Legendary Roberto Duran to be Special Guest at P4P Entertainment Card in Laredo.

July 1st marks a historic day for Laredo and for all of Texas boxing. Legendary Hall Of Famer and four-division world champion Roberto "Manos de Piedra" Duran, who is largely considered the greatest lightweight of all time, will be the special guest at The P4P Entertainment boxing card at the Sames Auto Arena. Duran compiled an incredible career record of 103-16 (70) and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007 in Canastota, New York. 

It was at the International Boxing Hall of Fame that P4P Entertainment, matchmaker Luey Villarreal, met the legendary world champ during Induction Weekend. "I introduced myself," Villareal recalls. Villarreal, also a former ABF Jr Middleweight champ and owner of Ferocious Fitness in San Antonio, spoke to Duran and told him his "Dad passed a few months ago, and Duran was at the top of his list and his style was an influence on him." Villarreal went on and explained that he was making the Laredo card for July 1 and has had other legendary world champs such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Austin Trout, and Jorge Arce as special guests and would be honored to have him as the special guest for the July show. Villarreal, originally of Houston, and now lives with his wife and three kids in San Antonio, said that Duran was interested. The legendary fighter said to reach out to his son to clear it with his schedule. True to his word, the legend's son reached back out and told him that his dad, who still lives in his native Panama full time, schedule was clear as long as he could be back in his home country by Sunday, and he would be happy to attend the P4P Entertainment event in Laredo. Duran, who never fought in the Lone Star State as a professional, said that he has family in Texas, hes just not exactly sure where. 

Villareal in Action in 2018

Pound for Pound Promotions has now put on five cards throughout South Texas and has created quite a buzz in the area. The December 2022 card, at the Payne Arena, in Hidalgo, featured legendary former world champ Austin "No Doubt" Trout in the main event. Trout, who has a win over legendary Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden, defeated rugged conteder Jose Charles via unanimous decision. The card was televised by ESPN3 and marked the return of big-time boxing to the Rio Grande Valley. Additionally, Villarreal has worked with the legendary promoter Bob Arum's Top Rank and had fighters featured on PBC's Showtime events and on PROBOX TV cards. His fighter's have been on some of the year's biggest cards, including the Benavidez-Plant PPV clash and the Rolly Romero- Ismael Barroso card back in May.

Villarrel in action at the Scottish Rite San Antonio

In addition to working alongside P4P Entertainment President Santiago "Chago" Martinez, the President of P4P, Villarreal started Ferocious Fitness Boxing Gym in 2019. His gym was shortly thereafter threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the fighter persevered and fought through it ferociously. Villarreal, whose father was a fighter, and was trained by and is best friends with Main St Boxing Gym trainer/cutman Aaron Navaro, who works with world champion Regis Prograis and O'shaquie Foster, was taught well and rose above the distractions. He now has one of the premier gyms in Texas that includes professional boxers: Juan Garcia, Bruno Pola, Axl Melendez, Jaime Jasso, Joshua Montoya, Sebastian Rodriguez, Braian and Ramon Soto, and Nick Molina. The gym has come a long way in just a few years. 

 Villarreal is also extremely active in the community. In addition to running his businesses, coaching, mentoring, and staying focused on his family, the former ABF title holder \has created the Ferocious Championship Foundation in 2023. The foundation was created to impact the community in a positive direction.

As far as the July 1 card itself, it is absolutely loaded with talent and highly intriguing matchups. The card is headlined by 17-year-old phenom and Laredo native, the undefeated "Gatito" Felix Garcia. Garcia takes the biggest challenge of his career as the super featherweight puts his 5-0 (1) record on the line against his toughest challenge to date. In a battle of the dos Laredos. He takes his first six-rounder of his career and battles Jose Casiano, 2-3-1 (0), of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Casiano has been in with elite Texas fighters such as Robert "Biggie" Rodriguez and "El Castigo" Richard Medina. The card also features hometown favorites, Jorge and Alex Ramos. Jorge, El Gallo Giro, 8-3-1(5), takes a massive challenge with the surging Joshua "Spotlight" Montoya, who has won three fights in a row and has done so against fighters with a combined 20-5 (1) record and captured a Texas title by defeating RGV native Nelson "Hot hands" Hampton on the December card at the Payne Arena that featured Austin Trout. Finally, in what promises to be an all-action slugfest Gateway City native Jose Cardenas, 6-1 (5), battles RGV native Hugo "Tigre" Castaneda, who captured the WBO Youth Super Featherweight title late last year when he brutally stopped Maykol Mendoza in the third round in Reynosa, Mexico. Also in action is Laredo-based cruiserweight contender Hector "Tito" Ferreyro Jr, who looks to continue his comeback. Tito scored a first-round TKO in March following a three-year layoff. 

