Team Puerto Rico: Working to be Champions Inside and Outside Ring

Posted on | June 2, 2011 | No Comments

Team Puerto Rico: Working to be Champions Inside and Outside Ring

This week’s visit to former world champion Wilfred Benitez’s home was not the only charitable work Team Puerto Rico has been up to lately.

Taking their roles seriously as the new ambassadors of Puerto Rican boxing, the members of Team Puerto Rico have all been doing their part to help their communities.

On Monday, the entire team assembled for the visit to Benitez, which included a donation for his care of $2000. The great champion was also named honorary Team Captain in a very touching ceremony.

In addition, for the last two years, TPR’s Cesar Seda Jr. (20-1, 15 KOs) has been donating his barbering skills at an old age home, giving badly needed hair cuts to less fortunate seniors.

The NABA and former WBO World Title challenger says it’s a matter of responsibility.

“I feel it is my duty as a citizen to help the community that has seen me grow as a boxer and a person,” he said.

In addition, despite being in training for the biggest fight of his young career, TPR’s Hector “El Flaco” Sanchez recently took time out to work the phones at a telethon for muscular dystrophy.

Sanchez (19-1, 9 KOs), of Santurce, Puerto Rico, will face fellow Puerto Rican Vincent Arroyo at Boricua Boxing II, on June 11 at Roseland Ballroom in New York and televised live on ShoBox: The New Generation at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

“These young men are all champions in and out of the ring. That’s why they were chosen,” said Team Puerto Rico co-creator, promoter Gary Shaw.

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 Sanchez vs. 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.