Puerto Rican Wilfredo “Bimbito” Méndez will defend his WBO 105 pounds belt for the first time this Saturday, October 26, on the “WBO Champions Tournament” show, which will feature three other title fights at the Rubén Zayas Montañez Coliseum in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico in a presentation of PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP) in association with Spartan Boxing.
The “WBO Champions Tournament” event, which is part of several programs in which WBO belts will be played as a preamble to their Annual Convention that will be held in Japan in December, will have fighters from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic , Argentina and the United States in action.
“We managed to bring the defense of Bimbito to his town of Trujillo Alto and with that fight we will present a great international event in which we will have Latin American fighters and WBO titles in discussion with good fights,” said Iván Rivera, President of PRBBP. “We thank the municipal administration of Trujillo Alto and its mayor José Luis Cruz Cruz for all the support to realize this defense of Bimbito at home.”
The main fight of the night will be feature Bimbito Méndez (14-1, 5 kos) in the first defense of his WBO 105-pound title against Mexican Áxel Aragón (13-2-1, 8 kos). The 22-year-old Puerto Rican was crowned worldwide on August 24 after beat Filipino Vic Saludar by unanimous decision.
“My respects to Aragon for agreeing to come here to fight again, but in the ring I will work with my boxing, as always, and take the victory and keep the title in Puerto Rico. We have worked hard since I won the title. I feel very happy to defend it with my people, but I’m focused on the work we are going to do in the ring, “said Méndez, who will fight for the fourth time this year and will be the fifth time in his career that he does in his town.
Aragón, who in September 2018 lost by unanimous decision to Mendez when they discussed the WBO NABO title, said that “I am prepared, since I had a fight, but they called me for this world opportunity and here we are for fight like every Mexican.”
The co-mainn fight of the night is a good match between two undefeated youngsters from San Juan facing up one more step in their careers. In it, the undefeated Patrick Cora (8-0, 6 kos) will face the unbeaten Luis Midyael Sánchez (8-0, 6 kos) at eight rounds and at 154 pounds.
Meanwhile, in another co-main bout for the WBO Latino belt at 147 pounds, the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, the Dominican Felix Diaz (20-3, 10 kos), will face the Mexican Darío Fermán (18-6, 15 kos) at 10 rounds.
In other title duels, Dominican Yenifel Vicente (35-4-2, 27 kos) will fight against Mexican Rodolfo Hernández (30-7-1, 28 kos) for the 122 pounds WBO Latino belt at 10 rounds, while the Dominican Frency Fortunato (7-0, 6 kos) will face Mexican Marcos Muñiz (14-0, 11 kos) for the WBO Youth title at 122 pounds at eight rounds.
American Alantez Fox (25-1-1, 12 kos) will face the Argentine Bruno Leonardo Román (21-7, 18 kos) at 160 pounds in an eight round bout; at six rounds, Puerto Rican John Correa (6-0, 5 kos) will face Mexican Edgardo Velázquez (12-0, 12 kos) at 154 pounds, and Puerto Rican Angel Aponte (5-0, 2 kos) faces Argentine Facundo Eduardo Ased (9-1, 5 kos).
In four rounds bout, Frevián González (1-0, 1 kos) will face an opponent to be announced at at 130 pounds.
After the press conference, Bimbito Méndez allowed himself to cut his hair on behalf of the Rayito de Esperanza Foundation, a non-profit organization that works with children and young patients and cancer survivors in Puerto Rico.
