World rated and unbeaten Julio César Chávez Jr, is ready to face Argentina’s Luciano Cuello on Saturday’s “Tijuana Thunder” pay-per-view card at the Plaza de Toros Monumental de Playas. Chavez Jr-Cuello will be for the vacant WBC super welterweight Latino title. “This is a very important fight for me, because it’s the beginning of what I’m sure will be one of the most important years of my career. I not only hope to win the fight, but to do so convincingly,” said Chavez Jr. (38-0-1, 29 KOs) during a press conference today in Los Angeles.
Also in attendance were world champions Humberto Soto and Fernando Montiel, promoters Bob Arum of Top Rank and Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions, plus Tijuana mayor Jorge Ramos.
“This is a great opportunity for the city of Tijuana to show that it’s a city where the people live and work safely. This is an event in which we are very proud,”, said Ramos.
The event will consist of four televised fights. In addition to the clash between Chavez Jr. and Cuello, Humberto Soto will make his first WBC super featherweight title defense against Antonio “T-Rex” Davis, Fernando Montiel will be seeking his third world title in different divisions when he faces Diego Silva for the WBO interim bantamweight title, and veteran Antonio Diaz will face Javier “Zorro” Castro.
“This is a very loaded card and we’re sure it will be a great night of boxing in Tijuana. It’s not always possible to have so much talent in one event and that’s why I think this is the most attractive card we’ve had in our ‘Latin Fury’ series,” said Arum.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: “Tijuana is a major city for boxing and for our family because my father did a lot of fights there. I trained there many times and also lived for a time in that city. It is a great honor to be part of a large card in Tijuana and fight in the main event.”
Humberto Soto: Many people know me in Tijuana (where he has often trained), but they can’t go to see me fight in other places. Now they’ll be able to go to the fight and see me as champion. I’m not going to disappoint them and am going to have a great fight. We’re ready for everything and ane we had a great preparation.”
Fernando Montiel: “I’m happy to get this opportunity to win a third world crown, and I’m very confident that we can achieve it as we worked very hard for this fight. There are big things in my future, but first I have to win on Saturday to be eligible for large purses and big fights against the best in the world.”
Unbeaten Luciano Cuello (24-0, 6 KOs) and his team arrived on Monday morning in Tijuana and trained today for the first time on Mexican soil. Thursday he’ll meet Chavez Jr at the final press conference before the fight this Saturday.
Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank