HARTFORD (Mei 11, 2015) – Rising junior featherweight star Luis “KO Koning” Rosa (19-0, 9 KO) plans to graduate from top prospect to legitimate contender deze vrijdag (Mei 15) op ESPN VrijdagNight Fights, gepresenteerd door 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions en DiBella Entertainment, in samenwerking met Universal Promotions, close to his New Haven home at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

 

A native of Puerto Rico, the 24-year-old Rosa takes on Colombian veteran Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (33-10, 17 KO) in the 8-round ESPN2 co-feature.

 

Headlining the card will be undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9 KO) against longtime contender Monty Meza Clay (36-4, 22 KO) in de 10-round main event.

 

Live-verslaggeving zal beginnen om 9 p.m. EN op ESPN2 en zal ook beschikbaar zijn via WatchESPN op computers, smartphones, tabletten, Amazon Fire TV en Vuur TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Jaar, Xbox 360 en Xbox One via een aangesloten video-leverancier. Bovendien, ESPN’ Night Fights will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

 

The popular Rosa, who is world rated at No. 15 door de World Boxing Association (WBA) en nr. 16 door de World Boxing Council (WBC), has prepared for a breakout performance in front of a large ESPN Friday Night Fights viewing audience.

 

“Dit is een enorme strijd voor mij,” Rosa said. “It’s great fighting on ESPN and I’m going to show the nation what I’m all about. I’m prepared to put on an explosive show. I feel that I’m close to getting a title shot. I want to fight world-class opponents and I plan to prove I’m ready op vrijdag nacht.

 

“It’s always great fighting in my home state and I’m sure I’ll have a lot of fans there. Aan het einde van de dag, hoewel, I’m going to get the job done and it doesn’t matter where the fight would be held.”

 

Perez, 28, a professional fighter since 2005, heeft gewonnen 14 van zijn laatste 15 uiteinden. The battle-tested Colombian has fought the likes of world champions Cristian Mijares, Abner Mares, Jose Lopez, Martin Castillo, Eric Ortiz en Raul Martinez, as well a world title challenger Jesus Jimenez.

 

“Perez is a veteran with 44 pro gevechten,” said Rosa about Perez. “He’s fought a lot of world-class guys and champions. I know he’s coming to fight. He’s going to come forward and he wants to bang. Hij is sterk, I’m stronger. I’m faster, ook, and the better all-around fighter. I’ll be ready for whatever he brings.”

Live-verslaggeving zal beginnen om 9 p.m. EN op ESPN2 en zal ook beschikbaar zijn via WatchESPN op computers, smartphones, tabletten, Amazon Fire TV en Vuur TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Jaar, Xbox 360 en Xbox One via een aangesloten video-leverancier. Bovendien, ESPN’ Night Fights will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

 

Fighting on the undercard are a pair of promising foreign boxers who are now living in the United States, as well as several New England and New York City favorites.

 

Undefeated Ukrainian middleweight Ivan Golub (7-0, 5 KO), uitvechten van Brooklyn, meets fellow Ukrainian Kostyantyn Rovenskyy (18-1-2, 5 KO) in een zes-ronde Bout. Kazakh super middleweightDauren Yeleussinov (1-0), also living in Brooklyn, voldoet aan Vlaamse gaai “JD” Williams (3-6), of Louisiana, in a scheduled six-rounder.

 

Also slated to fight in six-round bouts on the undercard are unbeaten New Haven light heavyweightCharles Foster (7-0, 3 KO) facing Woonsocket, RI, tegenstander Joe Gardner (11-7-1, 1 KO) and undefeated Bronx middleweight Chris Galeano (7-0) taking on Las Vegas’ upset-minded Yosmani Abreu (4-8-2).

 

Three four-round matches are also on tap with Waterbury, CT, junior weltergewicht Jair Ramos (3-2-1, 2 KO) vs. Harlem Curtis Morton (3-4-2), Miami lightweight Alberto Candeleria (4-2-1, 3 KO) vs. Brooklyn's Ian James (3-11-1, 1 KO), and New Haven junior lightweight William Foster III (1-0) vs. TBA.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $65 en $35 (plus van toepassing zijnde belastingen). Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (860) 728-2624 of 1 (203) 627-7472. Deuren open om 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EN.