El Paso Native Abel Mendoza Shines in New Mexico

As Two Mexican boxing icons stepped back into the ring for perhaps the last time Saturday night at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico  Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera and former two-time world champion Daniel Ponce de Leon fought to the distance in an entertaining, six-round exhibition live on FITE & Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook. In the co-main event was the young unbeaten upstart from west Texas, Abel Mendoza. The unbeaten youngster entered the ring with a sparkling 30-0 (23)  and his game plan was clear attack the body of his rugged by again opponent, former world title challenger, Victor Zaleta. Mendoza pressed forward buckled Zaleta with a left hook just moments into the fight. Late in the first round, Mendoza scored with a barrage of body shots then dropped the former world title challenger just before the bell rang to end the opening stanza.

The Texan stayed patient and stayed down stares in the second and third rounds battering his man against the ropes. Hurting his opponent again with a three-piece combination that landed upstairs with just about 40 seconds remaining in the second. Mendoza followed up the success he had in the first two rounds with another thudding body shot that staggered Zaleta again right as the bell rang to end the third. At this point, the writing was on the wall and Zaleta was on the way out. Mendoza finished the job with a final right hand to the body that did the job for good 2:23 into round number four. The west Texan moved his record to 31-0 (24). In a post-fight interview, he called out former four-division world titleholder Leo Santa Cruz “We’re hoping to get the fight with Leo Santa Cruz. We’re ready for him,” a victorious Mendoza declared. Mendoza disposed of Santa Cruz in just four rounds Santa Cruz took nine rounds to stop Zelata in a much more competitive fight.  A fact that the victorious Texan was well aware of " It just goes to show, Santa Cruz, I'm not sure if it was seven or nine and We finished him in the fourth so we're ready for him" 

In regards to his performance Mendoza went on to say " I made a few mistakes I think I could I have done better, but we are going to work on those mistakes and I am glad we got the knockout"

As Two Legends prepare for a final Stand Two Upstart Texans Look to Take Next Steps

Former three-division world champion and legendary Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera and fan favorite and former two-division world champ Daniel Ponce de Leon prepare to lock horns in an exhibition bout this Saturday at the Inn of the Moutain Gods. The bout will be the main event of a stacked card that features over 10 bouts and streams on FITE TV. As the two legends will steal the headlines perhaps no fighter on the card has more on the line than El Paso native, Odessa raised, undefeated featherweight & super-featherweight blue-chip prospect Abel Mendoza. Mendoza returns to The Inn of The Moutain Gods for the third time. He has compiled a 2-0 (1) record at the venue and has become his home away from home. The El Pasoan turned pro in 2016 and has compiled a shiny record of 30-0 (23) fighting the majority of his bouts in Mexico. He takes by far the biggest step-up bout of his career in former world title challenger who fought future hall of fame Leo Santa Cruz for the IBF bantamweight strap as well as Omar Narvaez for the WBO Super Fly belt. A win again a fighter of that stature as well as the perfect record makes Mendoza an attractive opponent for anyone in the top ten of either the 126 or other 130 pound divisions. It's a big card against a noticeable opponent that can propel Mendoza from prospect to contender overnight.

In the main event of the free portion of the card, that will stream on Golden Boy's Facebook page will feature the return of the San Antonio teenage phenome whose pro debut first-round knockout went viral and made him a star in the boxing community. and proved his nickname "War Machine"  was a well-deserved one. 1-0 (1) Christian Romero looks to put on an encore performance that is as good or better than thatdebut back in September. In his pro debut, a then 16-year-old landed a single right hand that is now internet famous that dropped  Jose Aguero Guerra like a building imploding on itself. That bout was in Mexico and in the interim the San Anontian has turned 17 and can fight in the US and is set to show the fans in the US the incredible skill and one-punch power that made him a star in the amateurs and will according to his trainer at South Park Boxing Academy, Rick Nunez "Make Him aMuliple weight class world champion"