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Mike Katsidis of Toowoomba, Queensland fights in the US!

Katsidis wearing his Greek Helmet

Perhaps the most talent rich division in boxing, the lightweight class, will be on center stage at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas on Saturday, April 4th, as Golden Boy Promotions presents “Lightweight Lightning,” an unprecedented four bout, lightweight pay-per-view event that will feature eight elite 135-pounders in four pivotal match-ups that will undoubtedly re-arrange the hierarchy of the highly competitive 135 pound division in one night.
In the “Lightweight Lightning” main event, revered and undefeated knockout artist Edwin Valero (24-0, 24 KOs) from Venezuela returns to the ring to face hard-hitting Colombian warrior Antonio Pitalua (46-3, 40 KOs) in a 12-round championship bout for the vacant WBC Interim World Lightweight crown.
One of the co-featured bouts prior to the main event will be a 10- round clash between former two-time World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, Cuban-born Joel Casamayor (36-4-1, 22 KOs) against the talented former World Champion and California native Julio Diaz (36-4, 26 KOs).  As their records reflect, these two evenly matched pugilists, with similarly impressive knock-out ratios, will vie for dominance in what many pundits anticipate to be a barn-burner of a fight.
The third co-featured bout sees Austin’s own Jesus Chavez (44-4, 30 KOs), a crowd-pleasing former Lightweight World Champion who is looking to capture a victory at home when he faces rugged and relentless Australian Michael Katsidis (24-2, 20KOs) who will look to give fight fans the type of “Arturo Gatti-like” performance that have become his trademark.
Rounding out “Lightweight Lightning” will be the always charismatic and entertaining Argentinean Jorge Barrios (47-4-1, 34 KOs) against another Lone Star State fighter, former World Champion Carlos Hernandez (43-7-1, 24 KOs), in a 10-round match-up that will open the pay-per-view telecast that evening.
“We have never done something like this before, pitting eight of the world’s best lightweights   against each other on one card,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions.  “It’s exciting, it’s innovative and I can’t wait for the opening bell to ring.  The lightweight division is going to be shaken up on April 4th and every one of these fighters knows his career can only advance if he comes out victorious that night…a loss for any of them would be devastating.”

Michael Katsidis
Michael Katsidis

The pride of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, 28-year-old Michael Katsidis is one of the rare fighters who has been able to carry his popularity overseas and to the United States. Katsidis is a proud Greek-Australian who often wears a Greek Spartan helmet as a homage to his Greek heritage. He also showcases this heritage with a tattoo on his back depicting the Vergina Sun associated with Macedonia, where his family is from. An all-action, blood and guts warrior and former WBO World Lightweight Champion whose only pro losses have come in competitive bouts against Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor, Katsidis recently got back in the win column with a ten round win over Angel Hugo Ramirez.  He now looks to add to his victory total with his trademark exciting style against Chavez on April 4th. “I miss holding a world title and I know the road back goes through Jesus Chavez,” said Katsidis.  “He’s a great fighter and champion, but on fight night, I will walk through fire to make sure my hand is raised in victory.”

“Lightweight Lightning,” which is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Southwest Airlines, will air live on pay-per-view beginning at 9pm ET / 6pm PT with a suggested retail price of $39.95.

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