Ramon Cardenas, of San Antonio, said his second-round KO of Rafael Pedroza in the main event of a Showtime-televised card was a "star-making performance." It certainly did change a lot of things for the 28-year-old. It put the 122-pound division on notice, it moved the Alamo City native's record to 23-1 (12). It put him firmly in the world title picture and made him the leader in the clubhouse to be the next world champion from the 210. That sensational victory also set up his next fight. Cardenas will again hit the road and head to Florida, a state that he has fought in twice before and has gone 2-0 (1),and take on Israel Rodriguez Picazo in the main event of a Friday, February 16th, PROBOV TV card at the Whitesand’s Event Center in Plant City, Florida. Picazo, of Mexico City, Mexico, sports a 30-5 (20) record. Picazo dropped a decision to Mauricio Lara in 2016 and has won 15 fights in a row since his last loss, a 2019 points loss to Eduardo Baez in Mexico. Cardenas is currently ranked #6 by the WBA in the Super Bantamweight division. The Texan says he can still make 118 pounds if a world title shot becomes available at the weight class.
Jorge Castaneda to Headline November 29th PROBOX TV Card
The boxing scene in Laredo and throughout the 956 is hotter than a pistol, and one of the region's brightest and most exciting stars is set to return to the ring and on a major card. 27-year-old Jorge Castaneda will return to the squared circle next Wednesday at the Whitesands Event Center in Plant City, Florida, as part of the PROBOX TV series. Castaneda, a Laredoan, scored two big-time wins in 2021, upsetting not one but two of Eddie Hearn's prized prospects. He upset Otha Jones in April of that year and came back in October, and upset Youssef Khoumari. The Texan then suffered his first career loss to Eduardo Hernandez in June 2022. The South Texan was then out of the ring for 14 months with a new trainer, the trainer of legendary little man Chocolatio, Marcos Caballero, and Castaneda looked spectacular in his return. In his first fight in his native city in over four years, Castaneda scored a vicious 8th-round KO of the undefeated Nestor Medellin at the Sames Auto Arena. Now, the 27-year-old will return with a major challenge! A win could propel him into the world title picture. On the 29th of November, Castaneda will take on 28-year-old Puerto Rican prospect Orlando Gonzalez. Gonzalez sports a 21-2 (12) record and has won three fights in a row since his loss at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on an ESPN Televised Top Rank card to Misael Lopez. Gonzlaez's last fight was in July, and the Puerto Rican outboxed Ramiro Cesena over ten rounds to pick up a unanimous decision victory.
Kendo Castaneda Scores Tremendous Victory
28-year-old Kendo "Tremendo" Castaneda has had a rollercoaster of a career. He started off 17-0, captured the WBA NABA 140-Pound strap, was highly ranked by the sanctioning body, and was considered one of the premier prospects in the division. He then lost five in a row and was stopped in the AT&T Center in his hometown of San Antonio. That last loss seemed to strike a nerve. Castaneda remotivated himself. He secured a sensational first-round knockout in the opening round of the PROBOX Last Chance Tournament. That set up Saturday's showdown at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Castaneda took on local product Joseph Fernandez in a 10-round affair.
Castaneda got off to a quick start, pressing Fernandez and landing with straight right hands. Setting thighs up off the jab, Castaneda got off to a tremendous start. Fernandez was successful in slowing the pace and evening things up in the middle rounds. The Floridian was able to keep Castaneda at bay and stay off the ropes. A recurring theme had developed. Castaneda would win the first two and a half minutes. Fernandez would rally late to try and steal the round. It was an incredibly close contest heading into the ninth. Castaneda was admittedly exhausted and was told by his trainer Ronnie Cantu "Six minutes for the rest of your life/" Castaneda picked up his second wind and the pair produced the round of the year in the ninth. Castaneda was buckled early in the round. He seemed to be wearing down and that's just when he got going and put together the best rally of the fight that nearly dropped Fernandez and almost ended his fight as the bell sounded to end the round. The late rally from the Texan sealed the deal as Castaneda took a competitive but unanimous decision by scores of 96-94 on all three cards.
Castaneda will battle with rugged veteran Antonio Moran in the finals. Moran outlasted "West Texas" Warrior Michael Dutchover of Midland, to fill out the other side of the bracket. Moran was able to outbox Durchover and rolled to a wide points victory by scores of 100-90x2 and 99-91.