The stunning city of Oaxaca in Mexico hosts Matchroom for the first time as a thrilling night of elite boxing awaits on Friday, February 16 – live worldwide on DAZN.
Nestled within the breathtaking, hillside views, the spectacular open-air Auditorium Guelaguetza will see home favorite Adrien Curiel defend his IBF World Light-Flyweight title in what promises to be a scintillating rematch with Sivenathi ’The Special One’ Nontshinga.
And Featherweight star Mauricio Lara will kickstart his 2024 campaign in the co-main event as he faces fellow Mexican Daniel Lugo.
Lara (26-3-1, 19 KOs) stopped former World champion Josh Warrington in 2021 before eventually becoming world champion when last year he sensationally stopped Leigh Wood in seven rounds.
But after drama on the scales, Lara lost his belt before entering the ring for the rematch with Wood last May in Manchester in which the Nottingham fighter would duly win in a resounding, unanimous points victory.
Some nine months later, Lara is back to rise the rankings again as he faces a hungry Lugo (27-2, 18 KOs) over 10 rounds looking to underline his ultimate ambition of ruling the world once again.
The full fight card will be revealed in due course, headlined by Curiel’s eagerly awaited first IBF title defense.
In what was arguably one of the knockouts of 2023, Curiel dramatically dethroned his South African rival in spectacular style.
The Mexican (24-4-1, 5 KOs) ripped up the script by scoring a shocking one-punch knockout of the defending champion Nontshinga (12-1, 9 KOs) in the second round of their highly anticipated showdown in Monaco.
Now Curiel will be hoping to repeat his heroics as the 24-year-old makes the first defense of his World title on home soil, determined to prove that his stunning knockout of the year contender wasn’t just a one off.
Having tasted defeat for the first time in his career, Nontshinga is aiming to recapture his old belt – which he won by beating Hector Flores in the Mexican city of Hermosillo back in 2022 – to keep his dreams of unifying the division alive. It all takes place in Oaxaca, Mexico’s vibrant historical centre of arts, culture and gastronomy.
Located 500km from Mexico City, separated to the north by rugged mountains, Oaxaca is city rich in indigenous history and one that has forged its own distinctive identity to deservedly earn a UNESCO World Heritage badge.
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn said: “Mexico is the birthplace of a long list of legendary fighters, and we are delighted to continue our travels to this great nation and will undoubtedly be a special fight night in Oaxaca.”
