HBO Boxing: Kirkland, Angulo, Gamboa Headline “Night Of Rising Stars” May 17

ByBoxing Press

James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo, and Yuriorkis Gamboa, the undefeated trio of young boxing phenoms, with a combined record of 42-0 (35), headline “Night of the Rising Stars,” Saturday, May 17, at Terrible’s Primm Valley Casino Resorts. HBO Boxing After Dark will broadcast all three 10-round bouts live, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast.

Kirkland, 21-0 (18), the junior middleweight sensation from Austin, Texas, who will be making his 2008 debut on this card, has become a one-man wrecking crew knocking out three of the four opponents he faced last year. The top-10 contender ended Mohammad Said’s, 23-5-1 (15), four-bout streak of knockout victories with a second round stoppage last September.

He followed that victory with a year-end finale, knocking out Allen Conyers, 11-2 (9), in the first round of their November fight, despite getting knocked down himself. Kirkland’s success has catapulted him up the ratings, where he is ranked No. 4 by the World Boxing Association, No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation and No. 9 by the World Boxing Council.

He’ll have his hands filled when he rumbles with Eromosele “Bad Boy” Albert. Albert, 21-1 (10), hails from Miami, Florida by way of Nigeria. Enjoying a three-year 11-bout winning streak, Albert’s last fight was a seventh-round TKO victory of the rugged Daniel Edouard, 18-1-2 (10).

Angulo, 12-0 (9), from Mexicali, Mexico, recently cracked the Top-20 junior middleweight rankings thanks to his first round knockout victory of Ricardo Cortes, 22-1-1 (15), in February, ending Cortes’ five-year, 12-bout winning streak with an exclamation point! Angulo has won his last eight bouts by knockout, with only one opponent making it to the fourth round. He will be facing his toughest opponent to date in top-10 contender Richard “La Lamina” Gutierrez from Miami, Florida by way of Colombia.

Gutierrez, 24-1 (14), returns to the ring fresh from a career-best victory, a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Varela, 23-2 (16), in February, ending Varela’s five-bout winning streak. Gutierrez is currently world-rated No. 8 by the IBF.

Gamboa, 9-0 (8), a 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist, has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the professional ranks since making his pro debut 12 months ago. He is well on his way toward fulfilling his lofty potential, devastating an ambitious roster of opponents. Gamboa captured the vacant NABF super featherweight title in his last fight, in February, knocking out Johnnie Edwards, 13-1-1 (7), in the first round.

The Miami, Florida resident is a bonafide Top-Five contender, rated No. 3 by the WBA and No. 5 by the WBC. Gamboa will be facing battle-tested Darling Jimenez, 23-2-2 (14), from the Bronx, New York by way of the Dominican Republic, for the vacant WBC International super featherweight championship. Jimenez returns to the ring on the heels of his finest victory, a third-round knockout of former world champion Mike Anchondo, 27-1 (19).

Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC and Arena Box-Promotion, tickets for “Night of the Rising Stars” go on sale This Saturday! April 19, at 11 a.m. PT, and are priced at $84.45. $56.95, and $40.45, including tax and $2 facility fee.

They can be purchased at Buffalo Bill’s Resort box office, by calling 1-800-386-7867, at any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional service fees will be incurred when purchasing through Ticketmaster.