Antillon ready for spotlight!

fightnews.com

Unbeaten in 25 fights with 18 knockouts, and ranked in the top five by three of the four major world sanctioning bodies, Maywood, California’s Urbano Antillon has more than earned a major fight on premium cable television or for a world championship, but says the top names at 135 pounds are avoiding him. “I paid my dues,” said the 26-year old. “Now I want my shot. I keep seeing fighter after fighter without my credentials getting these big opportunities, and I’m tired of it. I’m putting out the word to the public right now – I’ll fight any of these guys any place at any time, and I will knock any of them out.”

A 2000 National Golden Gloves champion who beat former world titleholder Paulie Malignaggi on the way to the crown, Antillon (25-0, 18 KOs) is now in his ninth year as a pro and has torn through his competition, winning the NABO and NABF titles at 130 pounds while scoring big knockout victories over Bobby Pacquiao and Daniel Attah. Currently on an eight fight KO streak, he has his sights firmly set on a world title in 2009.

“I’d love to fight the winner of the Edwin Valero vs Antonio Pitalua fight, and I hope he’ll step up,” said Antillon of the April 4th bout for the vacant WBC lightweight title. “I’m not holding my breath though. We offered Vicente Escobedo a fight but he turned it down, and he’s just one of many that won’t fight me. That’s okay though; I’m not going anywhere, and I’m just gonna keep doing what I do and eventually I won’t be able to be ignored any longer.”

Antillon returns to the ring on May 1st at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He will headline the venue’s first-ever boxing event against Michigan southpaw Tyrone “Fist of Fury” Harris.

Note: Although the Hard Rock has previously hosted numerous boxing events in a room called “The Joint,” the original Joint closed in February. This will be the first fight card at the new version of ‘The Joint,’ built on a former parking lot on the east side of the property. The new building has a capacity of 2,986 and is scheduled to open on April 19 with a concert by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney.