LOS ANGELES (September 14, 2016) – Two of the most exciting fighters to emerge from Puerto Rico and Mexico, featherweight standout Jesus Rojas, of Caguas, Puerto Rico and former amateur boxing star Marvin Cabrera of Mexico City, will join Golden Boy Promotions, the Los Angeles-based promoter announced today.
Jesus Rojas (23-1-2, 16 KOs), is scheduled to fight this Saturday, September 17 for the vacant WBA Fedecaribe Featherweight title against the tough Jesus “Chuito” Valdez (16-1-1, 6 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round fight at the Coliseo Hector Sola Bezarez in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The 23-year-old Cabrera, who is scheduled to make his professional debut on the October 7 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB, will compete in the super lightweight division and is trained and managed by former two-division world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon.
“Jesus Rojas and Marvin Cabrera are a pair of young men we’ve been watching, and now that they are in a place to transition, we are honored to be able to work with them and help bring them to the top of the sport,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Rojas and Cabrera have all the tools to become a world champions, and in addition, they both have a rare star quality that will excite all Puerto Rican and Mexican fans in the United States and around the world.”
“I am excited to be representing Golden Boy Promotions and I am going to give it my all to get that world title,” said Jesus Rojas. “I promised my father I wouldn’t quit and although he is no longer with us, it is a promise that I will keep. I know that there will be challenges ahead, but at this point in my career, I can only think of the excitement and great things to come. I want to take care of my family and not only that, do what I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a ten year old boy fighting in the streets of my Puerto Rican neighborhood.”
“I’ve worked with Jesus Rojas since 2014, when I saw him demolish his opponent, Juan Jose Beltran via knockout,” said Javier Bustillo, Manager of Jesus Rojas. I had heard rumors of the great talent that was before me, and from the moment I started working together, I knew we struck gold. I haven’t worked with a fighter that demonstrates the amount of talent like Rojas does. Signing with Golden Boy Promotions is a dream, not just because the opportunities that will be open because of this partnership but because Rojas is going to be exposed to a whole new fan base and a whole new world of boxers who he can ravage through. He is like a gladiator in the ring, tough, a prowler, powerful, and unafraid to step up into the plate. With 23 wins, and more than half of those being knock outs – I couldn’t think of a better fighter at 126 pounds that deserves a chance to show the world what Caguas, Puerto Rico has to offer.”
“In Mexico, Golden Boy is a big company and everyone aspires to have an opportunity like this,” said Marvin Cabrera. “My dream is to become a world champion, and I think that with Golden Boy by my side, I will be able to achieve my goal. I want to thank all my fans in Mexico for all their support throughout my amateur career and I hope to keep making them proud as a professional boxer.”
“I made my career with Golden Boy Promotions,” said Daniel Ponce De Leon, Trainer and Manager of Marvin Cabrera. “They helped me achieve my goal of becoming a world champion and also I was able to build a long and fruitful relationship with the company. I grew up with Oscar De La Hoya, Eric Gomez and Robert Diaz by my side and I am looking forward to this new stage of my career as they support me in creating the next champion of the sport, Marvin Cabrera.”
Entering the ring at the young age of 10, Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Jesus Rojas has been a brawler since elementary school. Entering boxing as a young child, he has never stopped, with 200 plus amateur fights representing Puerto Rico at home and abroad. At the age of 18, the gladiator decided to turn pro, quickly demolishing all his opponents that stormed his way. It was in a tough loss against fighter Jose Angel Beranza in which he hurt his hand, keeping him out of the ring for a short time. Since his first and only loss, Rojas has turned up the heat in the ring, proving to the boxing world that he was not to be forgotten, facing tough opponents throughout New York, California, and abroad. Rojas became a household name when he faced off veteran warrior Jorge “Travieso” Arce at the MGM’s Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Scoring the No Contest decision, Rojas’ popularity grew within the boxing aficionados. Rojas proceeded to take on a slew of fighters including Juan Jose Beltran, Juan Carlos Pena, and Jorge Lara. His last performance in the ring was fighting for the vacant WBA-NABA featherweight title against Kiun Evans, which he won via first round knockout. Signing officially with Golden Boy Promotions this September, the 29-year-old, is ready to represent Golden Boy in a new era of his career, becoming one of the hottest prospects to hit the 126 pound division.
On the Mexican youth national team for two years and on the elite team for five years, Cabrera was a 16-time national champion who twice competed in the world championships. He also won a Bronze medal in the Central American Games, among several other accolades, on route to a 135-15 record. In 2012-13, Cabrera compiled a 12-5 record in the World Series of Boxing league, and while staying in the amateur ranks in order to earn a shot at an Olympic Gold medal was enticing, Cabrera decided that to best take care of himself and his family, becoming a professional was his best option. The member of a fighting family that includes his father and brother, both of whom fought professionally, and a sister, Mexico City’s Cabrera first put boxing gloves on at the age of 10, and later that year, he had his first fight. He was nervous, but he won, and from there, he was all in.