Pechanga Tribal Nation

Diaz and Bojado at Pechanga

Pechanga card gets national air play

May 9, 2003
ED WEHDE - Staff Writer - NCTimes.com

PECHANGA INDIAN RESERVATION ---- Televised boxing returns to the Pechanga Resort & Casino with a five-fight card today.

Two fights will be televised live on NBC, and another will be shown live on the Spanish language network Telemundo.

In the main event, Juan Diaz (20-0, 10 KOs) will face Bakersfield's Eleazar Contreras (19-2-2, eight KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout that features a pair of well-regarded pugilists.

"I expect it to help me a lot," Diaz said. "I've been on national TV such as Showtime and ESPN, but a different type of people will see this fight. This is a big step up for me."

Contreras, the reigning World Boxing Council Continental Americas lightweight champion, is the WBC's 20th-ranked lightweight in the world rankings. He said he expects Diaz to come right at him. He will counter that style with a more deliberate approach.

"He's an aggressive fighter," Contreras said. "He throws a lot of punches. He's quick. I just have to be on my toes. I like to box."

Diaz, the WBC's sixth-ranked lightweight, said he, too, likes to box ---- "You don't get hit as much; you use your head more," he said ---- but he can utilize whatever style he needs to use to win.

"I can be a brawler. I can be a puncher," Diaz said. "It depends on the situation. If I go into a fight and I try to box and that doesn't work, I can always go back to going straight forward and punching. I have no idea what my opponent's going to do, but I'm ready for whatever he's going to do. I'm prepared for it."

Contreras should be a crowd favorite, fighting relatively close to his Bakersfield home. Diaz is from Houston.

"I got some people coming," Contreras said. "This is California. This is where I'm from. I have a lot of people coming."

In the co-feature, also televised by NBC, Francisco Bojado (11-1, 10 KOs) will battle William Adamyan (9-0, three KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight bout. Bojado is the WBC's 15th-ranked contender at 140 pounds. Adamyan is not ranked.

The card, promoted by Main Events and Ringside Tickets, also includes Francisco Lorenzo (17-1, 11 KOs) vs. Genaro Trazancos (20-3-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout, Emanuel Lucero (20-0-1, 12 KOs) vs. Marty Robbins (12-14-1, 10 KOs) in a six-round junior featherweight bout and Alfonso Gomez (6-2-1, one KO) vs. Juan Amezcua (9-0, seven KOs) in a six-round welterweight bout.

Telemundo will broadcast the Lorenzo-Trazancos fight.

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