The Road to Munguia vs Johnson

On Friday October 30, Golden Boy Promotions will be hosting an event live on DAZN from the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA. Since boxing made its way back, GBP has not been as active in hosting cards which makes this event worth the wait.

First, I want to credit GBP matchmaker Robert Diaz, for putting together one of the more competitive cards (on paper) post quarantine that we have seen.

Let’s take a quick look at the lineup for Friday Night’s card.

Opening the festivities on Friday night will be eighteen year old Tristan Kalkreuth (5-0) from Duncanville, TX. Tristan is making his Cruiserweight debut against Tyler Vogel (3-3) from North Dakota. GBP is high on this kid and he is fighting in a division that I consider to be wide open so time will tell. Make sure to catch his fight and don’t blink because you may miss the knockout punch.

Marlen Esparza (7-1) vs Sulem Urbina (12-0)

Talk about a fight that will have fireworks, these two women really don’t like each other and we will see that play out in the ring. Esparza, who is the more decorated amateur, is coming off of a loss to Seniesa Esparza. In the other corner, Sulem Urbina feels as though she has “next” and that Esparza is just in the way of earning a title shot. Both women are technicians so it will be a great matchup. This fight will be worth your while.

Bektemir Melikuziev (5-0) vs. Alan Campa (17-5)

Here in Southern California, the boxing media knows exactly who is the man that goes by “Bek-The Bully”.  He is a Mack truck (Click HERE to get to know him) and is looking to steam-roll anyone who gets in the way. Bektemir is part of that group of Uzbekistan fighters that have already made a statement in the boxing world. He will be fighting veteran Alan Campa (17-5) who has shared the ring with the likes of Jesse Hart, D’Mitrius Ballard and Sergey Derevyanchenko. With Bek, he may very well be in line for a title next year so pay close attention. After seeing the weigh-in, look for Bektemir to focus on Campa’s body.

Lamont Roach Jr. (19-1-1) vs Neil John Tabano (17-7)

The card then points toward the return of Lamont Roach Jr., who is coming off of a 12 month layoff. He will be fighting the Philipino Neil John Tabano. From the outside looking in, this may appear like a tune up but Tabano is tough. He has gone the distance with guys like WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Angelo Leo and Issac Dogboe. It will be interesting to see how this plays out as Lamont almost upset the current WBO Champion Jamel Herring in his last fight.

Elwin Soto (17-1) vs. Carlos Buitrago (32-5-1)

Elwin Soto is a buzz saw at the Junior Flyweight division. I was ringside at his last fight when he defeated then champion Angel “Tito” Acosta. Elwin Soto has real power and has the ability to produce a knockout in any round. He faces Carlos Buitrago from Nicaragua, who is fresh off of a knockout victory over Felix Moncada in December of last year.

If you’ve never seen Soto fight, then you are in for a treat because he truly “brings it”.

Co-Main: Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (22-0) vs Alexis Rocha (16-0)

This is a great matchup and one that will reveal who moves ahead of the pack. Rashidi Ellis has been talked about in most boxing circles as a guy with real talent and who can fight for a title in the near future.

Some highlights from 'Speedy'!! 🤯 💨

We cannot wait to see @RashidiEllis back in the ring Aug 28 on @dazn_usa. #LinaresFortuna @fantasysprings #EllisSolomon pic.twitter.com/prBWesjhsB

— Golden Boy (@GoldenBoyBoxing) August 3, 2020

The same can be said about Alexis Rocha, who scored a unanimous decision victory in February against Brad Solomon. This should be on everyone’s radar as the fight to focus on because the winner is going to be labeled a contender in the welterweight division.

Main Event: Jaime Munguia (35-0) vs. Tureano Johnson (21-2-1)

I like everything about this fight. It’s “show & prove” time for Munguia who will be facing a true middleweight in Johnson. This past January, Munguia scored a victory over “Spike” O’Sullivan but fans saw him buzzed in that fight. The real question is if he can handle the power of a true middleweight. Tureano Johnson (Click HERE to read Training Camp Check-In) on the other hand beat up Jason Quigley but that was almost 15 months ago. This fight is really interesting and I believe it has the making of an action packed main event.

My Three Cents:

This card is filled with fights that could potentially have some upsets within the event. Should you watch this card? Absolutely and with boxing known as the theater of the unexpected, you just never know what can happen. Tune into DAZN on Friday night and see how this all unfolds.

You can follow me on Twitter @abeg718 and follow @nyfights on Instagram.