Juan Manuel Lopez takes on tough veteran Edel Ruiz, plus…
WORLD RANKED STEVEN LUEVANO HEADLINES CARD AT THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO ON JULY 21
UNCASVILLE, Connecticut – One of the finest fighters in the world, Steven Luevano will put his world ranking on the line when he takes on the very tough Cristobal Cruz in the main event of professional boxing card presented by Top Rank on Friday, July 21 at the Mohegan Sun Hotel & Casino.
Luevano (30-1, 14 KO’s) of La Puente California who is currently ranked number nine in the world by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) at 126 pounds will take on Cruz (32-7-1, 21 KO’s) of Chiapas, Mexico on a 12 round bout for the NABO featherweight title.
In the co-main event undefeated prospect Juan Manuel Lopez (12-0, 10 KO’s) of Caguas, Puerto Rico will take on the always dangerous Edel Ruiz (27-14-5, 16 KO’s) of Los Mochis, Mexico in an eight round super bantamweight bout.
Telefutura, the sister network of Univision the most important Hispanic television network in the United States will televise the bouts nationally during its highly rated boxing show “Solo Boxeo de Miller”.
Tickets for the event are priced at $75, $40 and $25 and are available at the Mogehan Sun Box Office and Tickemaster. To buy tickets log on to tickemaster.com or call tickemaster at (860) 886-0070.
First Bell is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. with television going live at 8:00 p.m.
Luevano is one of the world’s top fighters at 126 pounds after having had a very successful amateur career in the United States boxing team. He is the current NABO super bantamweight champion and is also the reigning WBC Continental Americas featherweight title holder.
After winning his first 29 professional fights, Luevano lost his first and only fight last November 25, 2005 to world-ranked Martin Honorio of Mexico. It was a hard fought 10 round decision loss that could have gone either way.
On his most recent effort on March 31 of this year in Laughlin, Nevada, Luevano took home a unanimous 10 round decision win over Jorge Martinez.
Cruz who has won five of his last six fights (the other was a no decision) is a tough aggressive fighter who can box and punch. He has wins over former world champion Luisito Espinosa and world-ranked Ricardo “Piolo” Castillo.
On his most recent effort on October 29 of last year in Las Vegas he had a no decision against Gerardo Zayas, who was cut accidentally in the second round and the fight was stopped early in the fourth round with no decision rendered since rules indicate that four full rounds have to be finished before going to the scorecards.
Lopez is without a doubt facing the toughest challenge of his young professional career. Having represented Puerto Rico in the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece, the hard hitting lefthander is on the fast track to a world title.
On his most recent bout on June 10 of this year in Madison Square Garden in Nueva York, Lopez took home a six round decision victory over Sergio Mendez.
Ruiz has fought some very tough opposition during his career and represents a step up in class for Lopez.
Also on the card will be another undefeated prospect from Puerto Rico, Alexander De Jesus (10-0, 7 KOs) of Rio Piedras who will put his perfect record on the line against Kevin Carmody (7-7-1) of Philadelphia in a six round bout.
Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe is one of the largest, distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States. Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southern Connecticutt, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence.
