JAMESTOWN, CALIFORNIA – Lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. aims to continue his rise up the 135-pound ladder and state his case for a title opportunity on the national stage as professional boxing comes to the former California Gold Rush town for the very first time on Wednesday night. Flores, the classy boxer, will take on pressure-fighter Jose Arellano in the ProBox TV-broadcasted ten-round main event from the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort. Fighters for the six-bout card weighed-in on Tuesday morning at the host venue.
Flores (25-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton, California has reeled off four consecutive victories at home since suffering a ten-round decision setback to Giovanni Cabrera in July of 2022. The last three were fought under his father-trainer Gabe Flores Sr.’s G-Squad Entertainment promotional banner, as Flores and his team have carefully charted a course that has led to a WBO #10/WBA #12 world ranking. Traveling roughly 60 miles from home, Flores will still have the home crowd advantage as he hopes to successfully defend his regional WBA Continental USA title for the third time. Flores weighed-in at 134.8-pounds on Tuesday morning.
Hoping to spoil any world title hopes for the hometown favorite Flores, Arellano (11-2, 6 KOs) Aurora, Colorado by way of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico moves up from super featherweight and brings an aggressive style that Flores has not encountered with his most recent opponents. Arellano is no stranger to the ProBox TV audience, having gone 1-2 in action fights, notably scoring an upset over 6’3” Oscar Alvarez two Octobers ago in Florida. Arellano scaled 133.4-pounds on Tuesday.
In the co-feature, 19-year-old prospect Emiliano Moreno (11-0, 6 KOs) of Long Beach, California will take on Cesar Francis (13-2, 8 KOs) of West New York, New Jersey in a ten-round welterweight bout. Moreno was last seen in a stay-busy bout, dispatching Sergio Gil in four rounds last November. Francis, who holds a win over former world champion Raymundo Beltran, did not fight last calendar year and was last in the ring in December 2023, stopping once-beaten Windry Martinez in two. Moreno made 149.6, Francis came in at 146.6-pounds.
In an eight-round lightweight bout, DeMichael Harris (12-0-1, 11 KOs) of Smyrna, Georgia meets Anthony Cuba (8-1-2, 4 KOs) of Fontana, California. Harris is taking a step-up from recent competition in meeting Cuba on Wednesday. Harris’ two 2024 opponents combined to have a 14-42-1 record, whereas Cuba’s lone defeat came at the hands of mega prospect Curmel Moton, who was extended the distance for the only time in his career to date on that night in March of last year. Harris made 134.2-pounds. Cuba first tipped the scales at 137.4, but returned to make the contracted 137-pounds.
Heavyweight Antonio Mireles (8-0-1, 7 KOs) of Des Moines, Iowa will look to remain unbeaten in an eight-rounder against Josue Vargas (5-9-2, 2 KOs) of Panorama City, California. Mireles did not make a ring appearance last year and will be making his first start since his majority draw to fellow undefeated Skylar Lacy in November of 2023. Vargas has dropped three straight, albeit against fairly solid opposition. The towering Mireles came in at 274-pounds, while the shorter Vargas scaled 244.2-pounds.
Super flyweight prospect Andrew Rodriguez (5-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California will take on fellow unbeaten Kevin Soltero (3-0, 2 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri in a six-round bout. Rodriguez moves up to the scheduled six-round distance for this first time, coming off a dominant four-round decision last October in Stockton. Soltero, with his national level amateur pedigree, figures to be a tougher test on Wednesday. Rodriguez made 116.4, Soltero came in at 116.6-pounds.
Multi-sport star Jennah Creason (2-0) of Visalia, California seeks win number three against Samantha Ginithan (1-0, 1 KO) of Las Cruces, New Mexico in a four-round junior welterweight bout. Creason, who plans to simultaneously pursue her career in MMA, weighed-in at 139-pounds. Ginithan, who also posted a 9-2 record in single round bouts during season two of Team Combat League, made 140.2-pounds
Quick Weigh-in Results:
WBA Continental USA Lightweight Championship, 10 Rounds
Flores 134.8
Arellano 133.4
Welterweights, 10 Rounds
Moreno 149.6
Francis 146.6
Lightweights, 8 Rounds
Harris 134.2
Cuba 137*
Heavyweights, 8 Rounds
Mireles 274
Vargas 244.2
Super flyweights, 6 Rounds
Rodriguez 116.4
Soltero 116.6
Light welterweights, 4 Rounds
Creason 139
Ginithan 140.2
Tickets for the event, promoted by G-Squad Entertainment and Robert Garcia’s House of Champions, are available online at gsquadent.com
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]
