ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Nov. 12, 2021) – From overcoming a crime-ridden, west Texas childhood environment to his father’s incarceration and living out of a car as a teenager, the path toward fighting three-time world title challenger Victor Zaleta on Tapia Promotions’ Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Daniel Ponce de Leon pay-per-view card Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, has been anything but smooth sailing for the undefeated El Paso boxer Abel Mendoza.

“I was surrounded by violence growing up,” said the 25-year-old lightweight contender who is 30-0 with 23 KOs. “A lot of people that I was around went to prison; I was the only one who didn’t. Boxing was my way out, my safe haven. The sport saved me.”

In the Nov. 20 main event, two Mexican boxing legends will lace up the gloves for one final night when Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera (67-7, 44 KOs) returns to the ring for only the second time in more than a decade to square off against former two-time world champion Daniel Ponce de Leon (45-7, 35 KOs). The six-round super welterweight exhibition and four additional bouts will air live on pay per view from Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico.

FITE PPV and Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch Paid Online will televise the five-bout main card live on pay per view for $9.99 at 4:30 p.m. PT /5:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. ET

After initially lacing up the gloves at four years old and capturing the Regional Silver Gloves at age eight in Odessa, Texas, the Fort Stockton native secured five titles while defeating all but 20 of his 300 amateur boxing opponents.

However, numerous obstacles have beset Abel on his road toward achieving he and his father’s goal of the young fighter becoming a world champion.

“My Dad got into some trouble at the beginning of my boxing career,” Abel said. “He was on house arrest and then went to jail for a while. It was an extremely difficult time for my family.”

While still in high school, the 17-year-old Mendoza often slept in his vehicle after moving from Odessa to El Paso to become a professional boxer.

“That was a point in my career when I was homeless,” the aspiring titleholder recalled. “I was surrounded by a lot of violence and crime in Odessa and left because I wanted a fresh start. Sometimes I had to stay in my car.”

Never one to shy away from strenuous manual labor, Mendoza’s first job consisted of unearthing fruit in a Pecos, Texas, field with his grandfather at age 13.

“It was summer, and we picked cantaloupes in the hot sun all day,” said the multi-faceted student who is currently taking psychology classes at Odessa College. “That was the year I first won Nationals. I still trained while working in the fields. It was the best and the worst.”

Recalling the arduous memories when he did not know where he would sleep or locate his next meal, the Native American history fan finds solace in giving back to the El Paso community during the holiday season.

“I love to help out at shelters because I have been in that situation where I needed food and a place to stay,” said Santa’s helper who also hands out gifts at west Texas hospitals each December. “It makes me feel good to see the children smile.”

Hoping to battle for a world crown within the next year, the never-married Mendoza counsels the wedded on social media when not honing his skills in the squared circle.

“I go on Instagram Live because people ask me for marriage advice. A lot of people need help.”

Kicking off the festivities, Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch Facebook.com/GoldenBoyFN and FITE will stream the five outstanding preliminary bouts for free at 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT/5 p.m. ET.

Additionally, a Spanish-language broadcast will be available as a viewing option for both the pay-per-view and preliminary bouts.

Those hoping to attend the unforgettable, 10-fight Tapia Promotions extravaganza in person can purchase tickets starting at $75 through innofthemountaingods.com and  TicketMaster.com by searching “La Ultima Batalla – The Last Stand.”

About BARRERA-DE LEON: La Ultima Batalla (The Last Stand)

Two legendary former world champions return to the boxing ring one final time for a special six-round welterweight exhibition, as Tapia Promotions presents Barrera vs. Ponce De Leon “La Ultima Batalla” – “The Last Stand” on Saturday, Nov 20, at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico. The thrilling five-fight main card will be available via pay-per-view for $9.99 through both FITE PPV and Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch Paid Online at 4:30 p.m. PT /5:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. ET.  For the audiences watching in Mexico, both FITE and Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch Paid Online will offer a Spanish-language broadcast of the event for $4.99. Kicking off the festivities two hours earlier, Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch Facebook.com/GoldenBoyFN and FITE will stream the five outstanding preliminary bouts for free at 2:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets starting at $75 are available through innofthemountaingods.com and  TicketMaster.com by searching “La Ultima Batalla – The Last Stand.”

About TAPIA PROMOTIONS

Teresa Tapia formed Tapia Promotions to continue the legacy of her legendary late husband, six-time world champion/Hall of Famer Johnny Tapia by providing thrilling boxing events to fight fans everywhere. One of the first female boxing promoters in the United States, Teresa successfully managed Johnny Tapia’s career from 1995-2011, and accepted his 2017 induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBOF). Additionally, in 2004, Teresa became the first and only female boxing manager in sweet science history to receive a special recognition award from the IBOF. The multi-faceted promoter branched out in 2020 to produce the sports reality series “Stars and Champions,” which featured an intimate look at boxers’ lives both inside and outside of the ring.

