LOS ANGELES – August 25, 2022 – Former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin will highlight non-televised undercard action when he takes on former U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas in an eight-round attraction on September 4 in PBC action during Labor Day Weekend from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The event is topped by a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT featuring former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. battling top contender Luis “King Kong “ Ortiz in a WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator in the main event.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online at AXS.com.
The non-televised lineup will also include unbeaten Mexican flyweight Juan García (10-0-2, 7 KOs) in a four-round bout taking on Gilberto Mendoza (19-13-3, 19 KOs), plus a battle of unbeaten lightweights as Los Angeles’ Anthony Cuba (4-0-1, 3 KOs) faces Houston’s Óscar Pérez (5-0, 4 KOs) in a six-round attraction.
Rounding out the card is San Francisco’s Anthony Garnica (9-0-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round super bantamweight matchup against Anthony Casillas (8-2, 4 KOs), super lightweight Jesús Carrillo (10-7-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round attraction and lightweight prospect Kel Spencer (1-0), the younger brother of rising super welterweight Joey Spencer, stepping into the ring for a four-round duel.
Martin (28-3-1, 25 KOs) became heavyweight champion in January 2016 when he won by TKO against then unbeaten Vyacheslav Glazkov. After losing his title to Anthony Joshua, Martin won five of six fights, with all of those wins coming inside the distance. Originally from St. Louis, now living in Las Vegas and currently training in Southern California with Manny Robles, Martin most recently challenged Luis Ortiz in a New Year’s Day showdown that saw him send Ortiz to the canvas twice before eventually losing in round six.
A 2004 U.S. Olympian, Vargas (22-7, 9 KOs) has fought professionally since 2004 and was a two-time National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion as an amateur. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Vargas last fought in November 2020, dropping a contest to unbeaten Zhilei Zhang. Throughout his career, Vargas has challenged champions and top prospects and contenders including Andy Ruiz Jr., Dominic Breazeale and Junior Fa.
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ABOUT RUIZ VS. ORTIZ
Ruiz vs. Ortiz will see former unified heavyweight champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. and top contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz meet in a 12-round WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on September 4 in a Labor Day Weekend clash from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The pay-per-view telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and feature a stacked lineup of rising and accomplished stars in high-stakes matchups. In the co-main event, hard-hitting Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz will step in to take on fellow Mexican and veteran contender Eduardo Ramírez in a 12-round WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event.
The action will also see the return of popular three-division champion Abner Mares in his first action in three years as he battles former title challenger Miguel Flores in a 10-round super featherweight attraction, plus exciting rising star José Valenzuela duels former world champion Jezreel Corrales in the 10-round lightweight pay-per-view opener.
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