By Hesiquio Balderas

Mexican junior lightweight Rene “El Bravo” Tellez Giron (16-1, 10 KOs) will meet Puerto Rican Luis Melendez (17-1, 13 KOs) in a ten-round clash on ESPN January 29 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Giron-Melendez will serve as the co-feature to the WBC junior lightweight title eliminator between former title challenger Robson Conceição and undefeated contender Xavier Martinez.

The rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico has always produced fireworks and Téllez Giron expects nothing less in this fight.

“I know what I’m going up against, and I also know what the people want. I’m training at 1000% because I know this will be a war, two hard punchers inside the ring will produce a war, adding that I represent México and he represents Puerto Rico is a plus for the boxing fans,” stated Téllez Giron.

“The thing here is my preparation, I’m working as hard as I can in the gym, I had no holidays, no days off, I’m sparring with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and I nullified his biggest asset which is his punching power so if I can take Pitbull’s punches I am confident that Luis Melendez won’t be a threat in that department.

“To be honest with you, I truly feel that once Melendez feels my punches he won’t stand and trade with me, but we are ready for everything, whatever he wants to do we are ready for.

“My team is my family and they’ve been getting me the best sparring partners available, right now I’m also sparring Bandido Vargas and absorbing all his experience and knowledge, so it’s a blessing and I publicly want to thank Frank Espinoza my manager who’s more than my manager, he is like family for getting me the best training camp, the best sparring and for taking care of me, I just have to focus on the boxing side and we will be victorious on January 29.

“In the near future I will move up to the 135-pound weight class and I think with a good training camp I can do very important things in that division as well, I can fight at both weight classes without a problem.”