Home News Fidel Maldonado out, Art Hovhannisyan to face Diego Magdaleno this weekend

Fidel Maldonado out, Art Hovhannisyan to face Diego Magdaleno this weekend

Credit: Craig Bennett / Showtime

LA Fight Club at the Belasco Theater set for October 7th features a shake up at the top of the card. Now, Art Hovanissyan (17-2-3, 9 KOs) is in the main event scheduled to take on Diego “Mr. Superb” Magdaleno (28-2-0, 12 KOs) in a bout that’ll leave LA boxing fans on the edge of their seats. The updated ten round super lightweight clash will be replacing the previously announced bout featuring Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado.

Also on the Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar telecast as the co-main event, Philadelphia’s Damon Allen (10-0, 4 KOs) will be facing a soon to be announced opponent in an eight round lightweight bout that will show off the young fighter’s growing talent in the ring, and continue to breed his LA fan base.

Kicking off the Estrella TV’s televised portion of the night, and the second female fight to ever take place at LA Fight Club, boxer Maricela Cornejo (4-2, 2 KOs) has been matched up against Eliza Olson (9-6-3, 2 KOs) in six rounds of super middleweight fury.

Additionally on the action-packed card, Quintana Roo, Mexico’s rising star Joseph “Diamante” Aguirre (14-0, 8 KOs) will fight in Los Angeles for the first time in a scheduled six-round lightweight fight against Roberto Carlos “Magnifico” Rivera (6-2, 5 KOs).

Local fan favorite representing Santa Monica, David Mijares (3-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round super lightweight event against Jason Gavino (3-3, 2 KOs). Opening up the night, Olympic team contender Marvin Cabrera of Mexico City, Mexico will make his pro debut in a four-round middleweight bout against Jose Caro (0-3) of Tucson, Arizona.

Representing Gyumri, Armenia, Art Hovhannisyan was one of the top prospects in the super featherweight division, and was undefeated until his challenge for the WBO and NABO super featherweight title match against Alejandro Perez in February 2013. Since then, this fighter has been on the climb to get a title. His latest attempt was in a tough fight were he lost via split decision against Jonathon Maicelo for the WBC International Silver lightweight title. Since then, the fighter has fought against Fidel Maldonado, an all-out brawl resulting in a draw. He is no scheduled to face off against Diego Magdaleno in the upcoming October edition of LA FIGHT CLUB.

Former world title challenger, Diego “Mr.Superb” Magdaleno is known for his exciting boxing style. A professional fighter since 2007, Magdaleno is ready to restart his career after suffering his second career loss to WBO Lightweight World Champion Terry Flanagan this past October 2015. Previously, the 29 year old was the owner of the WBO International Lightweight Title, a belt he won in 2015 by defeating Jose A. Gonzalez via seventh round technical knockout. Now ready to step back in the limelight, Magdaleno will be looking for a stellar victory against the experienced Art Hovhannisyan.

A professional since 2013, undefeated lightweight Damon “No Smilin” Allen, has had victories over tough opponents in Hector Marengo, Tony “Sugar Boy” Walker and Travis “El Animal” Thompson. The 24-year-old Philadelphian stepped through the ropes twice in 2015, stopping Luis “Yeye” Rodriguez in three rounds at home in Philly before making his Los Angeles debut in November with a decision victory over Oscar Santana. Since then, Allen defeated Daniel Perales on March 3, 2016 via unanimous decision and was las seen in Hollywood, winning a technical knockout victory over Daniel Montoya in on May 25.

Twenty-nine year old professional boxer, actress and model, Maricela Cornejo hails from Grandview, Washington and began boxing at the famed Wild Card Gym in December 2010. Quickly falling in love with the sport, Cornejo vigorously trained for 11 months before participating in her first amateur fight in Las Vegas. In August 2012, Cornejo took the leap into the professional ranks by defeating Mia Henderson via majority decision. Since then, she has maintained busy and was most recently seen in the ring against Latashia Burton in August 2015 and Kali Reis in April 2016.

Eliza Jane Olson fights out of Gladiator’s Training Academy in Redwood City, California. Olson was born on February 8, 1976 into a family with a long background in boxing. Her grandfather was Carl “Bobo” Olson, middleweight world champion and boxing Hall-of-Famer who fought all the greats in his weight class and retired with an impressive record of 99-16-2 (49 KO). Her last title challenging fight was against Jessica Rakoczy for the International Boxing Association female lightweight title and WBC World female lightweight title, where she won via knock out. With Olson’s father, Carl Olson Jr., in her corner every time she fights, we are sure to hear him cheering her on in this match.

Joseph “Diamante” Aguirre of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, has defeated every opponent he has ever faced and hopes to add his upcoming opponent to his list of victories as he fights for the first time in Los Angeles. With a recent victories in 2016 against Oscar Arjona via first round knockout in March and a fifth round technical knockout victory against Rony Oscar Alvarado on May 20 in his U.S. debut, and a unanimous decision victory against Ricardo Urbina on July 23. Aguirre will be looking to impress in his Los Angeles debut, in a scheduled lightweight bout in the famed Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.

Roberto Carlos “Magnifico” Rivera of Tijuana Mexico represents the number of fighters who hail from Mexico. The young fighter has taken on the rising talent off Baja California, and is looking expand his boxing portfolio. His first fight in the U.S. will be a career moment, as his debut on the Downtown Los Angeles stage against Joseph Aguirre will determine his trajectory in his professional boxing career.

Some fighters are made in the gym. The 20-year old David Mijares was seemingly born into the sport. As Mijares’ father worked with legendary musician Bob Dylan, his pregnant mother visited the boxing gym and her water broke. By the age of 12, he began competing, going on to compile a 57-12 record as an amateur. Among his accomplishments were three National PAL Championships, a 2015 Golden Gloves title, and a Bronze medal in the 2015 USA National Championships. Mijares made his professional debut with a spectacular win on the Canelo-Khan undercard on May 7 defeating Omar Reyes via unanimous decision. On June 11 he was seen defeating Cory Vom Baur with a technical knockout and was last seen on the August 19 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB, defeating Jorelle Sparenberg via second round knockout.

Jason Gavino hails from Tijuana, Baja California. From a young age, the fighter naturally drifted to boxing growing up in the streets of TJ. A brawler in the making, the Mexican fighter will be making his debut at the popular LA Fight club series this October as he faces David Mijares in the ring.

On the Mexican youth national team for two years and on the elite team for five years, Cabrera was a 16-time national champion who twice competed in the world championships. He also won a Bronze medal in the Central American Games, among several other accolades, on route to a 135-15 record. In 2012-13, Cabrera compiled a 12-5 record in the World Series of Boxing league, and while staying in the amateur ranks in order to earn a shot at an Olympic Gold medal was enticing, Cabrera decided that to best take care of himself and his family, becoming a professional was his best option. The member of a fighting family that includes his father and brother, both of whom fought professionally, and a sister, Mexico City’s Cabrera first put boxing gloves on at the age of 10, and later that year, he had his first fight. He was nervous, but he won, and from there, he was all in.

Jose Caro has not been deterred since having a shaky start to his professional career. The young fighter will be taking on Marvin Cabrera as his first fight in Los Angeles at the Historic Belasco Theater.