HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (July 1, 2019) – WBA #13-rated welterweight Derrieck “Pretty Boy” Cuevas is training ferociously in preparation to defend his homeland in a classic “Puerto Rico vs. Mexico” televised 10-round main event on Friday, July 12.

Cuevas (21-0-1, 14 KOs) of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, will defend his WBA Fedelatin Welterweight Championship against Los Mochis, Mexico’s Jesus Alberto “Barretero” Beltran (17-2-2, 10 KOs) in the headlining bout of Kris Lawrence and The Heavyweight Factory’s, in association with All Star Boxing, “Championship Fight Series” at Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.

Championship Fight Series’ featured bouts will be televised live on the most popular boxing series on Hispanic television Boxeo Telemundo (11:35 p.m. EST).

Tickets for “Championship Fight Series” are on sale now and cost $60, $100, $150, $250 and $500. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com.

“He’s a tough Mexican, and when Mexico meets Puerto Rico, both guys give a lot more to represent their people back home,” said Cuevas. “If you look at his record, he’s only lost once since his third fight and that was close. He’s also beaten some decent opponents, but I know there’s no way I’m losing this fight. My people would never let me forget if I did. I’ve got too many skills for him. I train harder than him. I have more talent than him, and I have more toughness.”

Cuevas, 24, says he’s learned a lot since signing with The Heavyweight Factory and moving his base of fighting operations to the United States last year— a move that has helped him defeat former top contenders Breidis Prescott, Ed Paredes and Albert Mensah in succession.

“I learned that not every fighter is going to sleep the first time I hit them,” said Cuevas. “It’s difficult to get the stoppage against a fighter who has been a top contender who wants to survive. A lot of these guys have switched to survival mode once they felt my power. With that said, my promoters have been matching me against tougher guys to get me some rounds of experience, and I’ve learned a lot.”

Cuevas says the longstanding boxing rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico has him training at peak intensity back home.

“I’m training in Puerto Rico for this one,” said Cuevas. “There are so many great fighters on my beautiful island and so many different styles to learn from. Training has been amazing. I’m in the best shape of my life. Growing up, these kinds of fights would bring the whole country in front of the TV. You don’t lose when national pride is on the line. I’m not really doing anything differently. I’m just doing a lot more of it. So many people are going to see this fight and watch me defend Puerto Rico. I’m doing more than I’ve ever done to make sure everyone remembers what they see that night.”

Six more exciting bouts are being scheduled. On fight night, the Hard Rock Event Center doors open at 6 p.m., and the action starts at 7 p.m. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is located at 1 Seminole Way in Hollywood, Fla.

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About Hard Rock Event Center
Hard Rock Event Center is the newly constructed 3,600-seat venue located in the northwest corner of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood. As part of the $1.5 billion property expansion, the former Hard Rock Live arena will be razed and replaced with a state-of-the-art 6,500-plus-seat venue in a theater-style configuration, slated to open in 2019. In the interim, a full schedule of concerts, comedy shows and other events will take place in the Hard Rock Event Center. Seminole Hard Rock has hosted some of the hottest musical acts such as John Legend, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Marc Anthony, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana; top comedians including Kevin Hart, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, George Lopez and the late Robin Williams; as well as major sporting events and events of major sports stars, from UFC matches to charity galas for Jason Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade and more. For additional information, please visit www.myhrl.com.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is the flagship casino resort of Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It is a world-renowned entertainment, gaming and hospitality destination that features a AAA Four Diamond-rated, 465 room luxury hotel; expansive gaming offerings including first-in-class slots, high-stakes table games and South Florida’s premier poker room; spa and fitness center; award-winning dining and nightlife; and the popular Hard Rock Event Center which hosts celebrity performances, comedy acts and sporting events. A $1.5 billion expansion slated to open October, 2019, will bring 638 new, luxury guestrooms to the first-ever, guitar-shaped Guitar Hotel and 168 upscale guest accommodations, including unique swim-up suites, in the adjacent Oasis Tower at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. Upon completion, the property will have a combined total of 1,271 rooms. The project will also unveil a lush, “Bora Bora” style lagoon with private cabanas and butler service; a 42,000 square-foot Rock Spa®; a 13.5 acre recreational water experience for swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding; 19 dining outlets and 20 bars and lounges; an expansive gaming floor housing 3,100 slots, 193 table games and a 45-table poker room; 120,000 square feet of premier meeting and convention space including a 38,000 square-foot, carpeted exhibition hall; and a 26,000 square-foot retail promenade. The highly anticipated Hard Rock Live entertainment venue with a 7,000 person capacity, will showcase A-list entertainers, comedy acts, Broadway performances, sporting events and live broadcast productions. The integrated resort is located on 87 acres of the Hollywood Seminole Reservation along State Road 7 (U.S. Highway 441), and is 10 minutes from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 30 minutes from downtown Miami and Miami International Airport. For more information, visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com, call 800-937-0010 or follow us: Facebook: SeminoleHardRockHollywood, Twitter: @HardRockHolly, Instagram: @HardRockHolly.