#SuperFly3 set for Saturday, September 8 – Televised Live on HBO
Los Angeles, CA (July 26, 2018) Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions has announced details of the highly anticipated return of the widely acclaimed SUPERFLY series set for Saturday, September 8 at the ‘Fabulous’ Forum in Los Angeles, CA. The triple-header will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
#SUPERFLY3 will be headlined by a 12 -round super flyweight clash between former world champion JUAN FRANCISCO ‘El Gallo’ ESTRADA, (36-3-0, 25 KO’s), of Sonora, Mexico and two-time world title challenger FELIPE ‘Galito’ ORUCUTA, (36-4-0, 30 KO’s), of Nicolas Romero, Mexico.
Co-featured over 12-rounds for the vacant WBO Super Flyweight World Title, four-time world champion DONNIE ‘The Snake’ NIETES, (41-1-4, 23 KO’s), of Bacolod City, Philippines, moves up one division to challenge countryman ‘Mighty’ ASTON PALICTE, (24-2-0, 20 KO’s) of Bago City, Philippines.
Opening the telecast, three-division world champion KAZUTO IOKA, (22-1-0, 13 KO’s), of Osaka, Japan, battles two-time world title challenger MCWILLIAMS ARROYO, (17-3-0, 14 KO’s), of Fajardo, Puerto Rico in a ten-round super flyweight bout.
Advance tickets for SUPERFLY 3, priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25 will go On-Sale This Friday at 10:00 a.m. PT and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000) and the Forum Box Office. The Forum is located at 3900 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood CA 90305. Doors on the night of the event will open at 4:00 p.m. PT.
“We’re very excited to make this announcement today for SUPERFLY 3”, said Loeffler. “Our first two Superfly cards were among the most well received international boxing events over the last year.”
“Since our last SUPERFLY card in February, boxing fans and media have continuously asked me when the next card is taking place. The fights that have been presented in this series have provided non-stop action and an unparalleled in-arena atmosphere for boxing.”
“Juan Francisco Estrada and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai battled in one of the best fights this year in February with both fighters proving to be two of the most valiant warriors in boxing. Against the hard-hitting Orucuata, Estrada will be facing a determined challenger seeking his own path to a world title.”
“Fans were also treated to a sensational performance in February by Donnie Nietes winning his third world title and facing his rival countryman Aston Palicte at SUPERFLY 3 will provide fireworks from the opening bell.”
“Having three-division world champion Kazuto Ioka of Japan come out of retirement to face Puerto Rico’s McWilliams Arroyo further validates how important the SUPERFLY brand is to these outstanding fighters.”
“The stylistic matchups of these three announced fights will provide the type of non-stop action the SUPERFLY events have become known for and the ‘gold standard’ which fans have become accustomed to.”
“I am very excited to return for a third SUPERFLY event card and look forward to giving the fans another thrilling fight,” said Estrada. “I need to win so I can get a second shot at the WBC Super Flyweight World Title and a rematch against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. I am training in the mountains of Mexico City to be ready for the fight on September 8.”
“Juan Francisco Estrada is a great boxer and one of the best fighters from Mexico. It’s an honor to fight him and I will be well prepared for victory at SUPERFLY 3 on September 8,” said Orucuta.
Long a favorite among Mexican boxing fans, the 28-year-old Juan Francisco Estrada has built a reputation for facing the very best in the flyweight and super flyweight divisions. Fighting on February 24, 2018 at SUPERFLY 2, Estrada battled over 12-rounds in a fearless clash against defending WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai that had the huge crowd at the Forum on their feet cheering loudly for each fighter.
This will be Estrada’s third straight fight at a SUPERFLY event, having defeated former world champion Carlos Cuadras on September 9, 2017 in an epic battle at the series debut in Carson, CA.
Over the course of his illustrious 10-year career, Estrada has fought many other world champions and top contenders including Roman Gonzalez, Hernan Marquez, Giovanni Segura, Richie Mepranum and Milan Melindo.
Estrada won the WBO and WBA Flyweight World Titles on April 6, 2013 by defeating then world champion Brian Viloria, making five defenses before moving up to the super flyweight division.
The 32-year-old Felipe Orucuta has twice challenged for the WBO Super Flyweight World Title, losing in very close decisions to Omar Narvaez in Argentina. On May 25, 2013 in Buenos Aires, Orucuta was on the short end of a 12-round split decision. Fourteen months later, Orucuta returned to Argentina, this time losing a 12-round majority decision to Narvaez in Villa Maria, Argentina.
Currently the heavy handed Orucuta is on a five-bout winning streak; all by knockout including the fourth-round stoppage of Ricardo Roman on May 26, 2018 in Mexico City.
Among the other notable names on Orucuta’s winning side of the ledger are Roberto Castaneda, Fernando Lumacad, Julio David Roque Ler and Enrique Bernache.
The fight against Estrada will be Orucuta’s first in the United States since July 2008.
Fighting in the Los Angeles for the third time in recent years, Donnie Nietes thrilled the local Filipino fans with a seventh-round knockout over Juan Carlos Reveco at SUPERFLY 2 to earn the IBF Flyweight World Title, his tenth straight victory. Incredibly, Nietes has not suffered a loss since September 2004.
One of the Philippines most popular fighters over the last fifteen years, among the victories on Nietes’ ledger are wins over Edgar Sosa, Raul Garcia, Ramon Garcia Hirales, Manuel Vargas, Juan Alejo and Gilberto Parra.
The 27-year-old Aston Palicte will be fighting for the third time in the United States. In his U.S. debut, he won a 10-round decision over then undefeated Oscar Cantu on December 17, 2016 in Las Vegas. Following that up on December 8, 2017, the all-action Palicte knocked out Jose Alfredo Rodriguez in the fifth stanza in Round Rock, Texas.
The boxing pride of Osaka, Japan, Kazuto Ioka retired in November 2017 after making five defenses of his WBA Flyweight World Title earned by defeating then champion Juan Carlos Reveco on April 22, 2015.
Over the course of his nine-year multiple title reign, Ioka defeated world champions and top-rated contenders including Amnat Ruenroeng, Akira Yaegashi, Felix Alvarado, Ekkawit Songnui, Yutthana Kaensa and Nare Yianleang.
With all of his previous bouts coming in Japan, Ioka will be making his long-awaited United States debut at SUPERFLY 3.
A representative of his native Puerto Rico in the 2008 Olympics, the 32-year-old McWIlliams Arroyo made his Los Angeles debut at the Forum and on HBO by challenging then WBC Flyweight World Champion Roman Gonzalez on April 23, 2016. Although losing a 12-round decision, Arroyo would fight valiantly against the #1 Pound-for-Pound legend, earning the respect from the sold-out crowd.
Most recently Arroyo challenged former super flyweight world champion Carlos Cuadras at SUPERFLY 2, defeating the popular Mexican over ten rounds in an outstanding battle at the Forum that had the huge crowd cheering throughout.
Additional information on this tremendous night of world class professional boxing will be announced shortly.