One of Mexico's top prospects, welterweight sensation Julio Cesar Garcia (37-2, Piedras Negras, Mexico), will headline an exciting seven bout Undercard this Friday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, when he takes on former Mexican National Champion and World Title challenger, Alfonso Sanchez (20-4-1, Tijuana, Mexico).
The Garcia vs Sanchez, eight-round Welterweight matchup will be the semi-main event under the Evander Holyfield vs Jeremy Bates, ten-round Heavyweight, main event. Holyfield, the four-time World Heavyweight Champion, will be returning to the ring for the first time in 21 months when he battles Bates. The first bout on the card begins at 8:00 p.m.
The nineteen-year old Garcia, nicknamed “”Baby Face," is one of boxing newest rising young superstars. Garcia will be accompanied in Dallas during fight week by his co-promoter and legendary 6-time world champion, Roberto Duran.
Also confirmed at ringside will be former World Champions, Bernard Hopkins, Paulie Ayala, Jesse James Leija, Chris Byrd, Troy Dorsey and Curtis Cokes.
Garcia turned pro three days after turning 15, and has not looked back since making his pro debut against Hector Salazar. Since making his pro debut Garcia has won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Fecarbox Super Featherweight Title, the Mexican Super Featherweight Title, World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Light Welterweight Title, and the World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Light Welterweight Title.
He recently knocked out Grover Wiley to capture the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Americas Welterweight Title.
According to Duran, Garcia looks to have a great future. "No question this is a future World Champion," insisted Duran. "This is the best young welterweight in the world and everyone will see that Friday Night. He's only 19 years old, but one of the best punchers for any weight division in boxing."
The 34 year old veteran Sanchez captured the Mexican Light Welterweight title in 1996 when he knocked out Horacio Cervantes in 11 rounds. Then in 1998, Sanchez unsuccessfully challenged Vince Phillips for Phillip's IBF World Jr. Welterweight title.
Also slated for action are Dallas-Fort Worth area fighters -- Brian Vera, Jesse Lara, Sergio Reyes, Vanessa Juarez and Tomondre King.
The undefeated Vera (10-0, Fort Worth) will put his unblemished record on the linje against Antonio Garcia (19-23, Piedras Negras, Mx) in an eight-round Middleweight fight. Garcia is the older brother of Julio Cesar Garcia, also fighting on the card, as mentioned above. The Vera/Garcia fight will be a rematch of an exciting fight between the two last February, won by Vera.
Dallas' Lara (11-1-1), is scheduled for six rounds in the Jr. Welterweight division against Scott Ball (7-1, Rochester, Minnesota),
The former 1992 Olympian, Reyes (14-4, Fort Worth), will be returning to the ring after a five-year layoff when he battles Carlos Madrid (6-2, El Paso, Tx) in a six-round lightweight bout. Reyes challenged Orlando Canizalez for the IBF World Bantamweight Championship in 1994, losing a controversial decision. He is also a former #1 world ranked, IBF Bantamweight contender and U.S.B.A. Bantamweight Champion.
The 18 year old Juarez (2-0, Fort Worth, Tx), a former 9-Time National Amateur Woman's Champion, will face off with Rocio Vazquez (6-2, Dallas, Tx) in a four-round Woman's Bantamweight fight. Vazquez is formerly from Mexico City, but now lives and trains in Dallas.
King (4-12-5) will be taking on Houston's undefeated Chad Aquino (7-0-1) in a six-round, Jr. Welterweight contest.
Rounding out the card will be Miguel Albares ((2-2-1, Houston, Tx) and Ira Gutierrez (0-1, Lubbock, Tx) in a four-round featherweight bout.
