Undefeated lightweight prospect Yeis Solano will face a new opponent in former Argentine Lightweight Champion Elias Damian Araujo in an eight-round bout that will open a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader on Friday, June 21 live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa.
In the main event, southpaw Sebastian Fundora (12-0, 8 KOs) of Coachella, Calif., faces Hector Zepeda (17-0, 4 KOs) from Tijuana, Mexico in a 10-round super welterweight bout. In the co-feature, Michel Rivera (15-0, 10 KOs) from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (13-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. The event is promoted by Sampson Boxing in association with Paco Presents. Tickets, starting at $10, are on sale now and available at www.WinnaVegas.com.
Solano, (14-0, 10 KOs), is not concerned about the last minute opponent change. “It doesn’t matter who I fight. I trust my team and my skills,” he said. “I don’t worry about who is across from me. I would have beaten the first guy and I will beat this guy too. I don’t train to beat one fighter specifically. I train to beat all fighters and I make adjustments in the ring. Some fighters get upset when the opponent changes. Not me. Even if my team says they want me to fight a different guy at the weigh-in, my job stays the same.”
Solano is a hard punching 26-year-old from Monteria, Colombia who started boxing at the age of seven; he amassed an amateur record of 118-12. He’s a former WBA Fedebol Lightweight Champion and in 2012 placed third in the Colombia National Games. In his last fight, he scored a five-round stoppage over Jesus Manuel Sandoval in October 2018. He is currently training at Compton Boxing Gym in Compton, Calif., and is trained by Jose Ponce, Sr. and his son Jose Ponce, Jr.
"I’m excited for this fight,” said Araujo, who is making his United States debut. "My style is aggressive. I have fought four southpaws. I know how to fight them – I like fighting them.
“I checked out videos of Solano. I think he is going to come to fight. He's training out of Compton, California, so he's going to come more than ready, as well. These are the ingredients for a good show.”
Araujo (19-1, 7 KOs) replaces fellow compatriot Jose Romero, who was forced to withdraw from the bout due to an injury. Nicknamed “El Macho,” Araujo, a 31-year-old southpaw from Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, Argentina, won the interim WBC Latino Lightweight Title with a unanimous decision over Jonathan Jose Eniz in October 2016. He successfully defended it twice before losing it to Javier Jose Clavero in an immediate rematch last June. He trains in Coachella with Freddy Fundora, father and trainer of main eventer Sebastian Fundora. In his last outing in January, Araujo stopped veteran Pablo Rodriguez in four rounds.
