Lightweights Nugaev and Quintero to Meet on ESPN Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates
The March 7 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature up-and-coming Lightweight contender Rustam Nugaev (26-6, 16 KOs) and former Lightweight world title challenger Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) in the 10-round Lightweight main event.
Friday’s show, from Pala Casino in Pala Calif., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights on Saturday, March 8, at 7 p.m. The card is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.
Commentators:
Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) filling in for Joe Tessitore, will be ringside with Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. Leopoldo González, filling in for Delvin Rodríguez, will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Cuban comedian Bonco Quiñongo will join Trejos as a special guest in studio this week. Quiñongo has previously appeared on ESPN Deportes radio to talk boxing with Trejos.
Main Event:
Russia’s Nugaev, who resides in Los Angeles, has won his last four fights by knockout and is coming off a first-round knockout win over Mario Hermosillo. In his previous fight, he scored a fifth-round knockout win over Jose Hernandez on Friday Night Fights. After that fight, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote: “Nugaev is a fun fighter to watch. He’s an aggressive brawler who lets it all hang out when the bell rings, and it was no different in his methodical destruction of Hernandez, who gave it his all but was simply outgunned. It was a good action fight.”
Mexico’s Quintero is looking to rebound from a 12-round split decision loss to IBF titlist Miguel Vazquez. Quintero said of Friday’s fight, “I think the Russian (Nugaev) is strong, a brawler. He has a pretty good reach and huge experience.”
Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Bantamweight Roman Morales (17-0, 9 KOs) against Khabir Suleymanov (16-3, 6 KOs). California’s Morales is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Roberto Castaneda, while California’s Suleymanov is looking to continue his winning ways following an eight-round unanimous decision win over Juanito Rubillar.
Opening Fight:
Friday’s show will open with a six-round bout between undefeated Welterweight Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (20-0, 11 KOs) and Michael Balasi (10-3, 7 KOs).
Upcoming Schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Main Event | Location | Networks |
| Fri, Mar. 21 | 9 p.m. | Vanes Martirosyan (33-1-1, 21 KOs) vs. Mario Alberto Lozano (27-4, 20 KOs) — 10 rounds, Junior Middleweights | Morongo Casino, Cabazon, Calif. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
| Fri, Mar. 28 | 9 p.m. | Boxcino Lightweight Semifinals: eight rounds each
Chris Rudd (13-1, 8 KOs) vs. Petr Petrov (33-4-2, 14 KOs) MiguelGonzález (23-3, 16 KOs) vs. Fernando Carcamo (16-5, 13 KOs) |
4 Bears Casino, New Town, N.D. |
ESPN, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
| Fri, Apr. 18 | 9 p.m. | Boxcino Middleweight Semifinals: eight rounds each Brandon Adams (13-0, 9 KOs) vs. Raymond Gatica (14-2, 9) Willie Monroe Jr. (16-1, 6 KOs) vs. Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs) |
Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y. | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN |
*Schedule subject to change
Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:
- Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.
- Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.
- Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.
- For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.
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