The April 12 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature former Junior Featherweight titlist Rico “Suavecito” Ramos (21-2, 11 KOs) and Oscar “Fantasma” Gonzalez (17-2, 3 NSF, 13 KOs) in the 10-round Featherweight main event. Friday’s show from the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will air live at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN and later televised Saturday April 13, at 2:30 a.m. on ESPNEWS and 8 p.m. on ESPN Deportes. The card is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
Commentators:
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will provide the latest boxing news and highlights. Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call this week’s fights for ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will report from New York where Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs) will meet Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs) for the Junior Featherweight Championship on Saturday night.
Main Event:
Los Angeles’ Ramos, who won the Junior Featherweight title in 2011, is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Ronny Rios.
“Since my last fight, I feel like I’ve got to start coming back even harder than before.” Ramos said. “I’ve got to start showing everybody that I’m better. I can’t wait to get back into the ring and get back to my boxing style and winning ways. I know I have the skills, talent and determination to take my career back to the world championship level.”
Mexico’s Gonzalez, promoted by former four-time titleholder Erik Morales, is looking to rebound from a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Raul Hirales.
“I know Rico Ramos is a tough fighter,” Gonzalez said. “We know he is a former champion and considered one of the best at 122 pounds, but I am confident that I have the talent and ability to beat him.”
Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit Super Middleweights Farah “Quiet Storm” Ennis (20-1, 12 KOs) of Pennsylvania against Francisco “Panchito” Sierra (25-7-1, 22 KOs) of Mexico. Ennis scored a 10-round unanimous decision win over Richard Pierson in his last fight, while Sierra is looking to rebound from a 10-round majority decision loss to Marco Antonio Periban.
Opening Fight:
Friday’s card will open with a four-round Junior Middleweight bout between undefeated 2012 Mexican Olympic team Welterweight Oscar Molina (2-0, 1 KO) and Daryl Gardner (1-1, 1 KO). Molina is the identical twin brother of 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina and younger brother of Lightweight contender Carlos Molina.
ESPN Deportes and SportsCenter to Cover Donaire vs. Rigondeaux:
Gonzalez and Osuna are in New York providing pre-fight coverage of the Donaire- Rigondeaux fight for ESPN Deportes’ Golpe a Golpe, SportsCenter and ESPN.com.
The bout will mark just the second time boxing has taken place at Radio City Music Hall, and will be televised on HBO Championship Boxing at 11 p.m.
ESPN’s coverage will include Tuesday’s media workouts, interviews with both fighters and trainers, and Friday’s weigh-in. Golpe a Golpe’s Viruega, Gonzalez, Osuna and Rodriguez will present a pre-fight special Saturday at 10 p.m. featuring fighter arrivals, highlights from their biggest fights, interviews and locker room look-ins. Post-fight coverage will include a 2 a.m. Golpe a Golpe with highlights, analysis and English and Spanish in-ring interviews by Osuna for ESPN Deportes and SportsCenter.
Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo. Also score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.
