ROSEVILLE, CA — Upstart Northern California boxing promoter O.P.P. brings live professional boxing back to the Placer County Fair & Events Center in Roseville with “Showdown at the Fairgrounds II” on Saturday, October 12th. The highly-anticipated event is headlined by fast-rising junior middleweight prospect Aaron Coley and highlighted by a showdown between two undefeated light welterweights, Aldwayne Simpson and Ulises Soriano, both based out of Richmond, California. Several of the region’s most promising fighters will round out the card. Tickets are on sale now and available via the PayPal window on this page.
Coley (7-0, 4 KOs) of Hayward, California will make the move up to the six-round distance for the first time in his career as he takes on veteran gatekeeper Michael Alexander (2-8-3) of Antioch, California. Coley was last in the ring back on July 20th at the initial “Showdown at the Fairgrounds” where he took a shutout four-round decision over a game Saul Benitez. The tough luck Alexander has an appeal pending regarding his seventh pro loss, which took place on June 1st. In that fight, against unbeaten Ricardo Pinell, Alexander was clearly hit by a shot after the bell which resulted in the stoppage.
Aldwayne Simpson (4-0, 2 KOs) of Richmond, California by way of Kingston, Jamaica takes to the ring for the first time in 2013 against long tenured journeyman Luis Alfredo Lugo (13-19-1, 6 KOs) of Richmond by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico in a four-round light welterweight contest. Simpson is a frequent sparring partner for Amir Khan when the former champion moves his camp to nearby Oakland. Lugo has fought virtual who’s who of world champions and contenders. Upon moving to the United States, Lugo took on nine consecutive undefeated fighters from May 2008 to September 2009. In that stretch Lugo went the distance with eventual world champions Danny Garcia and Adrien Broner.
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ONLINE ORDERING CLOSED.
Call 925-208-1086 for ticket availability.
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Local fan favorite John Abella (4-0-1, 2 KOs) of neighboring Sacramento, California returns to the ring against Christian Cartier (0-2) of Yuma, Arizona by way of Los Algodones, Baja California, Mexico in a four-round featherweight bout. In his last outing, Abella erased a headbutt-induced technical draw with a one-sided six-round decision in a rematch with Salvador Cifuentez this past April. Cartier has not shied away from tough competition, taking on unbeaten prospects in all of his pro bouts.
Former international amateur standout Adam Fiel (1-0, 1 KO) of Fairfield, California will be looking for win number two in a four-round featherweight bout. Fiel spent time competing for both the U.S. and Filipino National Teams as part of a long and decorated amateur career. Fiel, under the tutelage of trainer Nonito Donaire Sr., turned pro at “Showdown at the Fairgrounds” with a devastating first-round stoppage of Francisco Solis. Fiel will be taking on an opponent to be announced shortly.
Making his return to the ring after a two-year absence, Miguel Lopez (2-1, 1 KO) of Oakland, California will take on debuting Luis Cruz of Sacramento in a four-round light middleweight bout. Lopez, who in his time away opened up the gym Boxing For Health in Oakland, suffered his only pro loss in his last contest, but to a fighter in Brandon Adams that now has an 11-0 career mark. Cruz is a pupil of Horacio Barrera at Broadway Boxing in Sacramento.
LaRon Mitchell, one of the top amateur heavyweights of the U.S. boxing system over the last couple of years, makes the second start of his pro career as he takes on tough journeyman Blue DeLong (0-4) of Glendale, Arizona in a four-round heavyweight bout. Mitchell (1-0, 1 KO) was the runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials and silver medalist at the 2012 USA Boxing National Championships when a shoulder injury prevented him from competing in the finals. DeLong is coming off of a tough assignment against still unbeaten Gerald Washington.
Another local favorite making his return to Roseville will be Sacramento’s undefeated Alberto Torres, who will be taking on debuting Percy Peterson of Stockton, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Torres (3-0-1) dropped San Francisco, California’s Denis Madriz en route to a four-round unanimous decision victory at July’s “Showdown at the Fairgrounds” event. Peterson is a frequent sparring partner of up-and-coming pro Don Jose.
The card will open up with a slate of USA Boxing-sanctioned amateur contests featuring fighters some several of the top local gyms.
During intermission from the boxing action, the ring will host a live musical performance by Northern California’s own Davina Joy.
Tickets for the event, promoted by O.P.P., are available online at www.15rounds.com/Showdown or by calling 925-208-1086.