About FITE

FITE is the premium global platform for live sports and entertainment offering many of the industry’s marquee PPV events and SVOD packages with over 5MM registered users. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV, and Huawei apps. In addition, FITE supports Samsung, LG, Cox Contour, Vizio SmartCast™, Virgin Media, Shaw Communications’ Blue Curve IPTV, Foxxum, Chromecast, PS4, XBOX, ZEASN, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, VEWD, Netgem TV, Comcast’s Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of Smart TVs. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIN and Facebook. FITE: It’s ON.

About GOLDEN BOY

Los Angeles-based Golden Boy was established in 2002 by Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy is a media and entertainment brand committed to making fighting entertainment more accessible and affordable. The company’s in-house production team develops creative original programming for RingTV.com and international channels across the globe. The company holds the exclusive rights to top boxers and has promoted some of the biggest and highest grossing events in the history of the sport. Now, Golden Boy is one of the most successful boxing entertainment companies in the world and shapes the future of boxing for fighters and fans alike. 

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ABNER MARES – 121.8 Pounds
ANSELMO MORENO – 120.8 Pounds

LEO SANTA CRUZ – 117.6 Pounds

VICTOR ZALETA – 117 Pounds

ALFREDO ANGULO – 154 Pounds

RAUL CASAREZ – 153.8 Pounds

SHOWTIME EXTREME – 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (Delayed on the West Coast)

NATHAN CLEVERLY – 174.4 Pounds

SHAWN HAWK – 173.8 Pounds

ANTONIO OROZCO – 141 Pounds

DANNY ESCOBAR – 141.4 Pounds

FACTS:

Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.staplescenter.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/ChemitoMoreno, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #MaresMoreno or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 7, 2012) – All six fighters squaring off in Saturday’s tripleheader at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles participated in a final press conference on Wednesday to discuss the highly anticipated SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

In a battle of world champions, Abner Mares (24-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., will risk his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KO’s), of Panama City, Panama, in the main event. Unbeaten IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12 KO’s), of Los Angeles, will defend against Victor Zaleta (20-2-1, 10 KO’s), of El Paso, Texas, in the co-feature, while hard-hitting junior middleweight contender Alfred Angulo (20-1, 17 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico, and the upset-minded junior middleweight contender Raul Casarez (19-2, 9 KO’s), of Edinburg, Texas, will clash in the telecast’s opening match.

Also featured as part of the SHOWTIME Extreme broadcast, live at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), will be WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Nathan Cleverly (24-0, 11 KO’s), of Cfen Fforest, Wales, defending his title against light heavyweight contender Shawn Hawk (22-2-1, 16 KO’s), of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 2:35 p.m.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA:

“We don’t just want to put on a main event; we want to stack our cards from top to bottom. That’s what boxing should be and that’s what boxing is all about. We have great prospects and world champions fighting together on one night.

“Moreno is stepping up to fight the best to be the best in the 122 pound division. That just shows you what type of fighter Moreno is.

“One thing we’re most proud of at Golden Boy is that Abner is the first world champion that we’ve brought up from the beginning. Fans have the opportunity to see him fight here in his home. Fans love him for his fan-friendly style. People keep saying, it’s tough fight – well, it’s a fight. The best fighting the best. That’s what you’ll see Saturday night.”

ABNER MARES:

“I’m ready for Saturday. I’m ready to give you guys another great fight. My team has done a tremendous job with me.

“SHOWTIME has really gotten my name out there. Now fans know I come to fight. I leave everything in the ring and they now know I don’t leave the ring without giving them everything they paid for.

“I came to this country when I was seven years old and to see me fighting at STAPLES throws me off a bit. I will not disappoint on November 10th. I’ll give you guys the fight of the year.”

ANSELMO MORENO:

“I’m in perfect condition for Saturday. I’m very happy that they gave me this great opportunity to fight Mares. The only thing we’re waiting for is the weigh-in and then its fight night. He’s tough and I need to stay smart and stick to my game plan.”

LEO STANTA CRUZ:

“I trained really hard. I dedicate this fight to my fans and the people of Mexico. Victor is strong, he comes forward like me, so it will be a great fight. The better man will win on Saturday night. I’m excited to fight here in Los Angeles in front of my hometown fans. I can’t wait to get in there on Saturday night.”

VICTOR ZALETA:

“This is my first fight here and I’m excited about the opportunity. Hopefully, it will not be my last time here. I’m ready to face Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday. He’s a really good fighter and I know I need to bring my best to beat him.”

ALFREDO ANGULO:

“I’m back in my town and it feels great. I’ve worked hard for this and I’m ready to get back in the ring. This is going to be a really good fight for the fans. I’m just grateful to get this opportunity after everything I’ve been through.”

RAUL CASAREZ:

“I’m excited, I’m grateful for the opportunity. I trained really hard with my team to make the most of this night. Angulo is a great fighter and I know he’ll be ready after his long layoff. But I’m focused and need to do my job in the ring.”

