By Francisco Salazar
All right, Southern California boxing fans. And those visiting the area this coming Friday. Pick your poison.
Three fight cards will take place in Southern California this Friday night.
While some states or areas in the country do not get three fight cards in one year, let alone a month, Southern California boasts more fight cards then anywhere in the world, except for Argentina.
So, if you want to go to the fights and you live in Southern California (particularly east of downtown Los Angeles), which fight card will you go to?
Here is the rundown for Friday:
Golden Boy Promotions will present a scheduled 10-bout fight card at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio. Showtime will televise three of those fights, which are scheduled for 10 rounds.
In the main event, heavyweight Deontay Wilder (28-0, 28 KOs) will meet his toughest test on paper when he fights Siarhei Liakhovic (25-5, 15 KOs). Could the 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist make quick work of the fighter who has lost four of his last six fights?
Junior middleweight Antwone Smith (23-4-1, 12 KOs) has beaten three unbeaten prospects within the last four years and hopes to make Jermall Charlo number four on Friday night. Unbeaten super featherweights Francisco Vargas (16-0-1, 13 KOs) and Brandon Bennett (16-0, 7 KOs) round out the televised card.
Also on the Golden Boy Promotions card in a non-televised 10 round bout will be Gary Russell Jr. (22-0, 13 KOs). Yes, he is fighting and he has an opponent in Juan Ruiz (23-11, 7 KOs).
Doors open at 5PM, with first bell scheduled for 5:30PM local time. Showtime will begin the telecast at 10PM ET/ 7 PM PT.
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Just 40 miles to the west on Interstate 10, Gary Shaw Productions will present a card at the Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon.
Two 10 round evenly-matched bouts will be broadcast on the ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” telecast.
Unbeaten super featherweight Jose Pedraza (13-0, 9 KOs) will fight Armenian-born Gabriel Tolmajyan (14-2-1, 3 KOs). This will be Pedraza’s first significant test of his career, while people could make a case Tolmajyan is an unbeaten fighter.
In what could be the fight of the night, lightweights Rustam Nugaev (24-6-1, 14 KOs) and Jose Hernandez (14-6-1, 6 KOs) square off. Can you think of a fight when either fighter does not look good? Yup, I can’t think of one either. Both fighters have pulled off upsets in recent fights.
Also fighting on the card is Emmanuel Tagoe (21-1, 8 KOs), who will be making his American debut after fighting all of his bouts in his home country of Ghana. He will take on Gerardo Robles (16-11, 7 KOs).
First bell is scheduled at 5:30PM local time, with ESPN2 going live with its telecast at 10PM ET/ 7PM PT.
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So if you live in the Los Angeles area and traveling to the desert is too far, All Star Boxing Promotions presents a scheduled eight-bout card at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello.
In the main event, Khabir Suleymanov (15-3, 6 KOs) will fight Filipino Juanito Rubillar (49-20-7, 24 KOs) in a scheduled eight round bout.
The six round heavyweight fight between Mitch Williams (7-3-2, 5 KOs) and Geovanni Sarran (4-5, 1 KO) should be a back and forth affair. Oxnard will be represented as Herbert Acevedo (8-1, 5 KOs) fights Mike Peralta (4-7, 1 KO).
Doors open at 6:30PM, with first bell scheduled for 7:30PM. Call (323) 816-6200 or (323) 781-4871 for tickets.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. He also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper. He could be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on twitter at FSalazarBoxing