WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar (27-1, 21 KOs) will take on exciting Puerto Rican contender Jonathan “Polvo” Oquendo (26-4, 16 KOs) Saturday, December 5 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
The Cuellar vs. Oquendo world title bout will precede the eagerly anticipated SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event which features an all-Brooklyn battle between middleweight world champion Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (30-1, 27 KOs) and former world champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (32-0-1, 23 KOs) with the middleweight crown and Brooklyn bragging rights on the line.
“I am glad to be defending my world title once again this year against a solid fighter like Jonathan Oquendo, who is fresh off a great win over Jhonny Gonzalez,” said Cuellar. “Oquendo comes forward all the time, so it will be a war. It will be a great card in the borough of Brooklyn and on SHOWTIME, so I have to deliver a great show. I have to get a big win so that I can get Leo Santa Cruz in the ring with me.”
“I’m very happy about this opportunity because it is my first world title fight and I’m going to fight in New York for the first time in my career with the support of all the Puerto Ricans there,” said Oquendo. “After my victory over Jhonny Gonzalez, I rested several days and then started training for this important fight. I know that Cuellar beat ‘JuanMa’ Lopez and I want to avenge my friend and fellow Puerto Rican’s loss. I’m training hard to become the next world champion for Puerto Rico.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
A fast-rising star out of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cuellar looks to make it 11 victories in a row when he defends his 126-pound title against Oquendo on December 5. His power in both hands has helped him deliver seven knockouts in his last nine victories including his most recent performance, an eighth-round knockout of former world champion Vic Darchinyan in June. The 28-year-old won his world title with a unanimous decision over Claudio Marrero in his U.S. debut in August 2013. He went on to defend the title against Rico Ramos, Juan Manuel Lopez and Ruben Tamayo.
A top contender from Vera Baja, Puerto Rico Oquendo has won 12 of his last 14 fights. His most recent victory was his most impressive as he dropped and defeated former three-division world champion Jhonny Gonzalez in September in the pay-per-view opener for “HIGH STAKES: Mayweather vs. Berto.” The 32-year-old also owns victories over Joe Luis Araiza, Eden Sonsona, Alejandro Montiel and top prospect Guillermo Avila. He will fight in New York for the first time as a pro when on December 5.
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