DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH, TEXAS--On Friday, June 9th, Oscar De La Hoya with Golden Boy promotions will  present Oscar De La Hoya’s 4th Annual Fight Night @ Sundance Square.

The nationally televised (Telefutura Network), seven-bout, professional fight card will take place in the heart of Sundance Square, beginning at 7:00 p.m. A temporary arena will once again be constructed on the parking lot at the corner of Main Street and 4th Street, just under the famous Fort Worth mural.

This year’s card promises to be bigger and better with a ringside appearance by 4-Time World Heavyweight Champion, Evander Holyfield, two middleweight title fights and the professional debut of Fort Worth’s Vanessa Juarez, a 7-time female National amateur champion.

The WBC’s #7 World ranked middleweight, Epifario Mendoza (24-3-1, Columbia), is set to defend his WBC Latino Middleweight title against and David Lopez (25-13, Tucson, Az) in the 12-round main event.

Mendoza, who fights under the Golden Boy Promotions banner, comes into the main event with Lopez as the WBC Latino Middleweight champion. He captured the crown this past January 28th in Cancun, Mexico when he defeated Alejandro Luis Garcia. Mendoza’s biggest career win came in 2003 (Chicago) when he scored an impressive, first round knockout victory over then unbeaten (19-0), Rubin Williams. Mendoza is also the former North American Middleweight Champion, as well as the WBO Latino and WBA Fedecentro Middleweight Champion. This will be his 7th title fight in a career that began in 1999.

The 8-round, Semi-Main event will feature Fort Worth’s undefeated Brian Vera (9-0) challenging Dallas’ Marcus Hicks (5-3-1) for the Texas Middleweight crown.

The card’s special attraction will showcase the much anticipated professional debut of Juarez, the 17-year old Castleberry High School student. Juarez’ opponent, as well as the remainder of the card, is to be announced.

Juarez, who began boxing at age 8, built an amateur legacy that included an impressive 56-4 record and multiple local, state, national and International titles. She was the first female to ever win a fight in the Fort Worth Golden Gloves and went on to win two Woman’s National Golden Gloves titles.

“We’re really excited to have Vanessa (Juarez) on the card.” said De La Hoya of Juarez. “I haven’t had a chance to see Vanessa fight, but the reports are -- she’s exceptionally talented and in particular, a very exciting and marketable fighter. It’s an honor for of us at Golden Boy Promotions to help kick off the pro career of such a great young fighter and future World Champion.”

For Juarez, her dream was to represent the United States in the 2008 Olympics. But when Women’s Boxing failed to get voted in as an Olympic sport for 2008, the timing was right to make the move to the pro ranks.

“Fighting in the Olympics was always my goal,” said Juarez, a became a member of the USA Woman’s Elite Boxing Team after winning the 2005 Woman’s USA Boxing, national title. “But as soon as we (Women’s boxing) got voted down, I was ready to move on and start working towards becoming Fort Worth first Woman’s World Champion.”

Tickets for the event are priced at $20 (General Admission), $35 (Reserved) and $100 (VIP). VIP Ticket holders will be invited to attend a pre-fight VIP Reception (complimentary food and drinks), honoring Holyfield. In addition, VIP’s are guaranteed seating in the first five rows of ringside.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, May 5 at Central Ticket Office, downtown Fort Worth (1000 Commerce St.) and all TicketMaster locations. Tickets can also be purchased on line at centralticketoffice.com or by phone at 817-335-9000.
All fans will receive a complimentary Evander Holyfield poster, commemorating his illustrious career. Holyfield will also be ringside for the event and officially be honored, center-ring, by Fort Worth officials.  Perhaps of most interest to Fort Worth fight fans will be the pro debut of Juarez, who has been regarded as one best female, amateur fighters in the world over the past few years.