Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents another stacked edition of Golden Boy Live! tonight, Thursday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET, as “The Corpus Christi Kid” Jerry Belmontes will return to his Texas hometown to face Puerto Rico’s Abner “Pin” Cotto in the 10-round junior lightweight main event from American Bank Center.
Fight Network’s broadcast will air live exclusively in Canada.
In the co-main event, rising junior welterweight star KeAndre Gibson, fighting out of Austin, Texas, will take a trip to Corpus Christi to square off with Fort Worth’s Jose Hernandez.
Unbeaten in four fights in his hometown of Corpus Christi, Jerry Belmontes (19-4, 5 KOs) will fight in front of his home fans for the first time since April of 2013 when he steps into the ring on August 7. The bout against Cotto will also be the 25-year-old’s first since his April 26 showdown with amateur rival and WBC lightweight world champion Omar Figueroa Jr. where Belmontes gave a supreme effort, only to lose a disputed 12-round split decision. Vowing to get back into the title hunt and earn a shot at a rematch w Figueroa Jr., “The Corpus Christi Kid” wants to make a statement against Cotto.
Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto (17-2, 8 KOs) has the style to trouble any fighter at 130 pounds, including Belmontes. Cotto is looking to get back in the win column after a hard-fought loss to highly touted Francisco Vargas in March but he knows he is coming into enemy territory to prove he has what it takes. The cousin of recently crowned WBC middleweight world champion Miguel Cotto, 26-year-old Abner is determined to one day bring another title to the family and his first step is defeating Belmontes on August 7.
Coming fresh off of a spectacular fourth round knockout over John Nater in May, 24-year-old KeAndre Gibson (10-0-1, 3 KOs) will be fighting in front of his Texas fans once again when he battles Jose Hernandez. A versatile prospect that many believe will be ruling the junior welterweight division one day, Gibson has won three of his last five fights by knockout and he’ll be bringing the thunder again in Corpus Christi.
A former WBC Youth Champion, 27-year-old Jose “Loco” Hernandez (14-7-1, 6 KOs) is on a mission to deliver a memorable fight on August 7 and get back in the win column after a 2013 loss to highly-regarded Rustam Nugaev. Winner of four of his last six bouts, the popular Hernandez has never shied away from a challenge, and he’s not about to start now.
Belmontes vs. Cotto, a 10-round junior lightweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija Battah Promotions and is sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Fight Network’s broadcast airs live at 10 p.m. ET.
