Randy Caballero Returns to Action this Friday Night – Boxing News

By Anthony “Stacks” Saldaña

This Friday February 5th at the Fantasy Spring Casino in Indio, California former World Champion Randy “El Matador” Caballero, 22-0, 13 KO’s will return to the ring against Ruben Garcia, 15-1-1, 6 KO’s of Mexico City, Mexico in a 10-round super bantamweight bout. Caballero returns to the ring after being five and a half pounds over the sanctioned weight limit for the bout against Lee Haskins on the Canelo Cotto undercard. That day the Nevada State Athletic Commission denied Caballero a chance to lose the weight within a one-hour time limit and Haskins became the new champion. Commission rules only allow a fighter to lose weight if he is less than two pounds over the sanctioned weight. Randy has not fought since defeating Stuart Hall in Monte Carlo on Oct. 25, 2014. Caballero had a bone transplant on his left heel after a bone cyst was removed in 2015, and then he withdrew from a fight that was set up as his first title defense in August.

Caballero who seems to have out grown the 118 lb division will be fighting at Super Bantamweight on Friday, a division ruled by Scott Quigg, Carl Frampton and Guillermo Rigondeaux. The Nicaraguan native “El Matador” will be fighting in front of his adopted hometown on Friday. I expect fireworks from Randy as he steps back into the ring for the first time in nearly 16 months and looks to leave 2015 behind him.

Undefeated Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez, 19-0, 13 KO’s, one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the sport, will also make his first appearance of 2016 in the ring on the February 5th against former IBA Super Lightweight Champion Silverio Ortiz, 29-16, 15 KO’s of Chicxulub, Yucatan, Mexico in the 10-round co-main event. Frankie is known is for his exciting style and powerful punches. He is the owner of 13 knockouts in three rounds or fewer and can also box, as shown in his near-shutout victories over longtime contenders Vernon “IceMan” Paris in July of 2014 and Jorge “Pantera” Silva in October of 2015. A decorated amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a Silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, Gomez is ready to face the top opposition in the division and chase his dreams of a world championship in 2016. His opponent Silverio Ortiz is an experienced fighter with more than 50 professional fights under his belt and former owner of the IBA Super Lightweight Title. Ortiz has fought some of the toughest welterweights in the division including former WBA Super Lightweight and Welterweight World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto and last seen fought former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion, Pablo César Cano.

Also on the card from San Antonio, Texas is Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr, 4-0, 3 KO’s. Hector will be taking on another undefeated Clay Burns, 3-0, 3 KO’s from Alexandria, Louisiana. Tanajara who has a stellar amatuer background has been fighting since 2007. During that time he won eight national championships. In 2012 he fought in the Veles Cup in Kurgan, Russia and took the gold medal in his weight class and was selected as one of seven to go to the 2016 Olympic trials. Instead he chose to become a professional boxer and sign with Golden Boy Promotions in 2014, El Finito is now the owner of an undefeated record of 4-0 with 3 knockouts. Tanajara will look to continue his winning streak in Friday.

In addition, former eight time, three weight divisions world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley will be in attendance to host a meet and greet with fans at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fans with tickets to the fight will have an opportunity meet and interact with the living legend before the Estrella TV live broadcast begins. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live onFriday, February 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT., and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Other bouts include

Rocco Santomauro, 12-0, 6 KO’s vs. Jose Estrella, 14-9-1, 10 KO’s, 6 rounds, bantamweights

Neeco Macias, 10-0, 5 KO’s vs. Paul Mpendo,8-13-4, 6 KO’s, 6 rounds, junior middleweights

Alberto Fundora, 6-0, 2 KO’s vs. Cesar Ruiz,2-2, 1 KO, 4 rounds, super middleweights

Jesus Sanchez, debut vs. Gibran Gutierrez, 0-1, 4 rounds, welterweights

Shane Mosley, JR., 4-1, 4 KO’s vs. Daniel Henry, 3-4-3, 4 rounds, middleweights

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