By Jake Donovan

The 2016 season premiere of Boxeo Telemundo is set to launch February 26, live from Palm Bay Community Center in Palm Bay, Florida. Headlining the telecast, Philadelphia’s Miguel Cartagena takes on series favorite Ricardo ‘Meserito’ Rodriguez in a 10-round regional title fight.

As has been the case since 2013, the Boxeo Telemundo series will be split into three separate four-episode seasons. The February 26 call kicks off the spring season, with subsequent dates coming March 4 at A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Florida, followed by March 11 and 18 shows both taking place at Auditorio Blackberry in Mexico City.

“We’re very excited to kick off the next season,” promoter Felix ‘Tutico’ Zabala, Jr. told BoxingScene.com. “The series keeps growing stronger each year, in the ring and in the ratings. We had really good momentum at the end of last season and hope to carry that over into 2016.”

The 12 installments of Boxeo Telemundo in 2015 averaged just over 325,000 viewers per episode, once again serving as the highest-rated Spanish network boxing series in outpacing UniMas, beIn Sport Español and Fox Deportes. Whereas other promoters would feel the need to flood the media with chest-pounding accolades, Zabala’s All-Star Boxing, Inc. marches forward with business as usual.

“I’m not in this for the competition,” Zabala Jr. notes. “Others get caught up the politics and all that other stuff. Me, I just keep my head down and concentrate on delivering the best possible product and providing for my family.”

Cartegeña (14-2, 5KOs) makes his Telemundo debut with the 2016 season premiere. The 23-year old Phila-Rican recovered from a devastating knockout loss to the superb Emmanuel Rodriguez with a points win over Javier Franco last July, his lone bout of 2015.

Rodriguez (12-3, 4KOs) saw a three-fight win streak bookended by separate losses to David Carmona. The 26-year old from Mexico City enjoyed a nice run, bumping off three straight Puerto Rican fighters on the road in Florida – all of which were televised on Telemundo – before once again falling short to Carmona last October at home in Mexico.

Interestingly, Rodriguez is 3-0 in Florida, while all three of his career losses have taken place in his home country.

Original series plans called for Orlando Cruz to potentially headline the season premiere, but was contingent upon securing a date at Kissimmee Civic Center, the venue a longtime series favorite. Cruz will likely appear on a later Telemundo date, whether in his next fight or during the summer season.

The 2016 season will end much earlier than has been the case in years past. The summer season will run on June 24, July 1, July 8 and July 15. A brief break will follow before returning for the fall season beginning August 26, along with shows airing on September 2, 9 and 16.

Venues for the summer and fall seasons will be announced at a later date according to All-Star Boxing.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox