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Plus! Unbeaten Featherweight Jorge Lara Takes on
Hard-Hitting Mario Briones in Televised Action
Tickets on Sale Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. CT!
LAREDO, TX (April 19, 2017) – Unbeaten rising contender David Benavidez (17-0, 16 KOs) will meet exciting former title challenger Rogelio “Porky” Medina (37-7, 31 KOs) in a super middleweight world title eliminator that headlines a special Saturday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes May 20 from Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas.
Televised coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features unbeaten featherweight contender Jorge Lara (28-0-2, 20 KOs) taking on hard-hitting brawler Mario Briones (28-5-2, 22 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight fight.
Benavidez and Medina will battle for the mandatory position to challenge for the vacant super middleweight world title that will go to the winner of the agreed to Anthony Dirrell vs. Callum Smith clash.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Benavidez. “I have been working very hard and I am not going to let this chance pass by me. I’m going to go in there and win this fight. I don’t feel pressure with this being an eliminator. I’m training extremely hard just like every other fight. I’m ready to go in there and do what I always do.”
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring against David Benavidez,” said Medina. “Benavidez has never faced a fighter as good or experienced as me. I have fought many world champions and for a world title and that is going to give me an advantage in this fight.May 20 will be my first step toward getting another title shot.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $53, $20 and $10, and are on sale Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets can be purchased at the LEA Box Office or through Ticketmaster by visiting www.Ticketmaster.com or calling 1-800-745-3000.
“We’re very excited to bring this action packed card to the great boxing fans in Laredo, Texas and the Rio Grande on May 20 at the Laredo Energy Center and live on FS1 and FOX Deportes,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “David Benavidez and Porky Medina are two of the hardest punching and most exciting fighters in the super middleweight division and this fight promises fireworks from the opening bell.”
“The LEA is excited to host for the first time, Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes,” said Xavier Villalon, General Manager of the SMG – Managed Laredo Energy Arena. “This televised event promises to bring exciting professional talent to the next level that Laredo’s boxing fans have been asking for.”
The younger brother of undefeated Jose Benavidez, David has racked up a perfect 17 wins in 17 starts at just 20-years-old. Fighting out of Phoenix, Benavidez picked up four victories via stoppage in 2015 and continued with four more in 2016 including blasting out previously unbeaten Francy Ntetu in June and tough contender Denis Douglin in August. Most recently, Benavidez began his 2017 campaign with a second-round destruction of Sherali Mamajonov in January.
Medina is a hard-hitting veteran with 31 knockouts in his 37 career wins. His biggest win to date was a shocking third round knockout of then unbeaten J’Leon Love in 2014 and last year he exceeded expectations by giving world champion James DeGale all he could handle in a 12-round matchup before ultimately dropping a decision. Prior to DeGale, the 28-year-old had suffered six losses in 42 fights, although those defeats came against opponents with a combined record of 187-16-3, including four previously undefeated fighters.
An unbeaten fighter out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Lara is undefeated since turning pro in 2010 and winning his first four fights by knockout. The 26-year-old made his U.S. debut in 2015 with a first round stoppage of veteran Mario Macias. His last outing saw Lara step up in competition against former multiple division world champion Fernando Montiel, who Lara knocked down four times before stopping in the first round.
Briones enters this fight coming off of a first round stoppage of Jose Emanuel Vargas last year, which followed up a durable performance against then unbeaten Miguel Flores that saw the fighter out of Aguascalientes, Mexico drop a 10-round decision. That bout served as the U.S. debut for the veteran fighter who turned pro in 2009 and was unbeaten in his first 21 pro fights. The 31-year-old has fought in five countries throughout his pro career.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
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