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The latest boxing sensation from Mexico, WBC super flyweight champion Cristian Mijares, headlines Friday night’s “La Batalla” pay-per-view event live from the Gomez Palacio in Durango, Mexico.
“La Batalla,” featuring three championships bouts from Mexico, will be broadcast live (10 PM/ET) and distributed for pay-per-view by Integrated Sports on the DISH Network, the leading PPV provider of Latin sports in the United States, for a suggested retail price of only $19.95.
The 25-year-old Mijares (31-3-2, 12 KOs), who has been fighting professional since 1997, defends his title belt in the 12-round main event against No. 15 rated Teppei “Tippy” Kukai (21-5, 4 KOs), former Japanese super flyweight title-holder. “I feel very good that I’m going to fight in my country and I’m happy that the North American people can watch me on pay-per-view television. I’ve always admired the great Mexican fighters and I follow their example, but I have my own style of fighting. I started boxing as a child in a gym next to my house that was owned by my uncles, Vicente and Richard. I’ll continue to fight as long as my physical condition allows it. I don’t know too much about my opponent other than I’ve been told he’s strong.”
Mijares captured the WBC Interim title last September by 12-round split decision (114-113, 114-113, 113-114) against Katsushige Kawashima (30-4) in Japan. The crafty southpaw successfully defended his WBC Interim belt last November in Mexico, winning a 12-round unanimous decision (118-109, 117-110, 116-111) versus Reynaldo Lopez (28-3-2), and won his rematch for the WBC outright championship in January when he stopped Kawashima (30-5) in the 10th round.
Mijares burst upon the global scene last April thanks to an impressive, one-sided victory by unanimous 12-round decision (119-109, 118-110, 117-11) on PPV against popular, colorful Jorge “Travieso” Arce (46-4-1, 35 KOs) in San Antonio. “I didn’t doubt that I’d beat Arce,” Cristian noted, “but I didn’t think it would be that easy. Now, I’m focused on Friday night’s fight but, afterwards, I’d like to unify the super flyweight titles and then look to the bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions. I’d like to fight Wladimir Sidorenko and Jhonny Gonzalez. Why not? Let them come and fight me.”
Currently riding a 21-fight unbeaten streak with 20 wins and one draw, Mijares attributes his success to a combination of a winning attitude, preparation and maximum sacrifice.
Also on the PPV card, WBC ranked No. 5 Eric Rameriz (20-4-1, 15 KOs) meets fellow Mexican, No. 4 Lorenzo “Explosivo” Trejo (29-15, 16 KOs), in a 12-round WBC minimum weight elimination bout. In the other championship match, also airing on PPV, WBC No.8 rated featherweight Gamaliel “Platano” Diaz (21-6-2, 9 KOs), of Mexico, faces No. 11 ranked Naoki Matsuda (27-7-3, 10 KOs), of Japan, in a WBC title eliminator. Diaz is the former NABF and WBC FECARBOX 126-pound champion and Matsuda is on a 13-fight win streak going into Friday night’s action.
