of 16-0 and 12 wins via knockout, will face Mexico’s Marco Antonio “El Kua Kua” Lopez (24-5, 15 KO’s) on Saturday, February 28 in the main event of a “Solo Boxeo Tecate” card, which will take place at ‘The Corral” in the Sun Dome at the University of South Florida.

“I want to give the fans in Tampa a great fight so they can enjoy it just like the fans in Orlando have enjoyed my fights,” said Verdejo. “I’m very grateful for all the love and support that the fans in Florida have given me.” He added, laughing, “I want to see the Orlando fans in Tampa, because is not that far.”

“February 28 marks the start of the 2015 campaign for Felix. We love fightin in the state of Florida which is obviously becoming a hotbed for Verdejo,” said Carl Moretti, Vice President of Top Rank. “We are hoping to get rounds out of this match with Lopez much like we were trying to get towards the end of 2014. This is the first fight in a big year to come”.

Lopez is an experienced and rugged opponent who has battled three times to 8 rounds, in five occasions to 10 rounds and has gone the 12 rounds once.

“We expect a strong and experienced opponent,” said Verdejo, who has won seven of his last ten fights by knockout. “That’s what we are looking for. We don’t want easy fights. We want fights that will make me work and use all my tools in the ring,” The fight against “El Kua Kua” Lopez will be Verdejo’s last 8-round bout.

In his last fight, Verdejo defeated Spain’s Karim “El Diablo” El Ouazghari by technical knockout in the fourth round. That card took place last December at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

In the co-main event of the card, unbeaten prospect Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez (8-0, 7 KO’s) will face Raul Tovar (14-8-1, 4 KO’s).

Tickets to the card that will be presented by Top Rank in association with All Star Boxing are priced at $30 and $60, and can be acquired on: www.Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Sun Bowl box office, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Unimas will televise the card from coast to coast in the United States.