Mario Barrios is back in the ring on Saturday, May 4, when he faces Fabian Andres Maidana at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The pair battles it out in the co-feature on the card topped by Canelo Alvarez vs Jaime Munguia. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds.
Barrios (28-2, 18 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas brings to the ring his interim WBC welterweight belt. The 28-year-old landed the title last September, when he scored a unanimous decision against Yordenis Ugas. The former WBC super lightweight champion makes the first defense of his strap and targets his third win in a row.
“I’m thrilled to be back in the ring for the co-main event of the biggest Mexican fight in history and during Cinco de Mayo weekend,” said Mario Barrios. “Fabian Maidana is a tough warrior like me, so the fans are definitely in for an exciting fight. Defending my title is priority number one, and I’m going to do it with intelligence and bad intentions. Everyone knows that when I step into the ring, I leave it all in there. This will be no different. On May 4, the fans can expect a Mexico vs. Argentina war.”
Maidana (22-2, 16 KOs) won his previous bout last November by UD against Israel Lopez. Riding a four-fight winning streak, the 31-year-old Argentinian contender makes his first attempt to secure an interim world title.
“I’m very happy to be fighting on this card against a great champion like Mario Barrios,” said Fabian Andres Maidana. “We come to win and give our best to the mecca of boxing, Las Vegas. The world knows my brother beat Floyd Mayweather on Cinco de Mayo, and I plan to do the same against Barrios. I’m fighting for my people in Argentina, and I’m coming to win.”
Also confirmed for the event, a 12-round featherweight bout between the interim WBC titleholder Brandon Figueroa of Weslaco, Texas and former world champion Jessie Magdaleno of Las Vegas. In the 12-round PPV opener, Lithuania’s Eimantas Stanionis defends his WBA welterweight title against two-time Olympian Gabriel Maestre of Venezuela.
In the main event, Canelo Alvarez defends his undisputed super middleweight title against unbeaten contender Jaime Munguia. The highly anticipated all-Mexican world championship clash is scheduled for 12 rounds.