One week from today, Artemio “King” Reyes (22-2, 18 KOs), a power-punching welterweight out of Riverside, Calif., takes on Christopher Degollado (11-3, 9 KOs) of Monterrey, Mex. in the 8-round “Locked n’ Loaded” main event from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.
The 28-year-old Reyes is unaccustomed to long fights, having knocked out the majority of his opponents inside of three rounds. Degollado, 25, also prefers to close the book on opponents fairly quickly. Nine of his eleven wins have come by knockout. On Friday, Nov. 21, both will have an opportunity to enhance their knockout ratios.
“It’s going to be an explosive fight,” said Reyes, who has been sparring with former world champion Victor Ortiz. “Degollado is a strong fighter that is capable of going the distance, or winning by knockout. We both pack a lot of power, which will make for an interesting fight.”
“I’ve studied Reyes carefully,” Degollado said. “He likes to mix up his punches and is equally effective boxing on the outside or in close situations. We plan to set some traps for him and if he bites, it might be the end of his winning streak.”
Reyes has been blowing out opponents with his power left hook to the body – good for six straight KO wins and seven overall. Reyes, trained by the well-regarded Joel Diaz, understands the importance of staying disciplined, but also knows when to pounce on a wounded boxer.
“You never train for the knockout, but you are aware that if the opportunity presents itself, you have to take it,” Reyes said. “Too often you see boxers fail to finish an opponent because they don’t want to take the risk. I’m not like that. If I see an opening, I’m putting my foot on the gas.”
In the 8-round co-main event, lightweight sensation Jose Roman (18-1-1, 12 KOs) of Garden Grove, Calif. looks to close out the year with four solid wins against Jose Luis Ramirez (7-1-1, 4 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex.
