Miguel Madueno is the new opponent for Oscar Duarte on February 15 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Duarte was originally scheduled to face Regis Prograis, but the former champion from New Orleans withdrew due to a shoulder injury. Duarte and Madueno square off in an all-Mexican 12-round main event at super lightweight.
Duarte (28-2-1, 22 KOs) won his previous bout by unanimous decision against Botirzhon Akhmedov last November. Last April, the 29-year-old native of Parral, Chihuahua stopped former champion Joseph Diaz in the ninth round.
“It’s a shame that Regis Prograis was injured. As I said before, I was very happy to face a fighter of that level, a former world champion, and I hope he recovers soon,” said Oscar Duarte. “Despite the change of opponent, I do not lose motivation. I remain focused and prepare at 100%. I set a goal for myself, and I am not going to stop until I achieve it – to be world champion.”
“I see that Miguel Madueno is a good fighter and very dangerous. I am going to fight smart to win this bout. I must not lose sight of the fact that he is an experienced boxer, and fights between Mexicans are guaranteed to be a good show. I am grateful to Golden Boy for this great opportunity.”
Madueno (31-3, 28 KOs) looks to bounce back from a defeat by unanimous decision against Keyshawn Davis last July on the Stevenson vs Harutyunyan undercard. Last February, the 26-year-old Guasave, Sinaloa native won a split decision against Justin Pauldo.
“In this sport, you never know when that call will come – that’s why I stay ready,” said Miguel Madueno. “This isn’t an easy fight, but that’s exactly why I do this. Boxing isn’t just what I do, it’s who I am. I live it, breathe it, and right now, I’m hungry to get back in the win column.”
“Oscar Duarte is a tough challenge, and I respect him for taking me on as a late replacement. But I’m not going to Anaheim to test my luck – I’m going to win. I’m going to fight, throw everything I’ve got, and prove that nothing great happens without taking your best shot.”
In the co-feature, unbeaten Darius Fulghum (13-0, 11 KOs) of El Paso, Texas defends his WBA Intercontinental super middleweight title against Winfred Harris Jr. (22-2-2, 10 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan. Among other bouts, Ricardo Sandoval (25-2, 18 KOs) of Montclair, California defends his WBC ‘Silver’ flyweight belt against Saleto Henderson (10-1, 7 KOs) of Indianapolis, Indiana.