By Jake Donovan
Orlando Cruz and Alex Valdez were both on weight for the summer season finale of Boxeo Telemundo, which airs Friday evening (11:35 p.m. ET) from Kissimmee Civic Center in Kissimmee, Florida.
With a regional title at stake in their 10-round main event, Cruz came in right at the 130 lb. super featherweight limit. Valdez tipped the scales at a trim and ready 129 lbs.
A three fight win streak is in tow for Cruz (23-4-1, 11KOs), who continues his quest of becoming the third member from the 2000 Puerto Rico Olympic team to capture a major title. For now, though, this latest ring appearance carries a different vibe, as Cruz - boxing's first-ever openly gay male boxer - is dedicating this weekend's fight to the victims of the the wors mass shooting in U.S. history which took place in June at Pulse, an alternative lifestyle night club in Orlando.
The recently-turned 35-year old from Puerto Rico is coming off of a convincing 10-round win over Romulo Koasicha in a battle of featherweight title challengers this past March in Tampa, Florida. Overall, Cruz is making his fourth appearance in Florida in his last five fights, with all four Sunshine State-based bouts having aired live on Telemundo.
Valdez (26-7-3, 20KOs) was once upon a time a bubble bantamweight contender. The 32-year old from Mexico never came closer to a career-defining victory than when he gave then-bantamweight champ Fernando Montiel all he could handle in their Sept. '09 non-title fight pre-empted in round three due to a cut over Montiel's eye. The bizarre ending became even more strange when declaring a winner, first ruled a technical draw only for Valdez to be named a TKO winner a few minutes later before the verdict reverted back to a technical draw.
His career has since fallen on hard times, suffering knockout losses to Hozumi Hasegawa (prior to the Montiel fight), Nehomar Cermeno and Cristian Mijares before stepping away from the game in 2011. He returned last September, scoring an 8th round knockout in his native Mexico.
In the evening's chief support, Joebert Alvarez and Miguel Cartagena collide in a six-round flyweight battle.
Alvarez (15-1-1, 7KOs) weighed 113 lbs. as he comes in on the heels of a career-best win over Jonathan Gonzalez this past February on the road in Puerto Rico. Cartagena checked in right at the 112 lb. flyweight limit, as he looks to rebound from a points loss to Ricardo Rodriguez in the 2016 Boxeo Telemundo season premiere this past February in Palm Bay, Florida.
FULL WEIGHTS
Orlando Cruz 130 Vs. Alex Valdez 129 - 10 rds, super featherweight
Joebert Alvarez 113 Vs. Miguel Cartagena 112 - 6 rds, flyweights
Luis Olivarez 137 Vs. Efrain Cruz 137 - 6 rds, lightweights
Jovan Perez 139 Vs. Jonathan Cruz 136 - 4 rds, lightweights
Anthony Arvelo 154 Vs. Travis Taylor 152 - 4 rds, super welterweights
Chasity Martin 129 Vs. Ivana Coleman 126 - 4 rds, featherweights
Mehdi Hassan 220 Vs. Carlos Zavallos 239 - 4 rds, heavyweights
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox_v2
