Cruz vs. Cota Tops 10/9 Boxeo Telemundo Fall Premiere
Sep 15, 2015 • 11:08 AM ET
By Jake Donovan
The fall season of Boxeo Telemundo is set to launch October 9, topped by a super featherweight between Orlando Cruz and Gabino Cota. The show will air live from Palm Bay Community Center in Palm Bay, Florida.
“We're very excited for the next four weeks of boxing,” states Felix 'Tutico' Zabala Jr, president of All-Star Boxing. “The Boxeo Telemundo series continues to enjoy great fights and record-breaking ratings, and we want to keep raising the bar with the action in the ring.”
Cruz (21-4-1, 11KOs) returns to the Telemundo circuit for the first time in more than 2 1/2 years. The 2000 Puerto Rico Olympian—serving on the same team as island greats Miguel Cotto and Ivan Calderon—and former featherweight title contender made major headlines prior to his Oct. '12 Telemundo appearance after revealing his alternate lifestyle during an exclusive network interview. The declaration made Cruz the first-ever openly gay active boxer.
He went on to win that fight, a 10-round decision over Jorge Pazos as part of a four-fight win streak leading to his first world title shot. Efforts to claim a featherweight crown were thwarted in a 7th round knockout loss to Orlando Salido in their Oct. '13 clash. His follow-up fight raised alarms that perhaps the end of his days as a contender were rapidly approaching, dropping a shocking 10-round decision to Gamalier Rodriguez last October.
Cruz has since returned to the win column, scoring a 4th round knockout over Edwin Lopez at home in Puerto Rico this past June.
Cota (18-4-1, 16KOs) served in the very first headliner of the 2015 Telemundo show, dropping a 10-round decision to Jonathan Oquendo in the spring premiere this past March. The loss was his third straight, but has since rebounded with a 6th round knockout of Javier Lopez at home in Mexico in June.
The upcoming showdown with Cruz will mark his second fight in Florida and outside of Mexico.
TICKET INFO
Tickets are already on sale at the Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce by calling (321) 951-9998. The event is being presented by Tuto Zabala, Jr., All Star Boxing, Inc. The Palm Bay Community Center is located at 1502 Port Malabar Boulevard NE., Palm Bay, FL, Tel: (813) 831-5390. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. ET, first bell at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Undercard will be announced shortly.
Telemundo Network will televise the main event at 11:35 p.m. ET live in the U.S. Claro Sports will televise to all of Latin America.
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
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Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home.
