Fresh off capturing the NABC Welterweight title and his first round destruction of Anthony Ivy, Antonio Mesquita (32-0, 26 knockouts) wasted no time to announce his readiness to take on any and all contenders in the Welterweight and Super Welterweight Divisions. On the top of Mesquitas wish list are the Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya (38-4) and Lloyd Mayweather, Jr. (36-0).
When asked about who he would prefer to fight next, Mesquita stated that he is ready to fight any of the top fighters. It is up to my coach (Luis Tapia) and promoter (Lion Heart Boxing Promotions) to decide who I will fight next. However, I think I am ready for a real challenge. I would love to fight Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather, Jr. first, then Ricky Hatton, Paul Williams, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Shamba Mitchell, Carlos Baldomir or any real challenger. Unfortunately, whenever the opportunity has come, many of these top guys simply dodge me. I was supposed to fight Ricky Hatton a few years ago but he flaked. I dont know why, but I put the fear of God in many fighters.
Until Oscar De La Hoya, Mayweather, Jr. or another credible opponent accepts his challenge, Mesquita plans to stay busy and fight as often as possible. Mesquitas next fight is scheduled for June 29, 2006 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City where he will face cross state challenger Justo Sanchez.
Oscar De La Hoya, the Los Angeles legend claimed the WBC light-middleweight on Saturday, May 6, 2006 with a comprehensive sixth-round stoppage defeat of Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga at the MGM Grand. It was De La Hoya's first fight since an ill-fated middleweight title defeat by Bernard Hopkins in September 2004. The 33-year-old Oscar De La Hoya is the most decorated active boxer in the sport today having won world titles at super-featherweight, lightweight, light-welterweight, welterweight, light-middleweight and middleweight.
Oscar De La Hoya is prepared to risk his boxing legacy one more time after making a glorious return to the ring in Las Vegas. La Hoya is mulling over one last blockbuster fight before calling it a day and concentrating solely on his new career as a promoter with his own Golden Boy Promotions company. The biggest fight that could be made would be against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr, whose father, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., trains De La Hoya. Mayweather Sr, who has a turbulent relationship with his son, has made it clear he will have no involvement in such an emotionally complex fight.
But De La Hoya is still not ruling out the mouth-watering prospect. I don't know where we'll go next," he admitted. "I don't plan on fighting much longer, maybe one more major fight. . . Who knows? Mayweather is probably the best fighter in the world, but we'll see what happens.
Asked to comment on De La Hoyas desire to have one last fight before riding into the sunset, Mesquita could not contain himself. Says Mesquita, Oscar De La Hoya is a great fighter, one of the best ever. He should retire before it is too late as he has nothing more to prove. He has done himself and the sport of Boxing proud. If De La Hoya wants to continue to test faith, I, with all due respect, will gladly end De La Hoyas career for him. If Oscar needs a worthy opponent to prove that he still has it, he needs to look no further. Mesquita-Neto is all the proof he needs.
Undefeated knockout artist and Welterweight Contender Antonio Mesquita of St. George, Utah, by way of Guaruja, Brazil, sports an impressive winning streak of thirty two of professional wins, twenty six by way of knockout. After racking up a record of thirty wins, Mesquita took a year and half long leave-of-absence from Boxing to tend to a personal family matter in August, 2004. Desiring to finish the job he started, Mesquita returned on February 16, 2006 at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center where he KOed Luiz Da Silva, a long-time nemesis. On May 26, 2006, he annihilated Anthony Ivy of Kansas City to capture the NABC Welterweight and Utah State Welterweight titles, knocking Ivy in one round with unmatched speed and devastating body punches.
Mesquita is the former WBO Latin America Junior Welterweight Champion, Brazilian Light Welterweight Champion and former WBO Number Two Ranked Welterweight Antonio. Mesquita is now the North American Boxing Council Welterweight Champion.
About Lion Heart Boxing Productions
Lion Heart Boxing Productions, now headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, through its operations and affiliates, is a global and integrated Boxing Promotions and Sports Entertainment Company, started in 2001 by Tax Attorney and Boxing enthusiast Edward Mendy. The Company has quickly developed a reputation as a producer of high quality fights and is well respected for its fair treatment of fighters and commitment to fighters rights. Lion Heart Boxing Productions is the promoter of the Thursday Night Fights series, the World Class Boxing in Utah series as well as the heavyweight series A Night of the Heavies. Lion Heart Boxing Productions is proud to be the Promoter of NABC Welterweight Champion Antonio Mesquita (32-0, 26 KOs).
About Antonio Mesquita
Current NABC Welterweight Champion and thirty one year old Antonio Mesquita (32-0) is a native of Guaruja, Brazil. He currently fights out of St. George, Utah and is trained by Luis Tapia, a renowned trainer, and the owner and operator of the Johnny Toccos Boxing Gym in Las Vegas. Mesquitas highest rank was Number Two, before his leave of absence. Since turning pro in 1997, Mesquita (32-0, 26 KOs) of Guaruja, Brazil, has remained unbeaten and has knocked out more than 80 percent of his opponents, 20 KOs within the first five rounds. The native Brazilian Mesquita captured his first pro crown, the Brazilian State Light Welterweight championship, after less than one year of campaigning as a professional fighter with a 10-round KO over Valmir Gomes on December 6, 1997. His second major crown was the WBO Latin America Junior Welterweight crown which Mesquita won in his hometown by registering a first-round KO over Juan Urzua on January 15, 2001. In his sole title defense, Mesquita earned a 12-round decision over Luiz Da Silva on June 30, 2001, in Guaruja. Mesquita stayed active until 2001, when a shortage of opponents slowed his career. In his sole 2002 appearance, Mesquita floored Rodrigo Villalba in the third round on April 20. After that Mesquita only fought four more times, racking on four more wins, before taking a leave of absence in August, 2004 for personal reasons. Mesquita returned to Boxing on February 16, 2006 at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center. Since then he has had two knockout wins and along the way has captured the NABC Welterweight and Utah State Welterweight titles.
About the NABC
The North American Boxing Council is a professional boxing sanctioning body with its United States office in Indianapolis, IN. The US operations are managed by NABC President, Ed Hutchison. The NABC has operated in its current incarnation since 1999.
The NABC sanctions State, Regional, National and Intercontinental title contests. The NABC brings together the best up-and-coming fighters and assists in their career development as they progress toward world championships. NABC championship bouts have been televised on HBO Boxing, ESPN2 Friday Night Fights and Fox Sports.
Like all professional boxing sanctioning organizations operating in the United States it is regulated by the Association of Boxing Commissions.
Boxers who have fought for the NABC belt include Evander Holyfield, F
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