Emmanuel Robles featured on tonight’s ESPN Friday Night Fights
On the latest ESPN Friday Night Fights we have several great match-ups to include the Emmanuel Robles versus Wilberth Lopez bout plus a possible upset when Gamaliel Diaz takes on the favored Petr Petrov.
On Friday, April 3, 2015, San Diego’s 27 year-old Emmanuel Robles (12-0-1, 3 KOs) of the Old School Boxing & Fitness Center will be in Corona, CA at the Omega Products Outdoor Arena to face the 20 year-old Wilberth Lopez (5-4-0, 1 KO) from Tucson, Arizona. Their six round super lightweight match is scheduled to be the opening bout in the latest ESPN Friday Night Fights series, a show being promoted by both Thompson Boxing Promotions of Orange, Calif. and Banner Promotions of Philadelphia, Penna.
Here we have a video from the weigh-ins held today, Thursday, April 2, 2015 in Corona, Calif.:
The 5’7½” Robles, a southpaw, will no doubt go straight to the body against Lopez, a righty, who will try to take full advantage of his almost four inch height and reach advantage. Lopez, who turned professional at the tender age of 18, has had problems with the shorter opponents. He has solid victories over Danny Ramirez and Damian Sosa but a six round, decision loss to the 5’2” Isaac Dogboe from Ghana.
In the Main Event, they have 32 year-old, 5’6” Petr “Zar” Petrov (35-4-2, 17 KOs) of Madrid, Spain by way of Ryazan, Russia, the Boxcino 2014 Lightweight Champion, defending his NABO and NABA titles against the 34 year-old, 5’8½” Gamaliel “El Plátano” Diaz of Nezahualcóyotl, México, Mexico who has a record of 38-11-3 with 17 KOs.
All but one of Petrov’s losses were to creditable foes – southpaw Dejan Zlaticanin (20-0, 13 KOs), Marcos Rene Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) and Vitali Tajbert (24-2, 6 KOs). His loss by split decision to Ubadel Soto (13-9-2) on September 5, 2003 was rectified when he beat Soto in the rematch four months later.
Diaz, the former WBC Super Featherweight world champion, is as shrewd a fighter as you will ever see. He won that Super Featherweight title bout back on October 27, 2012 with a 12 round unanimous decision over Takahiro Ao, in Ao’s home country of Japan. He also has wins over three-division world champion Robert Guerrero, Elio Rojas, and former world champion Cesar Soto.
In the evening’s co-main event, an eight rounder, they have 29 year-old, undefeated welterweight, 5’10½” Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (11-0, 8 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Makeyevka, Ukraine taking on 5’8” Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez Jr. (12-1, 5 KOs) a southpaw from Union City, New Jersey.
On April 18th of last year, Rodriguez’s people got him a fight with Sammy “The Who Can Mexican” Vasquez from Monessen, Penna. and he got stopped in the first round after going to the canvas three times. Four fights later, Vasquez is now 18-0 with 13 knockouts.
Shelestyuk, who is making his national television debut, is expected to give Rodriguez his second loss. Shelestyuk, the 2012 Olympian, is a veteran of over 210 amateur bouts and now 11 pro-fights. In those 11 pro bouts, Shelestyuk has yet to face anyone of note. 
Also on the card, making his professional debut is junior lightweight Michael Norato facing Sopuan Rin (1-1-1) of Pomona, Calif. in a 4-rounder.
All photos from today’s weigh-ins were taken by Carlos Baeza from Thompson Boxing Promotions
Then it’s super bantamweight Humberto Rubalcava from Riverside, Calif. making his pro debut against Christian Lorenzo (2-2, 1 KO).
Straight off his debut victory on March 27th at the Del Mar Fairgrounds is Isaac Freeman taking on Darius Ervin who will be making his professional debut.
In an attempt to find photos of both Isaac Freeman and Darius Ervin all we could come up with are the photos of Freeman’s last victory on March 20, 2015 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in his professional debut – a KO victory over Jeff Tabizi.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. PT and the first bout is schedule to begin at 5:15 p.m. PT. The first TV fight will begin at 6 p.m. PT. The Omega Products Outdoor Arena is located at 1681 California Ave., Corona, Calif. 92881 and can be reached at 951-737-7447.
For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com or BannerPromotions.com. Tickets are priced at $40, $60 and $100 and can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900, or online at www.ThompsonBoxing.com.
