(Tucson, Arizona) --- Desert Diamond Casino and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions are going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style as they present another elite boxing card live from the Diamond Center.  The Thursday, May 5, 2005 “Boxeo de Oro” show will be shown to a worldwide audience on HBO Latino. Tickets range from $25-$100 and are available now at the Desert Diamond Casino box office, Radio XENY in Nogales, MX or by calling (520) 393-2799 or 866-DDC-WINS. 

Nogales, Mexico native and former IBA World Middleweight Champion, David “Destroyer” Lopez,  23-13 (14KOs), returns to the Diamond Center ring after suffering a setback there on January 6, 2005 losing to Fulgencio Zuniga on HBO Latino. Lopez, who before the loss had firmly established himself as one of the world’s top middleweights, knows that his Cinco de Mayo fight for the IBA Americas Middleweight belt is just the opportunity he needs to show the world he is still a factor in the division. “Destroyer” faces the dangerous former world title challenger from San Diego, CA, “Dynamite” Danny Perez, 31-4 (17 KOs). Just 28 years old, Perez has been boxing professionally since 1996 picking up California, NABA and NABF titles during his career.

The international boxing community will be watching the co-main event closely as two Latin American warriors battle in an IBF Title Eliminator. Jose Luis Valbuena, 24-3-1 (14 KOs), hails from Tumero, Venezuela and has built a name for himself in the super bantamweight division piling up a series of impressive wins over some of the world’s top fighters. A former Venezuelan and IBF Latin America Super Bantamweight titlist who was ranked as high as number two in the world, Valbuena is an impressive professional fighter and a perennial top five contender.  He will battle Panamanian Celestino “Pelenchin” Caballero, 21-2 (15 KOs), who comes into the match on a high note after upsetting former undefeated Mexican Olympian Daniel Ponce De Leon in February 2005.

The Cinco de Mayo spectacular with also feature four exciting undercard bouts with top rising stars and local favorites.

Treena Parvello, Director of Marketing for Desert Diamond Casino, commented, “With an IBA title fight, an IBF eliminator bout, HBO coverage, and an action pack undercard, Cinco De Mayo 2005 is going to be a night to remember at the Diamond Center.  This event will sell out, so get your tickets now.”

Desert Diamond Casino, with locations on Nogales Highway minutes from the Tucson International Airport and just off of I-19 on Pima Mine Road, and the Golden Ha:san in Why, Arizona are enterprises of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Further information can be found at http://www.desertdiamondcasino.com/ or by calling 866-DDC-WINS.

Editor’s Note: See attached for supplementary information on the main and co-main event fighters.

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Main Event Supplementary Information:

12 RDS Middleweight: David “Destroyer” Lopez vs. “Dynamite” Danny Perez

David “Destroyer” Lopez, 22-13 (14 KOs), hails from Nogales, MX. Lopez is the favorite son of Sonora, MX and first made his mark at the Desert Diamond Casino on November 7, 2003.  He thrilled the large Nogales contingency with a seventh round stoppage of previously undefeated, former WBO World Champion Lonnie Bradley.  In his return to Desert Diamond Casino on April 2, 2004, Lopez stopped undefeated Olympian Jerson Ravelo with a 9th round TKO, once again to the delight of the sold-out Diamond Center crowd. 

The middleweight’s resurgence culminated on August 6, 2004 when he won the IBA World Championship in a unanimous decision over Kirino Garcia.  The tenacious Lopez put on a clinic for the last seven rounds as the southpaw was forced to fight one-handed after breaking his left hand in the 5th round.  However, Lopez suffered a setback at the Diamond Center on January 6, 2005 losing to Fulgencio Zuniga on HBO Latino. 

Lopez knows that he may not have the opportunity to fight on HBO Latino again should he fall to “Dynamite” Danny Perez on May 5th.  Fans can expect David to fight with the urgency and drive that won him the IBA Middleweight crown as he looks to get back on his winning ways.

Danny Perez, 31-4 (17 KOs), is a former WBO world title challenger fighting out of San Diego, CA. Just 28 years old, Perez has been boxing professionally since 1996 picking up California, NABA and NABF welterweight titles during his career.  With a strong fan base throughout the Southwest, “Dynamite” is no stranger to fighting in Arizona and expects his fans to be with him as he enters the “Destroyer’s” backyard.

Perez comes into this match lucky to be alive after being stabbed five times in San Diego in what was described as a random act of violence.  Just a year removed from his 2002 World Title fight vs. Antonio Margarito, Perez was attacked while in his hometown. He described the event to a reporter, ““I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. They said I was dead for a few seconds, but somehow came back to life.”

With a resurrected career, Perez will have the opportunity to show the world he can compete as middleweight when he takes on David Lopez live on HBO Latino.
 
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Co-main Supplementary Information:

10 RDS Junior Featherweight: Jose Luis Valbuena vs. Celestino Caballero

Jose Luis Valbuena, 24-3-1 (14 KOs), hails from Tumero, Venezuela and has built a name for himself in the super bantamweight division piling up a series of impressive wins over some of the world’s top fighters. A former Venezuelan and IBF Latin America Super Bantamweight titlist who was ranked as high as two in the world, Valbuena is an impressive professional fighter and a perennial top five contender.

The Venezuelan’s skills have twice earned him world title shots, the first coming in September 2000 vs. world champion and living legend Marco Antonio Barrera.  Fighting with passion, Valbuena dropped the decision to the Mexican warrior, but, at the same time, proved he was on par with the greatest.  After the loss in New Orleans, Valbuena won six straight before facing Israel Vazquez for the IBF Super Bantamweight World Title.  Though Vazquez go the best of him on that night April, 2004, Valbuena invigorated everyone watching with is exciting style and extreme bravery.

Having taken a year off, Valbuena returns to action for one more run at a world championship. Panamanian giant killer Celestino Caballero looks to end that run with one punch on May 5th.

Celestino “Pelenchin” Caballero, 21-2 (15 KOs), unlike his ring combatant on May 5th, comes into the match on a high note upsetting former undefeated Mexican Olympian Daniel Ponce De Leon in February 2005.   Caballero dominated the knockout artist from Mexico winning handily in an IBF Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator.

Caballero was born 29 years ago in Colon, Panama and has been fighting professionally since 1998.  In his impressive 7 year career, Caballero has won the WBA Fedecentro Super Bantamweight title, the Panamanian Super Bantamweight Title, the WBO Latino Super Bantamweight title and the NABA Super Bantamweight title. Having taken the fighters road to a world championships, Caballero knows that a win on HBO Latino on May 5th, may be the fight he needs to get his opportunity to follow the footsteps of countryman Robert Duran as champion of the world.