By Robert Coster
Boxing returns to Haiti with a gala card offering 3 regional title bouts this coming Thursday. In the main event, local hero WBA #2 Evens “The Sun City Kid” Pierre (28-1, 18 KOs) will be defending his WBA lightweight Fedelatin title against Mexican Jesus Laguna (21-10-2, 18 KOs). The hard-punching Laguna is the case of a boxer who has turned his career around and is on a streak of 9 straight victories, all by knockout.
Says promoter Jacques Deschamps, “Laguna is a tough guy who hasn’t lost a fight in almost 3 years. Hopefully, this bout will be the last hurdle for Evens on his way to fight WBA world champion Jorge Linares. But, first things first: he has to beat Laguna.”
The second title at stake has WBA jr middleweight Fedelation Champion WBA #12 Wilky Campfort (23-3, 12 KOs) going against former welterweight contender Jean Carlos Prada (33-4) of Venezuela.
The third title bout, for the WBA jr Flyweight Fedecaribe belt, features an intriguing matchup between two top 10 contenders (a first in Haiti) as WBC #6 Saul Juarez (23-6, 12 KOs) of Mexico takes on WBA #6 Gilbert Pedroza (17-3-2, 8 KOs) of Panama.
Says promoter Deschamps, “This should be a dandy. A real war!”
Three other fights are scheduled on the card that will be held at the plush Karibe Convention Center in Petionville.