Joseph Diaz Jr. now 7-0 after third-round TKO of Noel Mendoza at StubHum

Joseph Diaz Jr. of South El Monte stopped overmatched Noel Mendoza of Phoenix at 1:54 of the third round Saturday night at StubHub Center.

Diaz decked Mendoza (6-3) twice in the third round, referee Raul Caiz Jr. waving off the bout after the second knockdown.

Diaz, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, is now 7-0 with five knockouts. His bout was televised on Showtime Extreme.

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Dominic Breazeale knocks out Lenroy Thomas in 4th round at StubHub Center

Heavyweight Dominic Breazeale, a 2012 U.S. Olympian from Alhambra, is now 6-0 with six knockouts after knocking out Lenroy Thomas of Jamaica at 2:29 of the fourth round Saturday. The two tangled on the undercard of the Abner Mares-Jhonny Gonzalez featherweight title fight at StubHub Center.

Breazeale, 27, landed a right uppercut that put Thomas down on the canvas. He stayed there on one knee, never really trying to get to his feet. Thomas (16-3) had won 16 of his past 17 bouts.

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Oscar De La Hoya raves about Saturday’s main event at StubHub Center

Abner Mares of Hawaiian Gardens has become one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The Artesia High graduate has won titles in the bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight divisions and Saturday will defend his featherweight belt against former featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez of Mexico at StubHub Center (on Showtime).

At Thursday’s final news conference, Oscar De La Hoya spoke highly of this main event.

“For the boxing fans in L.A., this is what boxing is all about and this is what they deserve,” said De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. “Abner Mares is a special talent that we are witnessing in our era. He’s a talent that doesn’t come around very often. He’s fought nothing but the best. We all know Gonzalez. He’s a machine who is a tough puncher and a very calculated puncher. Jhonny knows this is his opportunity. Everybody knows that.”

Mares, who recently bought a house in Downey, is 26-0-1 with 14 knockouts. Gonzalez is 54-8 with 46 knockouts. Gonzalez lost his belt to Daniel Ponce De Leon in September 2012. Mares in turn took it from De Leon in May in Las Vegas.

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Vasyl Lomachenko, two-time gold-medal winner, to make debut at 10 rounds

Even when a boxer does very well as an amateur, he typically begins his pro career with four-round fights. Not Vasyl Lomachenko of the Ukraine.

Lomachenko won gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Games at featherweight and 2012 London Games at lightweight. Not only is he going to open with a 10-round featherweight bout, he is going to take on Jonathan Oquendo of Puerto Rico on the undercard of the Oct. 12 welterweight title fight between Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez at Thomas & Mack Center (on HBO pay-per-view).

Oquendo wonders about this move by Lomachenko.

“Lomachenko must have a lot of confidence making his professional debut against a fighter like me,” said Oquendo, 30. “He must think he’s really good. Let’s see what happens in the ring.”

Tickets remain for the Top Rank Inc. card. They are priced at $50, $100, $200, $300, $400, $600 and $800. They can be purchased by going online at www.unlvtickets.com or by calling 702-739-3267.

           

 

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Victor Terrazas knows Leo Santa Cruz will have most of the fans Saturday

Victor Terrazas of Mexico on Saturday will defend his super bantamweight world title against Leo Santa Cruz of the Lincoln Heights section of Los Angeles. Since the bout is being held at StubHub Center in Carson, Terrazas knows Santa Cruz will get most of the cheers from what will likely be a sellout crowd.

“This is going to be a very active fight,” Terrazas, 30, said. “Going in we know that Leo Santa Cruz is the favorite in his hometown, but I’m champion of the world and I’m here to show you why I’m the champion. I’m really excited about fighting in his backyard, and I’m confident I’ll be successful. I am ready.”

Santa Cruz has already won a title in the bantamweight division, and is looked upon by some as a superstar in the making. Terrazas intimated he is therefore being taking lightly, his status as champion notwithstanding.

“I do believe I’m getting overlooked in this fight, but that doesn’t take away my desire or my will to win,” Terrazas said. “Being overlooked also doesn’t give me any more motivation, but that’s only because I’m already motivated. There’s a reason why I’m champion.”

Terrazas is 37-2-1 with 21 knockouts. Santa Cruz, 25, is 24-0-1 with 14 knockouts.

The two will tangle on the undercard of the Abner Mares-Jhonny Gonzalez featherweight title fight (on Showtime).

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Tickets for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Brian Vera at StubHub on sale Thursday

Tickets for the Sept. 28 super middleweight fight between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Brian Vera at StubHub Center in Carson (on HBO) go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m.

The bout was originally scheduled for Sept. 7 at Staples Center, but Chavez sustained a cut over his right eye during sparring, so promoter Bob Arum was forced to come up with a new date and site.

Tickets are priced at $20,  $50, $100 and $200. They can be purchased online at www.axs.com or by calling 888-929-7849.

Chavez is 46-1-1 with 32 knockouts. Vera is 23-6 with 14 knockouts.

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