All is set to create a night of thrilling boxing action as the IBA Champions’ Night kicks off in Mexico with media weigh-in at Plaza Patria in Aguascalientes. The grand boxing show with two IBA American Champion titles at stake for both the main and co-main events is scheduled at the Gimnasio Olimpico on 6 April 2024 at 19:00 CST.

Undefeated Mexican boxer Bryan “El Latino” Acosta (20-0) and South American Games silver medallist Alberto “El Impacto” Melian from Argentina will dispute the IBA continental belt in the 57kg weight category. Melian is currently a pro boxer with 12 victories, 2 losses, and 1 draw on his record.

Melian was confident that he would bring the belt back home.

“I had the chance to talk face-to-face with Bryan Acosta and I want to tell him that I will go out to give everything. There are many people in Argentina who will be supporting me and they will send good energy to get this victory, it will be a very tough fight with a very difficult opponent but we will get ahead and we will take that belt to Argentina. I’m going to make people in Mexico get to know me. I made a cap with ‘20-1’ on it so Bryan could see that it would be his record after the fight with me. This time I have to be the bad guy in this story, I am going to ruin the party and unfortunately for the Mexican public I am going to give a great show.”

Acosta, supported by his home crowd, shared his excitement about the upcoming bout.

“I feel ready for this Saturday to give a good fight; Alberto is a strong opponent, he goes ahead, we are prepared and ready to solve any problem he may bring,” he told. “I will be the star of this evening and I think it is a very good opportunity for my career and for the IBA event in Aguascalientes. I think it’s normal what Alberto Melian says about my record. In fact, at all the 20 fights I’ve had, all the rivals have come with the same mentality of wanting to give me my first defeat, which it’s normal. I worked hard, it’s the fight I’ve worked the hardest, that defeat cannot tarnish my record. I am ready to shut his mouth.”

In the co-main event, the Pan-American champion from Mexico Marco Verde is to face Cuban Roniel Iglesias, who is the IBA World champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist. The winner of this contest will be declared the IBA American Champion at 71kg.

Iglesias said that he felt no pressure being the most decorated boxer of the event.

“They call me the legend, but I think that there is no extra responsibility, we come here to do our job as we have always done in all the fights and competitions that we have had in my career. I come here to give the best of me and to finish with my hand raised up. IBA Champions’ Night is something very meaningful for my career, it is one of the most important competitions taking place in boxing worldwide. I have seen several of Marco’s fights, he is a young athlete of good quality, and I think this will be a good fight and may the best man win.”

Verde followed the steps of his father, who competed in Barcelona 1992, as the son qualified for Paris 2024 to be, perhaps, the first-ever father-son duo to compete at the Games.

“This fight is very important for me, Roniel is a great fighter from Cuba, I expect the best from him because he will give me a lot of experience for Paris. We have a great plan for the fight and are waiting for the bell to start. I can tell you that I’m going to give all in the ring, I’m ready for those 8 rounds of war and I can’t wait.”

Mexican boxer Jose Miguel Borrego (20-4) faces Dante Ettore from the USA (8-1-2) in 67kg weight division. In another fight in the same category, Miguel Ramirez Martinez from Mexico will compete in a 6-round ranking contest against Shamar Canal (7-0), an outstanding prospect from the USA.

IBA World Championships bronze medallist and Pan American Games medallist Rogelio Romero from Mexico is to face Evgeny Shvedenko (16-1-1) from Russia in the 86kg division.

The opening contest of the night will feature the 92kg bout between home favourite Kevin Martinez (13-0), a professional boxer from Mexico, and Ecuador’s Julio Castillo, who is the IBA World Championships silver medallist.

The live stream is available at night.iba.sport.

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