CANCUN, Mexico (July 6 2017) – The third installment of the 2017 “Cancun Boxing” series, presented by Pepe Gomez Boxing in association with Neon Star Sports & Entertainment, will air this Saturday night (July 7) in North America, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, on CBS Sports Network. An encore presentation will follow at 12 p.m. ET.
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’ original opponent, “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, in the 10thround. 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 in world title fights, is 2-3 vs. past world champions, including the only knockout loss of his career, in 2015, to 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) and 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 Jesus “Kiligua” Velazco (13-9-2, 5 KOs).
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to
www.cbssportsnetwork.com
INFORMATION
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