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With boxing’s present already well accounted for on Saturday, September 18, thanks to names like Sugar Shane Mosley, Sergio Mora and those of the rest of the pay per view fighters, it will be up to the future stars of the sweet science to make their own statements in undercard bouts at Staples Center in Los Angeles that night.
With a lineup featuring Frankie Gomez, “Dangerous” David Rodela, Keith Thurman, Sharif Bogere, Lanardo Tyner and Kaliesha West, expect some fireworks before the big guns start firing on Pay-Per-View.
One of the most highly-touted prospects in recent years, 18-year old Frankie Gomez (5-0, 5 KO’s) signed with Golden Boy Promotions following a stellar amateur career and he has been thrilling fight fans ever since.
Sporting a perfect pro record with every victory coming by knockout within three rounds, the East Los Angeles native will compete in a six round welterweight bout on September 18 against fellow Angeleno Ricardo Calzada (2-2, 1 KO).
Oxnard lightweight “Dangerous” David Rodela (15-3-3, 6 KO’s) broke a two-fight losing streak in May with a hard fought win over Eric Cruz and he’s back to the form that saw him defeat former World Champion Kevin Kelly and fellow prospect Gamalier Rodriguez. He returns to the ring this weekend to take on Mexico City’s Juan Manuel Montiel (6-3-1, 1 KO) in a six round contest.
A silver medalist in the 2008 Olympic trials, Largo, Florida’s Keith Thurman (13-0, 12 KO’s) has shown even more promise as a professional, as he’s been destroying his opposition with frightening efficiency.
Having stopped 12 opponents in less than two rounds, including the 7-0 Stalinn Lopez in July, Thurman brings excitement every time the bell rings. He will look to add to his already impressive resume when he battles Portland’s Quandray Robertson (15-9, 10 KO’s) in an eight round junior middleweight fight.
21-year old Uganda native, Sharif Bogere (16-0, 10 KO’s) was a five-time national champion in his homeland before relocating to the United States to begin his pro career. Unbeaten as a professional, the talented Bogere already holds wins over 10-1 prospect Jose Hernandez and 58-fight veteran Ilido Julio.
The Henderson, Nevada resident is looking for another big victory in his Los Angeles debut when he takes on Ciudad Juarez, Mexico’s Julian Rodriguez (17-19-4, 11KO’s) in a six/eight round junior welterweight bout.
Opening up this talent-rich event is an eight round junior middleweight bout pitting Houston’s Lanardo Tyner (24-3, 15 KO’s) against Los Mochis, Mexico’s Cristian Favela (19-30-6, 10 KO’s).
Known as “The Pain Server,” Tyner has tested himself throughout his pro career and following a 2009 loss to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, he has reeled off three wins, capped off by a ninth round TKO of highly-touted Antwone Smith in July. He will be in for another tough fight on September 18 against the veteran Favela.
An amateur superstar who won 98 bouts over the course of a career that saw her earn National Golden Gloves and Junior Olympics titles, Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West (12-1-2, 3 KO’s) has been boxing since the age of ten and at just 22 years old, she is knocking on the door of a world title.
Unbeaten for nearly two years, West is coming off of a fifth round TKO of Vannessa Guimaraes in June and she’s ready for the biggest fight of her career at Staples Center on September 18.
Though she doesn’t own the same amount of amateur accolades as her opponent, South Carolina’s Angel “Non-Stop” Gladney (6-2-1, 5 KO’s) certainly has the same determination to win the Bantamweight World Title this September.
A pro since 2009, Gladney has shown amazing power thus far, and with all five of her knockout wins coming in the first round, expect fireworks early when these two bantamweights collide.
