| Benitez to be Named Honorary Captain
of Team Puerto Rico
Team Puerto Rico Boxing is proud to announce that three-time world champion and Puerto Rican boxing great Wilfred Benitez will be named honorary captain of their team at a short ceremony next week.
Benitez was the youngest world champion in boxing history. At 17 years old, he won the World Boxing Association junior welterweight title by beating Antonio “Kid Pambelé” Cervantes by split decision. He remains one of the most decorated and beloved fighters in the history of Puerto Rico and the world.
“The whole concept of Team Puerto Rico was developed around the idea of promoting the best young fighters on the island, and what is better for this group of boxers than to honor one of the greatest Puerto Rican fighters and THE greatest young fighter ever? I grew up watching Benitez and we are all honored to give him this honor,” said Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment.
For his part, Gary Shaw, president of Gary Shaw Productions said, “This position is given to Benitez for his unparalleled skills within the ring and to recognize his life’s work. Benitez is one of the best in history, it is an honor for my fellow promoters, members of Team Puerto Rico and for me that he has accepted this position. I’m sure Team Puerto Rico, through their performances at Boricua Invasion I & II will honor this gentleman of boxing.”
Next Monday, May 30, Benitez, whose health has declined badly since his ring career, will receive a visit from Team Puerto Rico at his home, and will also receive a donation from the team and their four promoters, Shaw, DiBella, Javier Bustillo of Universal Promotions and Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing.
“Being able to help a boxing hero such as Benitez is not only an honor, but a duty for all the glory he provided this island. Next Monday, I will be there to support and shake the hand of this immortal of boxing, “said Javier Bustillo, president of Universal Promotions.
“It’s a great honor for Team Puerto Rico to work with maybe the greatest Puerto Rican boxer of all time,” added Margules. “This is the least we can do.”
Representing his teammates, featherweight super prospect Jose Pedraza says it’s an honor to present this award to Benitez. “Wilfred Benitez is a Puerto Rican boxing hero. I have seen several videos of him and he had unbelievable talent. For Team Puerto Rico,it will be an honor to share time with him, and to have him as captain.”
Team Puerto Rico Boxing was developed by Shaw, DiBella, Bustillo and Margules in order to group the best young talent on the island on one team.
Team Puerto Rico’s Next Appearance:
Back-to-back, on June 10 and 11 (Friday and Saturday before the 2011 National Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday) at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, Gary Shaw Productions and DiBella Entertainment will present Boricua Invasion I and II, featuring members of Team Puerto Rico Boxing, the eight-man team of Puerto Rico’s future ring stars.
Friday’s Boricua Invasion I will feature the unstoppable welterweight on everybody’s “one to watch” list, Thomas Dulorme (11-0, 10 KOs) vs. former world champion DeMarcus Corley; Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico’s highlight-reel welterweight KO specialist Kenny “Battlestar” Galarza (14-1, 14 KOs) vs. Puerto Rican compatriot Irving Garcia and the future superstar already fighting in main events after just two bouts, Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (2-0, 2 KOs). The main bouts of Boricua Invasion I will be televised on ESPN Friday Night Fights.
Saturday’s Boricua Invasion II will feature four more members of Team Puerto Rico: featherweight Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle (12-0, 10 KOs) vs. Dat Nguyen; junior middleweight Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (12-0, 12 KOs); and light welterweight Hector “El Flaco” Sanchez (19-1, 9 KOs) vs. Vincent Arroyo. Also scheduled for action are Team Puerto Rico light welterweight Jorge “Machito” Maysonet Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs); plus a special off-TV appearance by Puerto Rico-born light welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (15-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn. The main bouts of Boricua Invasion II will be broadcast live on Showtime: The New Generation.
Tickets for Boricua Invasion I on Friday, June 10 are priced at $175, $125, $75, $45 and are available through Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone, or at any Ticketmaster outlet. On Friday, doors will open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 6:30.
Tickets for Boricua Invasion II on Saturday, June 11 are priced at $200, $150, $85, and $55 and are available through Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone, or at any Ticketmaster outlet. On Saturday, doors will open at 7:00 pm and the action starts at 7:30.
For VIP Package tickets to both nights, please call DiBella Entertainment at 212-947-2577.
The Roseland Ballroom is located at 239 West 52nd Street in New York City.
All bouts are subject to change.
For more information, visit www.teampuertoricoboxing.com orwww.latinoboxing.com. For more information on the Roseland Ballroom, visitwww.roselandballroom.com.
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