Posted on Thu, May. 08, 2008

Fights return to downtown Fort Worth

By TRAE THOMPSON

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

STAR-TELEGRAM/SHARON M. STEINMAN

Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth will once again light up with Fight Night on June 13.

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After a one-year absence, a Fort Worth tradition is returning.

Oscar De La Hoya's Fight Night at Sundance Square will be June 13 and will feature a main event between David Lopez (34-12, 22 KOs) and Michael Walker (18-0-2, 12 KOs) on KSTR/Channel 49 (Spanish). The undercard will feature two local attractions in Vanessa Juarez (8-0, two KOs) and former Texas State Golden Gloves champion Chap Huggins, who is making his pro debut.

The event has become extremely popular since its inception in 2003. Fights are held in the parking lot on the corner of Fourth and Main in downtown Fort Worth in front of the Chisholm Trail mural.

Past fighters to appear on the cards include Fort Worth native Brian Vera (16-1, 10 KOs), as well as WBO super bantamweight champ Daniel Ponce de Leon (34-1, 30 KOs) and former WBO bantamweight champ Jhonny Gonzalez (37-6, 31 KOs).

Lopez appeared on the 2006 card and upset Epifanio Mendoza for the WBC Latino middleweight title. Along with that belt, Lopez is the current NABF middleweight champ. He's won 10 consecutive fights and 15 of his past 16.

Lester Bedford, who helped organize each of the previous cards, explained that problems arose last year with getting the right dates to televise the fights, since Telefutura (KSTR/49) also shares dates with Top Rank.

Complicating things even more was the rainy June weather.

"It might have been a blessing in disguise that it didn't happen," Bedford said. "That's always a concern. Typically the weather is good. If you don't go in June, that makes it tougher, because of the threat of rain in May. But after June it gets too hot."

There are plans to possibly have another guest of honor like two years ago, when boxing legend Roberto Duran attended the fights.

Tickets go on sale Friday. Costs are $100 VIP, which includes a reception before the fight at City Streets, $35 reserved and $20 general admission. Tickets are available at Central Ticket office in Fort Worth. For more information, call 817-335-9000 or visit www.centralticketoffice.com.