OXNARD, CA (April 5, 2009) Having declared prior to the fight that “My Time Is Now” lightweight contender Rolando Reyes stepped up to the plate on Saturday night with a 
crushing fifth round knockout of former world champion Julio Diaz at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX.
Dropping Diaz twice in the fifth from a thunderous barrage of punches, the bout was stopped at the 2:17 mark by referee Gregorio Alvarez.
The Reyes/Diaz scheduled ten rounder opened the Pay Per View broadcast of “LIGHTWEIGHT LIGHTNING” an outstanding evening of world class professional boxing presented by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
“I’ve been hearing it for years and I heard this week in Austin. Everyone thinks that I’m just a guy, not anything special, sort of a journeyman. But I proved them all wrong. Julio Diaz probably thought it was going to be a pretty easy win for him with me being a late replacement but I knew better” said the new pride of Oxnard, California.
“That’s how it’s been for me for years, I get overlooked or I get called to fight on short notice like the Jose Luis Castillo fight. But when I get a solid camp and can train properly for a fight, I can beat anyone, anywhere.”
The win improved Reyes’ record to 31-4-2 (20KO’s) and most certainly will see he move up in the rankings.
In regards to his future, the confident Reyes said, “I’ll fight anyone. Just give me the proper time to prepare and I’ll be ready to go. After a win against Julio Diaz, I’d like to fight the bigger names in the division in the future.”
Reyes is promoted by Chet Koerner’s TKO BOXING Promotions and guided by award winning manager Cameron Dunkin.
Said Koerner, “We’re very proud of Rolando for his big win. As a newer company that started last year, Rolando’s win really shines a terrific light on TKO BOXNG Promotions. He handled the opportunity perfectly and we’re looking to put him in another big fight in the near future.”
Formed in early 2008, Chet Koerner’s Las Vegas based TKO BOXING Promotions, originator of the “HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS” national boxing series, stable includes; heavyweight Lenroy Thomas, super middleweight Joey Gilbert, middleweights Elvin Ayala, Albert Onolunose and James Countryman, junior middleweights Bastie Samir and Anthony Thompson, welterweights Juan Buendia and Raul Tovar, junior welterweights Jonathan Gover, Francisco Contreras and Hastings Bwayla, lightweights Cortez Bey, Rolando Reyes and Terrance Crawford, junior lightweight Mickey Bey Jr., featherweights Matt Remillard, Carney Bowman, Delvin Plascencia, Rafael Lora and Maxwell Awaku, super bantamweights Rafael Valenzuela and Carlos Reyes.
Photos by Chris Cozzone