Michel Rivera: record, next fight and profile →
An unusual feel-good story is coming out of Dominican lightweight Michel “La Zarza” Rivera’s fifth-round stoppage of California veteran Jose Luis Gallegos on PBC On Fox last Saturday night at the Rabobank Theater in Bakersfield.
Michel Rivera knew from the moment he was assigned this fight that nothing about it would be more satisfying than his last outing. That never prevented him from making a statement. The unbeaten 21-year old lightweight prospect from Dominican Republic—who now lives and trains at Herman Caicedo's sports complex in Miami, Fla.—was relentless in a one-sided stoppage of Mexico’s Jose Luis Gallegos after five rounds Saturday evening at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, Calif. A hematoma over Gallegos’ left eye coupled with alarming punishment forced referee Marcos Rosales to call a halt to the contest in between rounds.
Unbeaten middleweight prospect Petr Khamukov picked up his first career win inside the distance, hammering Randy Fuentes en route to a 4th round stoppage victory Saturday evening at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, Calif.
Unbeaten prospects will enter the ring as lightweight Michel Rivera competes in an eight-round bout against Jose Luis Gallegos, middleweight Jonathan Esquivel steps in for an eight-round fight against Justin Steave and middleweight Petr Khamukov duels Randy Fuentes in a four or six round showdown on Saturday, September 21 as part of FS2 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT from Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California.
Michel Rivera picked apart Rene Tellez-Giron for much of their eight-round lightweight fight Friday night. The Dominican Republic’s Rivera used his height, reach and distance to easily out-box Mexico’s Tellez-Giron and won an eight-round unanimous decision at Winnavegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa. Judges Robert Hoyle (78-73), Bob LaFratte (78-73) and Russell Mora (79-72) each scored Rivera a wide winner in the second bout Showtime aired as part of a “ShoBox: The New Generation” tripleheader.
Fundora, Zepeda Weights photos gallery - Undefeated super welterweights Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and Manuel “Baby” Zepeda both made weight a day before their ShoBox: The New Generation debuts Friday night live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa.
In the main event, southpaw Sebastian Fundora (12-0, 8 KOs) of Coachella, Calif., faces Hector Zepeda (17-0, 4 KOs) from Tijuana, Mexico, in a 10-round super welterweight bout. In the co-feature, Michel Rivera (15-0, 10 KOs) from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (13-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. In the telecast opener, Argentina’s Jose Romero (21-0, 7 KOs) battles Yeis Solano (14-0, 10 KOs) of Colombia, also in an eight-round lightweight fight.