Anthony Olascuaga to defend WBO flyweight title to Andy Dominguez

Anthony Olascuaga defends WBO belt on July 11th

On Saturday, July 11, boxing history will be made at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco when iVB Boxing, Sampson Boxing, and Paco Presents present “HISTORY IN THE MAKING: World Boxing Championship,” a truly inclusive fight night organized to pit world-class boxers from around the globe, representing many of the city’s vibrant communities, against each other in featured bouts.

In an unprecedented milestone in boxing that underscores the event’s inclusivity, up-and-coming openly gay Uruguayan boxer Oscar Bonifacino (4-0, 3 KOs) will face undefeated featherweight Raúl Escudero (4-0) of Navarra, Spain, in the six-round co-main event.

In the main event, WBO flyweight world champion Anthony “Princesa” Olascuaga (12-1, 9 KOs), of Los Angeles, Mexico, will defend his title against Andy Dominguez (13-1, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas, Mexico.

Also featured that night is active duty Philippine Army soldier and super featherweight world champion Charly Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs), of Manila, Philippines, who will face Manuel “Tino” Avila (26-2-1, 9 KOs) of Fairfield, California, in an exciting 10-round bout. Also, Italian-American Vito Mielnicki Jr. (23-1, 13 KOs), from Roseland, New Jersey, will defend his WBC, IBF, and WBO regional middleweight titles against Gerardo Luis Vergara (21-1, 14 KOs), from Bahía Blanca, Argentina.

Ed Pereira, CEO of iVB, a visionary pioneer and marketing genius, says he is aiming for a world-record audience of more than 132,135 fans (a record set by Tony Zale against Billy Pryor at Juneau Park, Milwaukee, in 1941), the largest crowd ever assembled for a boxing event.

“This will be… a spectacle like nothing the world of boxing has ever seen,” said Pereira, “an event created for this city and its communities.” San Francisco has always been a city that stands for something special, and on July 11, it will become the epicenter of world boxing.”

Legendary promoter Sampson Lewkowicz , who saw the potential of then-unknown boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao before anyone else, says he now sees the potential of Pereira’s innovative project.

“Ed has a vision for this sport that I completely believe in,” said Lewkowicz. “When he proposed this event to me, I immediately saw its potential: something never before seen in the world of boxing. Together, we will give San Francisco and the world an unforgettable night. This isn’t just a fight card; it’s a statement. I’ve dedicated my entire career to supporting projects that others abandoned, and I’ve always been right.” This time will be no different.”

Paco Damian, a key figure in Northern California boxing for decades and founder of Paco Presents, will bring his experience to the event. Damian says he is eager to offer Northern California fans something truly innovative.

“I promoted my first boxing event in 2009 in the Bay Area; “This area is my home,” said Paco Damian. “I am honored to be a part of this event, especially alongside my dear friend and longtime partner, Sampson Lewkowicz, and Ed Pereira and his incredible team.”

Two of boxing’s most famous ambassadors have lent their support to this ambitious initiative: great champion Christy Martin and legendary announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., both Hall of Famers, have agreed to be presenters and announcers for the event.

Christy Martin, known as “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” is a pioneering boxer who broke barriers and became one of the most recognizable figures in women’s boxing during the 1990s, both for her prowess in the ring and her courageous fight outside of it. Hollywood superstar Sydney Sweeney portrayed Christy in a recent film. Martin was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.

“I am extremely honored to be a part of this historic event alongside…” “IVB, Sampson, and Paco,” declared Christy Martin. “I’m here to support boxing worldwide, and especially to offer my sincere support to Oscar Bonafacino!”

A native of Santa Monica, California, Jimmy Lennon Jr., nicknamed “The Elegant One,” is widely recognized for his fluency, elegance, and impeccable pronunciation of foreign boxers’ names in their native languages. Among the many memorable moments of his career, his participation in the undercard of the Julio César Chávez vs. Greg Haugen fight in Mexico City, before 135,000 enthusiastic fans, stands out. Lennon announced the entrances of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to the ring for the infamous “Bite Fight” and Buster Douglas’s stunning knockout of Tyson in Tokyo.

“I feel fortunate to have participated in some of the most important boxing events in history,” declared Jimmy Lennon Jr. “I’m thrilled to be a part of this.”