PHOENIX: Oscar de la Hoya has high hopes for one of numerous prospects competing at a Golden Boy Promotions event Saturday.
In bantamweight boxer Gael Cabrera, who is only 3-0-0 (2 KOs) as a pro fighter, de la Hoya has a fighter who he believes can one day be a face for his promotional company.
Cabrera made his boxing debut in June last year and scored a first-round knockout over Ulises Gabriel Rosales at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio — a venue the LA-based firm hosts its club shows.
In the following months, Golden Boy gave Cabrera spots on prominent cards. In just his third fight, for example, he fought on Ryan Garcia's undercard when the Gen Z superstar knocked out Oscar Duarte in Houston, Texas.
Now, Cabrera is competing once again on the undercard of a top tier show when the unbeaten Mexican fighter Jaime Munguia takes on experienced British boxer John Ryder at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Cabrera fights Miguel Ceballos 2-0-0 (2 KOs) on Saturday and de la Hoya lavished high praise on the 21-year-old when he introduced the young stud to ProBox TV and other media Thursday at the final pre-fight press conference.
"He has the potential to be one of the biggest stars of Golden Boy’s stable," de la Hoya said.
"I want to thank Oscar de la Hoya for this opportunity," The former Mexican Olympian said. "It's great for me to be here in Phoenix, Arizona. And I'm ready. I'm ready for this fight, this card, let's go. Let's get it going."
A show for prospects
Though the Golden Boy on DAZN event is built around the headlining bout between Jaime Munguia and John Ryder, the card is filled with fighters who may, one day, command the headline bout on their own.
Opening the televised part of the show is David Picasso who has brought mass Mexican media with him, such is his pedigree in his own country.
"He is an excellent, master puncher," de la Hoya said of Picasso. "Picasso [is] making his highly-anticipated US debut in a 10-round super bantamweight bout against Eric Ruiz."
Picasso, who will be looking to paint a masterpiece in the squared circle, said: "My home may be Mexico but my real home is the ring."
There is also Darius Fulghum who won an in-house Golden Boy 'Oscar's award' for Prospect of the Year last year — mere months after signing for the company.
Fulghum is "one of our superstars in the making," de la Hoya said. "Take a look at the fighters we’ve built, and I strongly feel this man will take the world by storm. Darius Fulghum fights Alantez Fox.”
Fulghum, who will be looking to extend his knockout streak to 10-0-0 (10 KOs) on Saturday, said: "In the words of the great Bernard Hopkins says, prospect of suspect. There’s only one way to find out — live on DAZN, or be here at this arena."
Further down the card there is the up-and-coming 21-year-old lightweight Jonathan Canas who makes his long-awaited third fight when the 6-foot tall boxer takes on Kameeko Hall in the very first preliminary bout.
Canas was due to compete on Golden Boy’s Las Vegas card earlier this year but his opponent withdrew from the show, leaving matchmakers to scramble to find him a spot on the Phoenix fight card.
Raring to go, Canas will hope to extend his pro record to 3-0-0 (2 KOs) as he’s keen to impress coach Hector Lopez, and follow in the footsteps of fellow Santa Ana fighter Alexis Rocha.
Elsewhere, Daniel Garcia (7-0-0) fights Daniel Lugo in a super featherweight fight, and Darius Fulghum, 9-0-0 (9 KOs), who competes in a super middleweight fight against Alantex Fox.
