GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS PUTS BOXING’S TOP PROSPECTS ON CENTER STAGE ON MAY 3 DE LA HOYA VS.FORBES UNDERCARD

Posted on | April 29, 2008 | 2 Comments

LOS ANGELES, April 28 –Rising stars will shine on Saturday, May 3 as junior welterweight power-puncher Danny Garcia, middleweight stand-out Daniel Jacobs and the debut of Golden Boy’s latest addition, junior welterweight Hector Sanchez, are featured in separate bouts that headline the “Homecoming” De La Hoya vs. Forbes undercard at The Home Depot Center.

Also in action will be once-beaten Javier Castro, Floyd Mayweather Jr. protégé Wes Ferguson and ‘The Contender’ veteran Freddy Curiel. Doors open at The Home Depot Center Soccer Stadium at 3pm with the first bout beginning at 4pm.

“Homecoming” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Tournament of Contenders, AEG and The Home Depot Center and sponsored by Cazadores, Tecate, Rockstar Energy Drink, Southwest Airlines and Affliction Clothing. The main event will be televised live by HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.

With fellow Philadelphia native Bernard Hopkins a Golden Boy partner and a fellow Golden Boy fighter, Danny Garcia (5-0, 5 KOs) will have big expectations to live up to when it comes to Philadelphia bragging rights, but the indication is this 20-year-old junior welterweight has the skill and heart to live up to the task. A United States Olympic alternate who compiled a 107-13 record before deciding to turn pro, , Garcia has already put five wins in the bank, all coming by way of knockout. His most recent victory was a first round knockout just two weeks ago on the undercard of Hopkins-Calzaghe. He will look to make it six knockouts in six fights as he faces Juarez, Mexico’s Manuel Bocanegra (7-8-1, 5 KOs) in a six rounder on Saturday night.

Another former amateur star, Daniel Jacobs (5-0, 5 KOs), the pride of Brooklyn, New York, is also back in the ring just two weeks after scoring a knockout win on the Hopkins-Calzaghe undercard. Jacobs has already electrified the pro ranks in just five fights. Impressing all who have witnessed him in action with his mix of speed, power and savvy, he has been pegged as a “can’t miss” prospect for world title honors. Like Garcia, he will attempt to keep his perfect record and knockout streak intact when he squares off against Jose Pena (2-2-1, 2 KOs) in a scheduled six round middleweight bout.

Junior welterweight Hector Sanchez (12-0, 5 KOs) is a two-time Puerto Rican national amateur champion and a 2000 Junior Olympic Bronze medalist who compiled a 72-10 amateur record. A complete fighter who can box or bang, the 21-year-old turned pro with a four round win over John Temple in March of 2005 and with 11 more victories under his belt, including a first round TKO of fellow prospect Roberto Astacio last September, he is hitting his stride and ready to make his move on the division’s elite in the not too distant future. He will face twenty-one fight veteran Arthur Brambila of Phoenix, Arizona in a six round contest.

24-year-old junior welterweight Javier Castro (15-1, 13 KOs) will make his United States debut in a six round fight against the vastly more experienced Colombian battler Dairo Esalas (30-12, 24 KOs) of Miami, Florida. Castro, a hard-hitting prospect from Juarez, Mexico, who has seven first round knockouts to his name, already owns a win over former world champion Cesar Soto and is looking to extend his five fight knockout streak as he makes his way up the 140-pound ladder.

In welterweight action, exciting ‘Contender’ veteran Freddy Curiel (18-6-2, 8 KOs) looks to make it four wins in a row as he battles Italy’s Sven Paris (23-3, 16 KOs) in an eight round welterweight contest. Opening up the show will be talented Las Vegan and Floyd Mayweather Jr. protege Wes Ferguson (17-3-1, 5 KOs), who will face Mexico City, Mexico’s Miguel Munguia (16-11-1, 13 KOs) in an eight round lightweight battle.

Tickets for “Homecoming” are on sale now and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 213-480-3232 or by visiting ticketmaster.com. Group tickets, VIP packages and Hospitality packages are available by calling 1-877-AEG-TICKETS (1-877-234-8425) or by visiting www.aegtickets.com.

For more information on the “Homecoming” weekend, please visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.

CONTACTS: Ramiro Gonzalez/Monica Sears, Golden Boy Promotions: (213) 489-5631