NATHAN CLEVERLY:

“This is a great opportunity to come to the United States and showcase my talent. I’m looking to make a statement and take my career to the next level. I trained at Wild Card Gym and it’s been a great experience. I’m looking forward to showing my exciting style and making the most of this.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA:

“If you’ve been watching SHOWTIME recently, you’ve seen an incredible run of dramatic, exciting fights. In just the last couple of months we’ve had some huge events. On September 15th, SHOWTIME brought you “Knockout Kings” – four fights on SHOWTIME, that delivered four incredible stoppages. On October 20th, SHOWTIME delivered fight fans the first fights from the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. with four world title fights on one telecast.

“This Saturday, I have no doubt we keep our streak of action-packed fights alive. We have another stacked card. We have the return of “El Perro” – Alfredo Angulo – one of the most feared fighters in the junior middleweight division. We have rising star and world champ Leo Santa Cruz – one of the most exciting young fighters in boxing.

“As for the main event, if you’re a boxing fan – a real boxing fan – it doesn’t get any better than this. Abner Mares, who grew up on SHOWTIME, is a world champion with a rare combination of toughness and skill. Anselmo Moreno, a world champ as well, is one of the most skilled fighters in any division.”

ABOUT “MARES vs. MORENO”:

Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

ABNER MARES, ANSELMO MORENO, LEO SANTA CRUZ, VICTOR ZALETA, ALFREDO ANGULO AND RAUL CASAREZ TO HOLD OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC MEDIA WORKOUT IN ADVANCE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FIGHTS TAKING PLACE ON NOVEMBER 10 AT STAPLES CENTER IN LOS ANGELES WHICH WILL BE TELEVISED LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5 AT 12:00 P.M. PT

WHO: ABNER MARES, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

ANSELMO MORENO, WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion

LEO “TERREMOTO” SANTA CRUZ, IBF Bantamweight World Champion

VICTOR ZALETA, IBF Bantamweight Title Contender

ALFREDO “EL PERRO” ANGULO, Junior Middleweight Contender

RAUL CASAREZ, Junior Middleweight Contender

PAUL RODRIGUEZ,Latin King of Comedy & Workout Emcee

WHAT: WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Abner Mares, WBA Bantamweight

Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno, IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, IBF Bantamweight Title Contender Victor Zaleta, and Junior Middleweight Contenders Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and Raul Casarez will host a public media workout as they prepare for their respective bouts taking place Saturday, November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles which will be televised live on SHOWTIME.

WHEN: Monday, November 5

12:00 p.m. – Abner Mares

12:20 p.m. – Raul Casarez

12:40 p.m. – Anselmo Moreno

1:00 p.m. – Leo Santa Cruz

1:20 p.m. – Alfredo Angulo

1:40 p.m. – Victor Zaleta

WHERE: MacArthur Park Boathouse Parking Lot

(Located on Alvarado St. between Wilshire Blvd. & 7th St. 90057)

FACTS: Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

TICKETS: Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service

charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

LOS ANGELES, October 29 – Unbeaten in his last four fights, Mexico’s Victor Zaleta will get the biggest opportunity of his career on Saturday, November 10 when he faces unbeaten reigning World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz for his IBF Bantamweight World Championship in a co-featured attraction to the Abner Mares vs. Anselmo Moreno WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles that will be televised live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

“I am so happy to be defending my title in front of a hometown crowd at STAPLES Center,” said Santa Cruz. “I feel like I can really conquer anyone after my fight in September against Eric Morel, so Zaleta had better come prepared.”

“This fight is something I have waited for since I started fighting,” said Zaleta. “I am going to take advantage of this opportunity, become a world champion and make my name known.”

“This fight is the perfect addition to this already stellar card,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Leo Santa Cruz is going to do whatever he can to keep his title and remain undefeated, but I know Zaleta is coming to fight. This is going to be a toe-to-toe battle that fans are not going to want to miss.”

Santa Cruz is coming off of a career-defining win over Morel on September 15 in which the champ handed the rugged Morel his first ever knockout loss. He will bring a record of 21-0-1 with 12 KO’s into the ring on November 10 and is eager to keep his momentum going in front of his hometown fans in Los Angeles. Just 24-years-old, “Terremoto,” who wows fans and foes alike with his extremely high punch volume, went from prospect to champion in 2012 when he won his first world title in June with a dominant decision win over Vusi Malinga. Now with the fifth round stoppage over Morel under his belt, the sky’s the limit for this young Mexican-American phenom.

A professional for nearly six years and hailing from Juarez, Mexico, Victor “Nene” Zaleta (20-2-1, 10 KO’s) is a dangerous threat to anyone who meets him in the ring. A former WBC FECOMBOX and WBC CABOFE champion at 115 pounds, Zaleta’s only loss in his last 16 bouts was a decision defeat against 32-0-2 Omar Andres Narvaez in a 2011 WBO super flyweight title fight. Coming off of four consecutive victories since then, he’s ready for his first world title shot on November 10..

Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta, hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico, makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.staplescenter.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/ChemitoMoreno, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #MaresMoreno or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.