By Bill Green
This Friday night Pulse Boxing, a Toledo, Ohio-based boxing promoter, brings “Return of Los Guerreros 2” a night of professional boxing inside the Memorial Hall, located in Kansas City, Kansas.
Head matchmaker and development of talent, Aaron Rodriguez, of Pulse Boxing, stated “This particular stable has a deep and strong amateur background, we believe we can and will develop a few world champions from this area. We see East Coast talent residing right here in the Midwest. Not to mention several former champions originally developed in this area such as Brandon Rios and Victor Ortiz.
The main event will once again feature undefeated bantamweight Wilver “El Gallo” Hernandez 7-0 (2), of Kansas City, Kansas. The 21 year old Mexican power puncher will face his most experienced opponent to date in Tennessee veteran Ira “Mr. Showtime” Terry 28-25 (16). Hernandez vs Terry is scheduled for 8 rounds.
Hernandez is coming off a unanimous 8 rd decision victory over Dominican Republic’s Luis “El Caiman” Cambero back in March while Terry is coming off a competitive but unanimous decision loss to Michigan undefeated featherweight Cameran “The Problem” Pankey 7-0 (4) also ironically in March.
It’s not the only thing the two have in common as both were outstanding amateurs and while Hernandez is off to a stellar start of his career at 7-0, Terry pointed out “I was once where he is, heck I started out 19-0, they better not be sleeping on my record, keep in mind most of my losses were at higher weights. I have been in there with Francisco Vargas and Jorge Linares, my experience could be a major factor.”
The soft spoken Hernandez stated “regardless of who he is or who he’s been in the ring with, my job is the same, to train and prepare to be the best version of myself. It’s an honor to fight on an historic night especially in front of friends and family.”
Pulse Boxing’s matchmaker Aaron Rodriguez stated “We see a potential world champion in Wilver and as you can tell we are not babying him….we are developing him. His last opponent was 14-8-1, prior to that 10-1 and now we are putting him in with a guy with 53 pro fights.”
Promoter Vic Green, would go on to add “We are being aggressive in our matchmaking not only for Wilver’s long term development but we believe that hosting a boxing event in this city, on a night with historical meaning in Cinco De Mayo, that fans and the sport deserve more than just another club show.”
The Co-Main event is another well matched and what’s expected to be a back n forth brawl when females Kaitlin LaVigne 2-2 (1) and Jordanne Garcia 4-2-2 square off in a 6 rd Middleweight bout.
LaVigne, from Overland Park, KS, is a full time Chiropractor, who is a supreme fitness specimen, huge ticket seller and is already ranked 6th in the US per BOXREC. Garcia, of Albuquerque,NM, is a former Junior Olympic finalist, and is ranked #7 in the US by BOXREC. That’s number 6 vs number 7, a rare feat on a nontelevised event. Again another strong indicator of what to expect as fight fans celebrate Cinco De Mayo.
Feature bouts will showcase those “hidden” talents Pulse Boxing are referring to in Kansas City, Kansas’s former amateur standout and undefeated bantamweight Yahir Calderon 4-0 (2) vs TBA, Samuel “KC Tornado” Cosio 1-0 (1) vs Michigan debuter Khendal Moore.
Other bouts will include popular and fan favorite Kansas Super Bantamweight Misael Reyes 3-4 vs Missouri’s, Taran Ward 0-1, Kansas 18 year old and 2nd generation boxer, Jacob Stiers II 1-0 (1) vs Nebraska’s combat veteran Anthony Kellen 0-1 and KC’s Anthony Adams Jr 1-1 (1) vs Missouri’s Kenneth Smith 0-1.
May 5th, 2023
Memorial Hall
Kansas City, Kansas
Tickets: Priced at $40 General admission, $100 Floor seating
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cinco-de-mayo-fight-night-tickets-604068724817
Doors open at 7pm, First bout at 8pm