CANCUN, Mexico (Lub Xya hli ntuj 6 2017) – The third installment of the 2017 “Cancun Boxing” series, presented by Pepe Gomez Boxing in association with Neon Star Sports & Lom ze, will air this Saturday night (Lub Xya hli ntuj 7) in North America, pib thaum 8 p.m. THIAB / 5 p.m. PT, on CBS Sports Network. An encore presentation will follow at 12 p.m. THIAB.
The event took place this past June 3rd at Grand Oasis Cancun the Hotel Complex, Cancun`s ONLY Ultimate All-Inclusive Entertainment Resort, which hosts all series events.
Former IBF/WBO Minimumweight World Champion Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez, Jr. (22-4-1, 14 Kos) fought late replacement Rolando “El Duende” Gusman (15-3, 9 Kos), of Argentina, in the 12-round WBC Flyweight World Title Eliminator. Rodriguez’ thawj tus nrog sib ntaus, “Lil” Oscar Cantu (14-1, 1 KO), was injured in a car accident only days before the scheduled event.
Rodriguez, 23, won his first world title in 2014, stopping previously unbeaten Merlito Sabillo (23-0-1), the defending WBO minimumweight title fight in Mexico, nyob rau hauv lub 10thpuag ncig. Later that same year, Rodriguez successfully defended his WBO crown with a 12-round unanimous decision over IBF minimumweight title holder Katsunari Takayama (27-6) to become unified world champion. Rodriguez vacated both titles in late 2014.
The 23-year-old Rodriguez unsuccessfully challenged WBA Light Flyweight World Champion Donnie Nietes (35-1-4), the reigning IBF flyweight world champion, dropping a 12-round unanimous decision.
Rodriquez, 2-1 nyob rau hauv lub ntiaj teb no title fights, yog 2-3 vs. past world champions, including the only knockout loss of his career, nyob rau hauv 2015, rau Roman “Chocolalito” Rodriguez (35-0), the future “Pound-4-Pound King” from Nicaragua.
Gusman is a former Interim WBO Latino Super Flyweight and WBA International bantamweight title challenger.
The eight-round co-feature is a female featherweight rematch between Mexican rivals Jack Calvo (10-2-1, 1 KO) thiab Yesenia “La Nina” Gomez (13-4-1, 6 Kos). The two fought to a six-round draw this past April on a Cancun Boxing card.
The televised opener is an eight-round, non-title fight between a pair of Mexican lightweights, WBC Latino champion Francisco “Paquito” Rojo (19-2, 12 Kos) and Mexican Pacific Coast titlist Yexus “Kiligua” Velazco (13-9-2, 5 Kos).
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video thiab telco mob thiab ntawm satellite rau DirecTV Channel 221 thiab Tais Network Channel 158. Yog xav paub ntxiv, nrog rau ib tug tag nrho programming sij hawm thiab yuav ua li cas kom tau CBS kev ua si Network, mus rau
www.cbssportsnetwork.com
NTAUB NTAWV
Twitter: @pepegomezcancun, @cancun_boxing, @NeonstarSE
Instagram: @pepegomez1
