Boxing News Boxing News
Amateur welterweight star Eric Mendez has signed an exclusive promotional contract with TKO Boxing Promotions, it was announced today.
The 19 year old Mendez, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawaiian Gardens, finished his outstanding amateur career with a record of 74-9 including a two-time first place finish at the highly regarded Desert Showdown Invitational Amateur Boxing Championships.
Along with his new promoter, Mendez is guided by award winning manager Cameron Dunkin and trainer Armando Valenzuela.
“I’ve been training Eric since he was 9 years old and he’s always in the gym 5-6 days a week and always getting better. He’s sparred with almost all the top pro’s in California and all of them will tell you how impressed they are” said Armando Valenzuela.
Said Dunkin, “Eric is an exceptionally heavy handed fighter with tremendous power in both hands and is very well suited to becoming a highly successful pro. He didn’t travel much nationally as an amateur but he beat many highly ranked amateurs at smaller tournaments and beat most of them by stoppage.
“He is very strong and he can really punch with both hands. Eric is the kind of guy boxing fans are going to love. We’re looking forward to announcing his pro debut very shortly.”
The 5’10” Mendez is scheduled to make his professional debut March 25th at Commerce Casino. TKO CEO Chris Middendorf adds, “Our goals at Commerce are to create a series that focuses on some of our world class prospects, to bring terrific fights to the world’s largest poker casino and to have the fans coming back show after show.
“As we will be doing between 8 and 10 shows a year there, Eric Mendez is the type of young star that we can really build there. Fans in LA are going to love Mendez the first time they see him”.
