McALLEN — Boxing promoter Anthony Cavazos has dedicated more than 20 years to growing the boxing scene in the Rio Grande Valley by putting together fights across South Texas through his company, Cavazos Boxing Promotions.
The Texas Boxing Hall of Fame recently notified Cavazos its selection committee has named him as a Texas Boxing Hall of Fame honoree in the Contributor Division.
“It is our mission to honor and preserve the legacy of those who have contributed most to the success of boxing in the state of Texas since 1900. Your legacy of presenting quality professional events in the Rio Grande Valley for more than 20 years is a legacy that will live on forever with the Texas Boxing Hall of Fame,” Texas Boxing Hall of Fame president Lester Bedford wrote to Cavazos in a letter.
“I’m honored and humbled. It’s a great honor,” Cavazos said. “It’s been a lot of work. I started in 2001 and worked my way up. I started from the bottom in boxing, started in the corner, made it to promoter. We did over 50 fights, worked with Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank main events, we’ve been on ShoBox, HBO, ESPN and it’s been one heck of a ride. “
Cavazos Boxing Promotions is set to put on another show highlighting the future of RGV boxing with Border Wars beginning at 8 p.m. tonight at Payne Arena in Hidalgo.
THE FIGHT CARD
The six-bout Border Wars fight card is headlined by unbeaten boxers Fabian “The Unknown Warrior” Diaz (4-0, 2 KOs) and Ivan Alvarado (5-0, 3 KOs) fighting for the Interworld Boxing Organization lightweight championship.
The Edinburg native Diaz is a three-time USA Boxing National Junior Olympics champion who has knocked out his last two opponents. He’s determined to do the same at Border Wars tonight against Alvardo, who hails from Monterrey, Mexico.
Fighting in the co-main event is San Juan’s Esteban Ali Garza (1-0, 1 KO) against Donna’s Bryan Santiago, who will be making his professional debut.
The undercard features Corpus Christi’s Travis Crawford (4-2) against Laredo’s Jesus Maldonado (2-4) at 144 pounds; Edinburg’s Rigoberto Rivera against Mission’s Isaac Matamoros (2-0) at 140 pounds; Elsa’s Jesus Adolfo Gallegos against Monterrey, Mexico’s Juan Alberto Flores (2-2-1); and McAllen’s Francisco Javier Castillo against Donna’s Roberto Pina at 145 pounds.
Tickets for Border Wars at Payne Arena in Hidalgo can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Payne Arena box office.