Golden Boy Looking to End 2004 in Style.
LOS ANGELES, December 2nd – As Golden Boy Promotions wraps up its second year of presenting world-class boxing on HBO Latino’s “Oscar De La Hoya Presents Boxeo De Oroâ€, the company has decided that there was no better way to give back to the people that have supported the series than to put on two ultra-competitive bouts with world title implications. So it’s a holiday gift for fight fans on Thursday, December 16, as Los Mochis, Mexico’s Fernando Montiel clashes with Barranquilla, Colombia’s Angel Priolo in a twelve-round WBC Latino Super Flyweight Championship bout which will air live on HBO Latino from the legendary Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.
In the televised co-feature, super middleweight standout Librado Andrade will make his third appearance at the Grand Olympic Auditorium when he tackles fellow unbeaten Allan Green in a ten round bout. Doors open at 6pm, and the first bell rings at 6:30pm. The HBO Latino broadcast begins at 7pmpm PT. The most accomplished member of a fighting family, two division world champion Fernando Montiel (29-1-1, 23 KOs) has been on a tear in 2004, fighting three times against quality opposition and winning each bout via knockout. With a win over Priolo on December 16, “Cochulito†– who is ranked in the top six in the world by all major sanctioning bodies – will be at the head of the line to regain his super flyweight title in 2005.
But Angel Priolo (30-1, 20 KOs) has some championship aspirations of his own, having gone on a six-year, 17 fight winning streak. A well-decorated veteran with the NABA and Colombian flyweight, and WBC Latin American bantamweight titles to his credit, the hard-punching Priolo would like to leave some coal in Montiel’s stocking this holiday season. Librado Andrade (20-0,14 KOs), long considered to be one of the top prospects on the California fight scene, truly made the leap to contender in 2004, as he defeated Willie Stewart, Tito Mendoza, and Vitali Kopitko – scoring ten combined knockdowns in the process. The La Habra resident, who proudly owns the NABO and NABA titles at 168 pounds, will look to cap off his amazing year with another win on December 16.
Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Allan Green (14-0, 10 KOs) has had a pretty impressive 12 months himself, going 6-0 with four knockouts in 2004. Included were KO wins over previously unbeaten Conal McPhee and sturdy veteran Etienne Whitaker. A 2002 National Golden Gloves champion and five-time Oklahoma state champion as an amateur, Green is well aware that a win over Andrade on “Boxeo De Oro†will put him on the fast track in the super middleweight division.
Heading up the undercard on December 16 will be the other half of La Habra’s “Bash Brothersâ€, super middleweight banger Enrique Ornelas (19-1, 13 KOs). Like his brother Librado Andrade, Ornelas comes into the ring to fight, not to dance. Looking to get back on track after an upset loss to Christian Cruz in September (one of 2004’s most dramatic bouts), the 24-year-old Ornelas will face an opponent to be announced shortly in a ten round contest.
Also featured will be female featherweight standout Rhonda Luna (7-0, 1 KO), who will put her unbeaten record on the line against Salt Lake City, Utah’s Betty Stephens (3-1) in a six round bout. Luna, a native of Rowland Hts, California who also doubles as a high school English teacher, is already in the world rankings and rising rapidly with each victory. In the card’s opener, Las Vegas’ Ron Johnson (1-0) will square off against an opponent to be determined in a four round super middleweight bout.