Jairo Castaneda Scores Impressive UD victory, Picks up ABO strap

On what was a star-studded crowd at the Hangar 9 in San Antonio that featured a room full of world champions, including Marco Antonio Barrera, Austin Trout, and John Michael Johnson. The "Takeover" has begun. The first boxing card by Pound For Pound promotions and Luey Villareal was a ringing success. In the main event, "El Increible" Jairo Castaneda of San Antonio, made it a Texas Two-step for the Castaneda brothers. Younger brother Kendo scored a knockout of the year type knockout last week in Florida, and big brother Jairo scored a dominant 6-round unanimous decision victory over Leonardo Esquivel Carrizales of Brownsville to capture ABO welterweight strap. Castaneda struck first with a picture-perfect left hook around the midpoint of the opening round that caught the attention of Carrizales, "El incredible'  followed up with a left hook downstairs just moments later. The older Castaneda brother stayed aggressive and was heavy on the front foot forcing his opponent backward. Then staggering him with straight right hands was taking their effect as he began to look sluggish. By round three, the Rio Grande Valley native appeared sluggish and was wearing down. Castaneda stayed on the gas, firing off am educated jab and putting thudding right hands behind it, not letting up or slowing down for the remainder of the six-rounder on his way to taking a hard-earned but clear-cut decision by scores of 60-65 and 59-55 X2. It marked the fourth consecutive win for Castaneda, who improved his record to 14-2 (5).  He took nearly three years off following a loss to Reshard Hicks in late 2018. 

In the co-main "Jersey Boy" Glen Tapia, originally from New Jersey and now trains in San Antonio, returned to the ring for the first time since August of 2021 and for just the second time since 2017. In what was an incredibly entertaining five and half minutes of action. Tapia emerged victorious, picking up his second consecutive win in his comeback and moved his record to 25-5 (17).  After an action-packed first round, which saw each fighter throw and land plenty of heavy artillery. The Jersey Boy figured out his opponent, Tyrone Sanders, knockout artist. Tapia rocked the Houstonian with a right hand to start the second, and the onslaught that continued as Tapia stayed on his durable opponent and unleashed a whirlwind of power shots that rocked Sanders and ultimately left him defenseless, causing the referee to call a halt to the bout at the 2:27 mark of the second round.

A loaded undercard also featured highly talented flyweight/super-flyweight prospect Jaime Jasso, Of Laredo, who looked spectacular in his first fight with new head trainer Luey Villarreal. Jasso showed off lightning-quick combinations and put his punches together in spectacular fashion. Jasso landed with precision-like power shots to the head and body that finally put the outmatched Austin Rivas away in the second round. The young Gateway City native ended his two-fight skid in spectacular fashion moving his record to 3-2 (1) and winning his first fight with his new trainer at his new weight of 115. Jasso said he can move down further & can easily make 112 also.

14x national champ Melissa "La Joya'' Holguin, Of San Antonio made her highly anticipated professional debut. After having multiple flights canceled due to opponents opting to pull out instead of fighting the 14x national champion. La Joya boxed beautifully, mixing up head and body shots. After someone of a sloppy start, perhaps due to the nerves of making her pro debut. Holguin got cooking in the second round, hurting her opponent, Kim Colbert of Dallas, to the body several times and ripping beautiful hooks and uppercuts on the inside. Holguinn hurt Colbert several times and appeared to have a chance to get the stoppage late in the third round when she froze her with a left hand to the body and followed up with a barrage of shots on the inside. Colbert was to endure till the final round as the San Antonian won every round on every card in the one-sided beatdown taking her pro debut via unanimous decision by scores of 40-36 x3.

If you have not heard of Carrizo Springs, you are about to. Amateur superstar Carrizo Springs native Juan Garcia also made his much anticipated professional debut and scored a sensational third-round knockout of Michael Land of Dallas to move his record to 1-0 (1). Post-fight super bantamweight prospect "Goyo" Gregory Morales said of Garcia, "He's a monster. He is going to be really good. We were on the Mexican national team together." 

In what was the fight of the night. San Antonios own Trenton Gibson and Vincente Loredo provided violent entertainment for the fans, and for the second time in five months Gibson proved too much Loredo, scoring four total knockdowns on his way to picking up a third-round TKO to move his record to 2-1(1). After seizing control of the fight in the first round with a flash knockdown of Loredo. The two traded heavy artillery in the second, and Loredo momentarily took control of the fight. Hurting Gibson with a right hand and then dropping him. Gibson cleared his head, got to his feet, and scored another knockdown of Loredo, this time with a straight right hand to regain the momentum. He scored two more knockdowns in the third as the referee waved off the bout and secured the victory for Gibson.