By Francisco Salazar

Professional boxing returns to California’s Central Coast with a scheduled eight bout card.

In the main event, unbeaten lightweight Alejandro Luna will take on Sergio Rivera in a scheduled eight round bout at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez.
The bout will headline a “Central Coast Championship Night,” presented by Gary Shaw Productions.

Luna (13-0, 9 KOs), who resides in Bellflower, CA, is coming off a four round unanimous decision over Mario Hermosillo on April 5th. Friday’s fight will be his third of 2013.
Rivera, who hails from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, has a professional record listed on a bout sheet of 14-10. However, Boxrec.com lists him as having a record of 27-11-2, 17 KOs.

In the scheduled eight round co-feature bout, lightweight Rustam Nugaev will fight veteran Daniel Attah.

Nugaev (23-6-1, 13 KOs), of Perm, Russia, scored an impressive eighth round knockout over Jonathan Maicelo, who entered the bout unbeaten, on April 5th. It was Nugaev’s first bout in 21 months.

The Nigerian-born Attah (28-14-1, 11 KOs), who hails from Washington, D.C., lost a six round unanimous decision to Jeffrey Fontanez in his last bout on March 2nd.
Super bantamweight Roman Morales will fight Raul Hidalgo in a scheduled eight round bout.

Morales (15-0, 8 KOs) of San Ardo, CA, is coming off a fifth round knockout over Jesus Hernandez on February 22nd.

Hidalgo (20-8, 16 KOs), of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico, knocked out Ivan Chavelas in the fourth round this past Saturday night. Prior to Saturday, he lost an eight round unanimous decision to Ivan Morales on April 20th.

Super welterweight Francisco Santana will fight Javier Gomez in a scheduled six round bout.

Santana (15-3-1, 8 KOs), of nearby Santa Barbara, stopped Dustin Reinhold in the first round of his last fight on January 25th.

Gomez (14-11, 10 KOs), of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, was stopped in the first round by Eddie Gomez in his last fight on March 9th.

In other bouts:

- Super flyweight Maria Suarez (4-0-1) of nearby Santa Maria will fight Elizabeth Cervantes (3-10, 1 KO) in a scheduled six round bout.

- Junior welterweight Luis Olivares (3-0, 2 KOs) will fight Juan Zuniga in a scheduled four round bout.

- Junior welterweight Donte Strayhorn (1-0) of New York City will fight Kevin Watts in a scheduled founr round bout. Watts will be making his professional debut.

- Super welterweights Arnold Barboza and Gustavo Lopez will face off in a battle of fighters making their professional debuts. Both hail from the Los Angeles area.

Tickets are on sale and could be purchased at the Chumash Casino Resort box office or by calling 1-800-CHUMASH. Tickets are priced at $35, $35, $55, $65, and $75 for ringside.

Doors open at 5PM, with first bout scheduled for 5:45PM.

Francisco A. Salazar 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 Salazar_soccer