Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and there’s no better way to kick off the season than with three hours of boxing as Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes delivers a night of action Saturday, May 26 from the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Once-beaten Eddie Ramirez will take on former world champion Argenis Mendez in a 10-round super lightweight showdown in the main event, while former title challenger Oscar Escandon meets unbeaten 2012 Olympic silver medalist Tugstsogt Nyambayar in a 10-round featherweight bout in the co-main event.
Televised action begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also feature Justin DeLoach (17-2, 9 KOs) taking on Jeison Rosario (14-1-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight match plus unbeaten Joshua Zuniga (9-0, 4 KOs) clashing with Justin Pauldo (10-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight attraction.
“Eddie Ramirez is trying to get into the title picture and Argenis Mendez wants to regain his world title status and that’s going to set up for fireworks in the main event. All of the boxers in the other matches have a lot to gain with a victory as well and that shapes up to a superb night of boxing action,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Haymon Boxing. “Toss some hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and then settle in for three hours of boxing. It’s the perfect way to kick off the summer of 2018.”
Ramirez (17-1, 11 KOs) is looking to bounce back from suffering the first loss of his career in his last outing. Ramirez was knocked out by former world champion Antonio DeMarco last October on FOX, although Ramirez believed the referee acted too hastily in ending the fight. The 25-year-old from Aurora, Illinois was rapidly moving up the ranks before the loss, having scored impressive stoppage victories over then unbeaten prospects Kevin Watts and Ryan Karl and a split decision victory over Erick Bone in fights that aired on FS1 and FOX Deportes.
The 31-year-old Mendez (24-5-1, 12 KOs) is coming off a split decision victory over Ivan Redkach last May on FS1 and FOX Deportes. With the win, the fighter out of the Dominican Republic rebounded from back-to-back losses to lightweight champion Robert Easter, Jr. and Luke Campbell. A member of the 2004 Dominican Olympic team, Mendez won a 130-pound world title with a knockout victory over Juan Carlos Salgado in 2013. He fought Rances Barthelemy twice to defend the title, with the first fight being declared a no decision before Mendez dropped the rematch.
Escandon (25-3, 17 KOs) is trying to climb back into the featherweight title picture after losing by TKO to world champion Gary Russell, Jr. in his last fight on May 20. The 33-year-old from Ibague, Colombia scored a knockout victory over Robinson Castellanos in a 2016 interim featherweight title fight and lost a split decision to Moises Flores in a 2015 interim super bantamweight title bout.
Nyambayar (9-0, 8 KOs) went the distance for the first time as a pro last time in the ring as he earned an eight round unanimous decision over then unbeaten Harmonito Dela Torre last November. The 25-year-old from Ulan-Bator, Mongolia won a silver medal at flyweight at the 2012 London Games and has trained in California since turning pro in 2015.
