HBO Boxing: Cosme Rivera Steps In To Face Alfredo Angulo

ByBoxing Press

Former IBF No. 1-ranked welterweight Cosme “Chino” Rivera, 31-11-2 (23), has agreed to step in on five days notice to face undefeated WBC No. 3-ranked super welterweight Alfredo “Perro” Angulo, 14-0 (11), on Don King’s “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” boxing card on Saturday at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL.

Mercurial former three-time world champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, from Nicaragua, was to have faced Angulo, but pulled out 10 days before the match.

Rivera, 32, from Huatabampo, Mexico, is a dangerous veteran who has been in 45 prizefights and fought in nearly 350 rounds. By contrast, the 26-year-old Angulo, from Mexicali, Mexico, will be entering just his 15th professional match and has participated in less than 50 rounds.

Angulo brings the customary Mexican all-out approach to his opponents, and boxing insiders have been impressed by his power and burgeoning boxing skills. A win over the experienced contender Rivera would bolster his resume.

Rivera would like nothing more than to play the role of spoiler in his first appearance at 154 pounds. He went the 10-round distance against future world champion Andre Berto, flooring Berto in round six before losing by decision on July 7, 2007.

Rivera also met then-unified welterweight world champion Zab “Super” Judah in 2005 when he was the IBF No. 1-ranked welterweight. Rivera fought bravely but Judah was able to stop him in the third round.

The main event showcases unified IBF/WBO/WBA lightweight world champion and Jacksonville native Nate “Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell, 32-5-1 (25), opposing IBF mandatory challenger Ali “Rush Hour” Funeka, from East London, South Africa.

Another match of great importance at 154 pounds pits interim WBC super welterweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, 44-1-1 (24), from Buenos Aires, Argentina, against IBF welterweight champion Kermit “The Killer” Cintron, 30-2 (27), from Reading, Pa.

Tickets priced at $200, $75, $40 and $25 (with all seats 2-for-1 excepting a limited number of golden circle seats) are on sale now and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000, by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or at the BankAtlantic Center box office.

The event is promoted by Don King Productions in association with Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler Attorneys at Law, V Georgio Vodka, The BOVA Restaurant Group, Renato Watches and QTask.

Campbell vs. Funeka is presented in association with One Punch Productions. Martinez vs. Cintron is presented by DiBella Entertainment. Angulo vs. Rivera is a co-promotion with Gary Shaw Productions.

Campbell vs. Funeka, Martinez vs. Cintron and Angulo vs. Rivera will also be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT. A full, domestically non-televised, undercard will begin at 5:30 p.m. with 12 bouts in total scheduled for the event.