Junior featherweight Alan David Picasso has looked more like a contender than a prospect in recent fights.

The unbeaten Picasso now looks to impress again when he faces gatekeeper Edixon Perez on Saturday night at the Studios TX Azteca, which is located in Picasso’s hometown of Mexico City. The 10-round bout will headline a Zanfer Promotions card that will air live on Azteca TV.

Picasso (16-0, 6 knockouts) last fought on April 10, when he defeated Miguel Mateos Moreno by unanimous decision. That victory took place over two months after Picasso knocked out Jesus Gomez Quintana in two rounds.

The 20-year-old, who turned pro in March 2017, has demonstrated he can box or slug. Picasso battered former world title challenger Victor Proa en route to a 10th-round stoppage in October 2019 and followed up by winning back-to-back fights against Anthony Jimenez and Jesus Quijada.

Picasso is coached by Mexican Hall of Famer Erik Morales, who also coaches unbeaten middleweight contender Jaime Munguia, and he is one of Zanfer Promotions top fighters.

Perez (23-5, 17 KOs), who resides in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, knocked out the overmatched Marlembron Acuna in two rounds on March 6. He has won his last four bouts since losing by unanimous decision to Leonardo Baez in September 2019.

The 29-year-old has suffered losses to Antonio Pablo Soares of Brazil and Mexico’s Jose Durantes Vivas.

In the co-feature, fringe junior middleweight contender Carlos Ocampo will square off against Luis Montelongo of Mexico City in a 10-round bout.

Ocampo (29-1, 19 KOs), who resides in Ensenada, Mexico, knocked out Venezuela’s Ivan Matute in two rounds on April 10. The 25-year-old has won his last seven bouts, six by stoppage, since losing by knockout to Errol Spence Jr. in June 2018.

Montelongo’s 15-8 (3 KOs) record is deceiving . He has won his last nine bouts with the only loss taking place on February 14 of last year at the hands of Canada’s Jessie Wilcox.

Ivan Garcia Balderas (7-0, 3 KOs) will put his unbeaten record on the line against Carlos Vado Bautista (10-4-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout between Mexico City flyweights.

In another clash between Mexico City fighters, bantamweight Luis Robles (11-1, 4 KOs), who has not lost since his third pro fight, will face Arturo Hernandez (5-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round bout.

Francisco A. Salazar can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @FSalazarBoxing

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