(JULY 17) LAS VEGAS – It’s always a special night when two world champions put everything they’ve worked so hard for on the line in search of a unification of their titles. Saturday, September 17 will be such a night when WBC super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera looks to add another chapter to his storied career in a 12 round showdown against IBF 130-pound champion Robbie “The Bomber” Peden.
This championship bout, which will be telecast live on HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, is part of an unforgettable “Parade of Champions” presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions.
In the co-feature, another three division world champion, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, will continue his march back to the welterweight championship when he faces unbeaten Jose Luis Cruz in a bout scheduled for ten rounds.
“It is refreshing to see a champion like Marco Antonio Barrera continue to seek out new challenges even after all he has accomplished in his career,” said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya. “Robbie Peden is a relentless force and after waiting so long to get a world championship belt around his waist, he won’t be too eager to let it slip away. This should be a great, great fight between two warriors at the top of their games.”
Mexico City’s Marco Antonio Barrera (60-4, 42 KOs) is like boxing’s version of a fine wine – he’s getting even better with age. A fearsome dynamo as a young fighter, Barrera has matured into “The Baby Faced Assassin” with deadly precision. Fresh off two victories that showed the full range of his talents – a gritty 12 round war with fellow Mexican legend Erik Morales last November and a power-punching clinic against number one contender Mzonke Fana in April – Barrera will look to do something on September 17 that he has yet to achieve in his career – hold two world championship belts at the same time.
“Marco Antonio Barrera has been and is still a major star in this sport, and he is showing the reason again by fighting who we believe is the toughest man in the 130-pound weight class, Robbie Peden,” said Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions, which represents Peden. “The fans are in for another exciting and guaranteed epic battle, and it will be a memorable night to see “The Bomber” take the torch from Barrera on September 17.”
31-year-old Robbie Peden (25-2, 14 KOs) is the type of boxer fans like to see. The nickname “The Bomber” doesn’t come from dancing around in the ring; he’s all out action and throwing bombs. A throwback performer with a steel will and the chin to match, the pride of Brisbane, Australia finally achieved his dream of winning a world championship on February 23, 2005, when he stopped highly regarded contender Nate Campbell in eight rounds. And though the win over Campbell was the highlight so far of a nine-year pro career, Peden has no qualms about adding a legend like Barrera to his resume on September 17.
A fighter needing no introduction to fight fans, “Sugar” Shane Mosley (40-4, 35 KOs) returned to the welterweight division in early 2005 with a clear-cut victory over rugged contender Davis Estrada. This win followed an amazing string of title reigns at lightweight, welterweight, and junior middleweight that showcased his intoxicating mix of speed, power, and warrior spirit. A win over Cruz will put Mosley firmly in line for a title shot at 147 pounds.
Upset-minded Jose Luis Cruz (32-0-2, 27 KOs) has never tasted defeat in his nine-year career, and the hard-hitting native of Mazatlan, Mexico has no intentions of starting anytime soon. Holder of numerous regional welterweight titles, Cruz knows that his ticket to the big time is a victory over Mosley on September 17, and he has been training like never before for the biggest fight of his life.