DeMarco back on Saturday
Former WBC lightweight titleholder Antonio DeMarco will return to the ring on Saturday in Tijuana. He’ll be in a junior welterweight bout against Fidel Monterossa Munoz, according to Zanfer Promotions’ matchmaker Sean Gibbons.
DeMarco (28-3-1, 21 knockouts) was last in the ring in November, when he lost his title by an eighth-round stoppage to Adrien Broner.
According to Gibbons, DeMarco is co-promoting the event. DeMarco still is trying to separate from promoter Gary Shaw, and, according to Gibbons, “is in negotiations to sign with Zanfer Boxing.”
“He’s absolutely looking to fight between 135 and 140, depending on the opportunity that comes up,” said Gibbons.
“I believe that I have an enforceable contract,” said Shaw, “and I will do whatever I have to do, legally, to enforce my contract.”
DeMarco had earned the vacant title with an 11th-round knockout of former two-division beltholder Jorge Linares in October of 2011 and scored two more stoppage victories in defense of it, includiing a 44-second knockout of John Molina in September of last year.
The victory over Molina was DeMarco’s fifth straight win since falling by ninth-round knockout to late Venezuelan Edwin Valero (27-0, 27 KOs) in February of 2010.
Munoz is 31-7-1, with 25 KOs, having won his past two fights by knockout, albeit against opponents with 13 pro fights and not a single win between them. His most notable outings before that were losses to the likes of Roberto Ortiz, Pablo Cesar Cano and Claudio Olmedo, the first by technical decision and the following two by knockout. He also faced Humberto Soto for the WBC lightweight title in 2010 and fought a rematch the next year, but lost both fights by unanimous decision.
Tom Casino, Showtime
Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]