LOS ANGELES, September 1 – A world championship fight and a key regional title fight will kick off FOX Deportes and Televisa’s September with a bang, when South Africa’s Nkosinathi Joyi defends his IBF Minimumweight World Championship against Mario “Dragoncito” Rodriguez and Nery “Pantera” Saguilan meets Alberto “Kichis” Garza in a 12-round fight for the vacant IBF Latino Junior Lightweight title at the Gimnasio Luis Estrada Medina in Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico on Saturday, September 1.
Joyi vs. Rodriguez, a 12-round bout for the IBF Minimumweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Box Latino and sponsored by Corona. The FOX Deportes broadcast will air at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and the Televisa broadcast will air on Canal 5 at 10:30 p.m. CT.
Unbeaten as a professional, Nkosinathi Joyi (22-0, 15 KO’s) will be fighting for the first time outside of his native South Africa when he defends his title for the third time against Rodriguez. A professional since 2002, the 29-year-old southpaw from Mdantsane won his belt with a 12-round decision over Raul Garcia in March of 2010 and he has since successfully defended it twice against Katsunari Takayama.
23-year-old Mario “Dragoncito” Rodriguez (14-6, 10 KO’s) had a rough start to his pro career, but after a 2010 decision loss to Donnie Nietes in a WBO Mini Flyweight World Title fight, the native of Guasave turned his career around in remarkable fashion, going 4-0-1 with three knockouts. The current NABF minimum weight champion, Rodriguez is looking to add a world title belt on September 1 in his hometown Guasave.
Mexico City’s Nery “Pantera” Saguilan (24-1, 10 KO’s) is a former WBC Latino super featherweight champion looking to wear championship gold around his waist in the coming months and his first step is capturing the IBF Latino title on September 1 by defeating Garza. Bouncing back well from the lone loss of his career in 2011, the 24-year-old Saguilan is unbeaten in his last three fights, including a 10 round win over then 19-1-1 Miguel Angel Mendoza on June 29.
Also fighting out of Mexico City, Alberto “Kichis” Garza (24-5, 19 KO’s) has got fight stopping power in both hands and a fan friendly style that should make for a great battle with Saguilan. A former WBC Continental Americas and WBC Silver champion at featherweight, 27-year-old Garza has won eight of his last nine leading up to this pivotal showdown.
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