Tag Archives: Gary Hyde

Cuban amateur star Marcos Forestal Making pro debut tomorrow in Queens, NY Friday, Feb. 13

(l-R) – Marcos Forestal & trainer Joe Goossen

CORK, Ireland (Feb. 12, 2015) – Celebrated Cuban amateur boxer Marcos Forestal will make his professional debut tomorrow night (Fri., Feb. 13) in a four-round super bantamweight bout against veteran Ignac “The Test” Kassai at 5 Star Banquet Hall in Queens, New York.

 

A three-time Cuban National champion, the 25-year-old Forestal defeated 2012 Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Rameriez 14 months ago in a sensational national championship final.

 

Fighting as a semi-pro in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) for undefeated 2014 team champion Cuba Domadores, Forestal was unbeaten in three WSB matches before defecting to the United States last April.

 

Forestal signed a contract this past October with Ireland-based, International boxing manager Gary Hyde, president of Nowhere2Hyde Management. Hyde also manages present, past and future world champions such as World Boxing Association (WBA) Super & World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight champion and two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux (15-0, 10 KOs), WBA Interim cruiserweight champion Youri “El Toro” Kalenga (21-1, 14 KOs), former WBO middleweight champion and current International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 1 mandatory contender Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (31-1, 18 KOs), and world amateur champion Blagoy Naydenov.

 

“Marcos Forestal is an excellent young fighter who has an action-packed style,” Hyde said. “He has what it takes to become world champion. We couldn’t find a US-based opponent to fight Marcos because they said he was another Rigondeaux and Olympic champion. While he beat an Olympic champion, Marcus wasn’t an Olympian. We flew in his opponent from Hungary. Kasai is a 56-fight veteran who has fought some of the top Europeans like IBF super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton, world title challengers Martin Ward, Bedak Zsolt  and Alexander Miskirtchian, and former European champ Anthony Settoul.”

 

Forestal is a 5′ 8″ southpaw who will campaign in the 122-pound super bantamweight division, the same weight class his fellow countryman and stablemate Rigondeaux rules.

 

“Guillermo Rigondeaux is a super champion and in Cuba I looked up to him like his younger brother,” Forestal added. “He has dominated the super bantamweight division and I will soon join him at the top.”

 

Living in Los Angeles and trained there by Joe Goossen, Forestal’s second pro fight is tentatively scheduled for March 6 in nearby Glendale, California.

 

Follow Hyde on Twitter at @NoWhere2Hyde and friend him atwww.facebook.com/gary.hyde.50?fref=ts.

Guillermo Rigondeaux encouraged by Oscar de la Hoya comment about Leo Santa Cruz unification fight

MIAMI (Jan. 28, 2015) – World Boxing Association (WBA) Super, World Boxing Organization (WBO) and The Ring Magazine super bantamweight champion Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux (15-0, 10 KOs) is encouraged by reports that World Boxing Council (WBC) title-holder Leo Santa Cruz‘ promoter, Oscar de la Hoya, believes a Rigondeaux-Santa Cruz unification fight has to happen.

 

The 34-year-old Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been restricted to Asia for his last two fights, subsequently in low-profile matches, due to the lack of desire by any world-class super bantamweight to challenge the Cuban star.

 

Rigondeaux stopped WBO No. 6 rated challenger Hisashi Amagasa (28-4-2, 19 KOs) after 11 rounds in Osaka, Japan this past New Year’s Eve. Last July, “Rigo” knocked out Sod Kokietgym (62-2-1) in the opening round of their fight in Macao, China.

 

“It’s good to know that Santa Cruz’ promoter has stated that our unification fight has to happen,” an ecstatic Rigondeaux said. “I want to add his (WBC) green belt to my WBA and WBO championship collection. I’ve wanted this fight for some time. Let’s hope this is not just idle talk. Let’s do it!”

 

Rigondeaux vs. Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) would be a classic showdown between ethnic boxing arch-rivals, respectively, Cuban and Mexican fighters who now live in Miami and southern California.

 

“I have contacted Golden Boy Promotions many times to ask about making a fight between ‘Rigo’ and Santa Cruz,” Rigondeaux’ manager Gary Hyde added. “They always answered by saying they were interested in making this fight but not at that time. Yesterday, after learning Oscar said this fight has to happen, I reached out to Golden Boy and can confirm that negotiations have commenced. Myself and Caribe Promotions, ‘Rigo’s’ promoter, will endeavor to make this fight happen as soon as possible.

 

“Once ‘Rigo’ beats Santa Cruz for his third world title belt – fourth if you count The Ring Magazine – a fight against International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Carl Frampton (19-0, 13 KOs) would have to happen in order to determine the undisputed super bantamweight champion of the world.”

 

Follow Rigondeaux and Hyde on Twitter at @RigoElChacal305 and @NoWhere2Hyde, friend them at www.facebook.com/GuillermoRigondeaux andwww.facebook.com/gary.hyde.50?fref=ts.