Carmona, Rodriguez Ready For Another Un-Civil War

By Jake Donovan

With a shot at Naoya Inoue well within his sights, David Carmona first revisits old business. The super flyweight contender from Mexico meets countryman Ricardo Rodriguez this Friday in Mexico City. 

The bout will air live on Telemundo from Blackberry Auditorium in Mexico City, marking the second edition of the network's fall boxing season. It will be the first of the fall season to air in Mexico, on the heels of last weekend's Boxeo Telemundo fall season premiere in Kissimmee, Florida.

“We had a great opener last weekend, with Orlando Cruz outlasting Gabino Cota, who showed no quit,” promoter Felix 'Tutico' Zabala Jr. told BoxingScene.com. “Now we have a rematch between two proud Mexican warriors who've promised a Civil war. Carmona is hungry for his second world title shot and Rodriguez wants to prove he has more experience this time around and wants to earn the shot.”

The pair of Mexico City natives met last July in the opening round of the Telemundo Super Flyweight Tournament. Carmona won by unanimous decision, his first of three straight victories capped by a 10-round nod over Daniel Lozano this past March.

With the tourmanent honors was to come a shot at Naoya Inoue, but the unbeaten champ from Japan has been out of the ring all year to recover from a hand injury. Carmona (19-2-5, 8KOs) was offered a consolation prize in the form of an interim title fight versus Warlito Parrenas in July.

The winner would have been guaranteed a mandatory title fight versus Inoue, but the two instead fought to a stalemate. Carmona remained in the running to still land the title shot, but chose to move in another direction.

Parrenas has since landed a crack at Inoue, with the fight to take place December 29 in Tokyo. Whoever leaves with the title will be ordered to face whomever comes out ahead in the rematch between Carmona and Rodriguez (12-2, 4KOs), both of whom remain unbeaten following their first fight. 

Carmona is 3-0-1 in his last four starts following his Dec. '13 title-fight knockout loss to Omar Narvaez. All three wins came in the aformentioned Telemundo tournament, extending his unbeaten streak in nailbiting fashion as he escaped with a draw versus Parrenas in a fight that could have easily went to his opponent.

Rodriguez recovered from last year's defeat to Carmona with three straight wins, all coming on the Telemundo circuit. The 26-year old did the hard way, defeating a trio of Boricuas in Edwin Rodriguez, Jonathan Vidal and Daniel Lozano all in Florida. His upcoming rematch with Carmona will mark his first fight in Mexico since their first clash.

Doors open 7:30 PM, First bell at 8:00 PM. Blackberry Auditorium is located at Avenida Insurgentes Sur 453, Esq. Tlaxcala, Colonia Condesa, Mexico DF, MX. Tel: 55 64 12 94. For ticketsm please visit www.ticketmaster.com.mx.

Telemundo Network will televise in the US starting at 11:35 PM. Claro Sports televises in Mexico and Latin America. Tuto Zabala, Jr., All Star Boxing, Inc is presenting the show in association with Producciones Deportivas.