After a standout performance on the May 9 Canelo-Kirkland undercard, former 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. returns to the ring on July 11 in a 10-round featherweight on the undercard of Mauricio Herrera vs. Hank Lundy from the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
In the main event of the televised doubleheader Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera of Southern California takes on “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy in a 10-round bout for the vacant NABF Super Lightweight Championship. The co-main event, Michael “The Artist” Perez (22-1-2, 10 KOs) of Newark, New Jersey will take on Las Vegas transplant Sharif “The Lion” Bogere (27-1, 19 KOs) in an exciting 10-round lightweight match-up for the vacant NABO Lightweight Title, televised live on HBO Latino beginning at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).
Featured in the non-televised undercard, female fighters Melinda Cooper (23-2, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada will fight Carolina Arias of San Jose, Costa Rica in an eight-round bout for the vacant WBO Bantamweight Title. Los Angeles-based fighter, but hailing from Ireland, Jason Quigley (6-0, 6 KOs) is scheduled to fight in a six-round middleweight bout, and Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (10-0, 9 KOs) and Jesus Delgado (5-0-1, 2 KOs) will fight in respective six-round super featherweight matches. Los Angeles fan favorite Nick Arce (3-0, 3 KOs) is set to fight in a four-round fight and making his highly anticipated professional debut, top amateur prospect, Angel Bojado, who recently signed with Golden Boy Promotions, will participate in a four-round super welterweight fight.
A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, South El Monte, California’s Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr., is unbeaten as a professional and has earned impressive victories each step of the way. At just 22, the southpaw sensation was 6-0 in 2014, and he got 2015 off to an equally strong start on March 6 with a third-round stoppage of Juan Luis Hernandez and on May 9, he made his third appearance in the Lone Star State in a 10-round featherweight unanimous decision victory against Giovanni Delgado.
A professional boxer since 2002, Melinda “La Maravilla” Cooper has built an impressive career cumulating with the Women’s International Boxing Association World Flyweight title and a shot at the IBF World Female Super Bantamweight title. Now the 30-year old who is now fighting out of Las Vegas, will get another shot at a title when she faces Carolina Arias for the vacant WBO Bantamweight Title on July 11.
A motivated fighter from, Leon, Nicaragua, Carolina “Princesa” Arias from San Jose, Costa Rica is eager to show fight fans that she has what it takes to become the next champion. A relative newcomer, the 27-year-old maintained an undefeated status since her professional debut in 2012 until 2014 when she fought for the WBC Latino Female Bantamweight title. Looking for another shot at stardom, the Nicaraguan native will not come down easy on July 11 when she gets another opportunity at a title.
Hailing from Balleybofey in County Donegal, Ireland, the 22-year-old Jason Quigley had an outstanding amateur career becoming the first Irish fighter to win a Silver medal at the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013. He started his professional career in 2014 and has quickly garnered attention by ending each fight via knockout against Howard Reece, Fernando Najera, and Greg McCoy. Quigley has continued his wins-by-knockout streak by taking down Lanny Dardar, Tolutomi Agunbiade and Joshua Snyder. Now the busy fighter is looking to impress in his fourth fight of 2015.
One of the most exciting prospects in the sport, 19-year-old super featherweight Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez has thrilled fans by winning each of his professional bouts by knockout, seven in the first round. Fresh from a sixth-round stoppage of Julio Sarinana at the inaugural LA FIGHT CLUB at The Belasco Theater on March 6, forced him to rise from the canvas for the first time to win. Most recently, Gonzalez pleased fans in an all action fight in his second appearance at LA FIGHT CLUB winning against Darryl Hayes via unanimous decision.
Jesus Delgado made a stand-out appearance at premiere event of LA FIGHT CLUB on March 6, dominating Rocco Espinozain all four-rounds, releasing relentless powerful punches to win the bout by unanimous decision. Since his professional debut in January 2014, Delgado has stayed local, building up his name and reputation on the Southern California boxing circuit most recently defeating Benjamin Vinson by technical knockout in the third round on May 7. On July 11, Delgado will go to the next level in his career fighting in his first six-round match.
Fighting out of the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, 18-year-old featherweight Nick Arce is a former amateur standout who entered the professional boxing world in style in November of 2014 with a fourth round knockout of Adalbert Valenzuela. Since then the Los Angeles favorite has fought Lyonell Kelly and Marco Alcaraz winning both bouts by second round knockout.
Hailing from Boyle Heights, the 21-year-old began his career in the sport at the young age of four, following in the footsteps of his brother former Mexican Olympian and youth champion Francisco “Panchito” Bojado. Since then, Bojado has been on a path to success competing in numerous amateur tournaments like the Desert Showdowns, Blue and Gold’s, National PAL Championships, National Silver Gloves Championships, the National Junior Olympic and many more, accumulating more than 130 bouts. In his professional debut, Bojado is eager to cement his own legacy in the sport.
