LOS ANGELES (August 29, 2024) – Toro Promotions, Inc. launches its “Heartbeat of LA Boxing” series on September 28th, headlined by the pro debut of high school senior Paolo “Pow” Barrera along with a heavyweight showdown for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) U.S. Heavyweight Championship, at Pacific Palms Resort in City of Industry, California.
Paolo “Pow” Barredo, a celebrated amateur boxer highlighted by his 2023 Junior Olympics championship performance, makes his anticipated pro debut in the four-round, co-main event versus featherweight Mychaquell Shields (2-5, 0 KOs). A senior student at Walnut High School in Walnut, California, Barredo is trained by highly respected Henry Ramirez.
Undefeated Tsotne Rogava (9-0, 7 KOs) will take on always dangerous Alexander “The Great” Flores (19-4-1, 17 KOs) in the 10-round, co-main event for the vacant WBC U.S. heavyweight crown
A 2020 Ukraine Olympian, Rogava is on a mission to crack the world heavyweight ratings and an impressive victory over Flores would better position the Georgia-born Rogava. The 6’ 5”, 270-pound Rogava will battle the 6’ 4”, 260-pound Flores. Rogava was a champion kickboxer who successfully transitioned to boxing. The heavy-handed Rogava lives in Marina del Rey (CA), and he is trained by Hall of Famer Joe Goossen.
Flores, fighting out of Rowland Heights (CA), clearly represents the toughest challenge of Rogava’s young pro boxing career. Three of the 34-year-old Flores have been to world champions Charles Martin, Joseph Parker and Luis Ortiz. Flores is handled by Michael Love.
Rogava and Flores are both members of Toro Promotions’ powerhouse stable of talented heavyweights that also includes Dante stone (16-1, 11 KOs) and Kinsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh (12-2-1, 10 KOs).
Las Vegas-based World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 14-rated cruiserweight Craig “Pressure” Parker (16-0, 16 KOs) will put his prefect pro record on the line – 16-0 with 16 knockouts — in an eight-round match versus veteran Nick “Slick” Kisner (23-7-1, 7 KOs), the former Maryland State and NABA USA cruiserweight champion out of Baltimore.
“This is a special night of boxing in the Los Angeles area,” International matchmaker Whit Haydon said, “which I consider the boxing capital of the world, and the heartbeat of boxing. We are fired up to see how well this entertaining, competitive event showcasing so many local boxers will be received by local boxing fans.”
Providing chief support on the undercard are a pair of six-round bouts as Santa Ana (CA) junior lightweight faces his opponent from Bakersfield (CA), Matt Gaver (3-9-2, 1 KO), while Santa Ana (CA) junior lightweight Michael “El Chamuco” Bracamontes (9-2-1, 5 KOs) throws-down with his Armenian opponent, Arsen Poghosyan (3-2-1, 2 KOs), who fights out of Los Angeles.
A four-round fight between Dorian Mendez (4-0, 2 KOs) and crosstown Los Angeles rival David Romero (5-0-2, 1 KO) embodies the spirit of the “Heartbeat of LA Boxing” series in a very rare match-up showcasing a pair of unbeaten junior middleweight prospects from the “City of Angeles”.
Five local fighters will make their pro debuts: La Puente (CA) lightweight Alejandro Alvarado, a 2021 California State Silver Mittens Champion, vs. San Diego’s Eduardo Mondragon, Fontana welterweight Jesse Zuniga vs. Riverside’s Oscar Trujillo, and Riverside (CA) bantamweight Hector Oros vs. TBA.