Alejandro Luna punches Sergio Lopez of Mexico during the first round of their lightweight bout on Aug. 29, 2015, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

Lightweight Alejandro Luna loves being a boxer. He also loves being a “charro.”

He enjoys the best of both worlds when he walks into a ring on fight night wearing the traditional outfit, something that means a great deal to him.

Nothing will change in the biggest fight of his career thus far on Friday night, when he faces Stephen Ormond at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The 10-round bout will precede the super middleweight clash between hard-hitting David Benavidez and Denis Douglin. Both fights will air live on ESPN (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT).

Luna (20-0, 15 knockouts) has not fought since Jan. 23, when he stopped Alan Herrera after the eighth round in Los Angeles, California. He was scheduled to fight in late May but that proposed fight fell through.

The 24-year-old Luna squares off against Ormond with the winner receiving a regional title belt and the No. 2 ranking by the IBF.

“I feel ready,” Luna told RingTV in an interview on Wednesday. “This is a big jump to the next level. I know Ormond is a tough guy, like all Irish fighters. More than anything, this is a great style match-up between us.

“The long layoff won’t bother me.”

Friday night will mark the first time Luna will fight outside of Southern California, where he has a large following.

For a significant fight, one would imagine Luna fighting before a partisan crowd.

“I would’ve loved to have fought in my hometown but I’m excited to go back east. There’s less distractions. I don’t have people asking for tickets and I can just focus on my job. I may not have have a lot of support there in Philadelphia, so it is a give-and-take.”

Whether it is fighting near and around the Los Angeles area or in Philadelphia, Luna will step into the ring wearing the traditional attire of a charro. Charros are traditional horsemen from the interior part of Mexico, including the state of Zacatecas, from where Luna’s family originally hails.

When he is not in training, Luna performs at functions throughout the Los Angeles area, whether with a rope or a horse.

“It’s something I can’t explain. I represent that traditional culture. It’s not because I’m Mexican-American; it’s because I come from a family of charros. It feels good to represent that and have people learn more about me.”

Stephen Ormond will be the toughest challenge of Luna’s career thus far. Ormond (21-2, 11 KOs) has faced the better opposition of the two, including WBO lightweight titleholder Terry Flanagan.

But Luna has been anticipating these fights.

“I’m ready.”

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper, BoxingScene.com and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing.