Hard-hitting junior lightweight contender Jason Sosa, of Camden, NJ, takes on Jorge Pazos, of Guamuchil, Mexico, in the scheduled eight-round main event Friday evening, Oct. 2, at the First Annual Puerto Rican Boxing Classic at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.
Sosa, 27, is fresh off his first-round knockout over former world-title challenger Jerry Belmontes, of Corpus Christi, TX, on Aug. 16 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
The win over Belmontes marked Sosa’s 12th consecutive knockout and his 13th KO overall on his 17-1-3 record. He is ranked No. 13 in the world by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Sosa turned pro in 2009 after only three amateur fights—he lost two of them—and he has developed into a world-class fighter since teaming up with manager/trainer Raul “Chino” Rivas in 2012.
The Oct. 2 card will mark Sosa’s third appearance at the 2300 Arena, where he is 1-0-1. He boxed a four-round draw with Jose Ortiz, of Jersey City, NJ, in 2010 and this year he knocked out Bergman Aguilar, of Nicaragua, in four rounds. Aguilar suffered a broken jaw in the match.
Sosa’s other major victory came in 2014 in Atlantic City where he knocked out Michael “Lefty” Brooks, of Staten Island, NY, in nine rounds. Brooks also suffered a broken jaw in that match.
In other fights this year, Sosa knocked out Herbert Quartey, of Ghana, and Santiago Bustos, of Spain.
Pazos (right), 26, makes his second appearance in Pennsylvania, having lost a 10-round decision there to Gamalier Rodriguez, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, for the vacant NABO featherweight title two summers ago in Bethlehem.
A pro since 2007, Pazos is 14-8-1, 8 K0s. In his last fight Feb. 20 in New York, Pazos lost an eight-round decision to unbeaten Bryant Cruz, of Port Chester, NY.
The seven-bout fight card figures to attract a sold-out crowd.
From bantamweight Sixto Escobar, who became the first Puerto Rican world champion in 1935, to current title-holder Danny Garcia, of Philadelphia, Puerto Ricans have had a long and storied history in boxing.
Among area fighters looking to display their talents on the Oct. 2 card are local Puerto Rican fighters from Philadelphia and New Jersey. Many of them bring a loyal following to their fights.
In addition, invitations to attend and sign autographs will be sent to outstanding Puerto Rican fighters up and down the East Coast.
