Press Release: It will be home cooking for the Dominican Republic’s best boxer as Joan Guzman's next defense of the 130-pound WBO championship will be on Monday, December 18, 2006 in Santo Domingo, the largest city in the Dominican Republic. The challenger in the title bout will be announced shortly.  "This is a real dream come true for me,” Guzman said. "This allows me to give a Christmas gift to everyone in my beloved country. It's me, the poor kid from the Guachapita barrio, the kid who used milk cartons for boxing gloves, giving a little something back to kids who are coming up now. Not everyone can be a world boxing champion but every boy and girl in the Dominican Republic can rise above their initial circumstances. You do not have to train to be a boxer or a shortstop. You can also study hard and become a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, a mechanic or many other things." Guzman’s manager, Jose Nunez, himself a Dominican American, added, “December 18 is when we, with the help of President Fernandez, Secretary Payano and the entire government, will show the world what the Dominican Republic is all about.”