Figueroa's future looks golden

Weslaco light welterweight Omar “Panterita” Figueroa (6-0, six knockouts) considers himself quite fortunate.
Having just turned pro a little more than one year ago, Figueroa’s star is on the rise after last month’s trip to Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

While under the guidance of the highly regarded trainer and his associates at the famous gym, Figueroa made some very favorable impressions while sparring two strong opponents — 21-1 WBA world champion Amir Khan and an 18-1 fighter from Scotland. It was enough to get Figueroa noticed by Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, and now it appears “Panterita” may soon be signing for future fights with De La Hoya’s organization.

It would be quite an opportunity for the young fighter, a 2008 Weslaco East graduate now attending Texas A&M.

 
“Those sparring sessions did it for me,” Figueroa said. “Who would have ever thought that something like this would happen to a 19-year-old kid  from Weslaco?”

Omar Figueroa Sr., the fighter’s father and manager, said Roach talked to De La Hoya about his son, and also said he was able to pass along to them a CD showing some of “Panterita’s” fights and workouts.

“Oscar De La Hoya called me to say he’s very interested in Omar,” Figueroa Sr. said. “Supposedly, this is the first time Golden Boy Promotions has contacted a boxer from the Rio Grande Valley (about signing). If that’s the case, then we’ve made history already.”

Figueroa Sr. said it’s possible his son could sign as soon as this week.

Meanwhile, the Weslaco fighter, known for his quick hands, is taking his good fortune in stride. He’s next scheduled to fight a four-round exhibition Aug. 8 at Brownsville Sports Park before fighting Aug. 22 in Houston.

“It’s very gratifying that all the work we’ve put into my boxing career is paying off,” he said. “I feel that God is blessing me.”

UPCOMING
The Paul Garcia Promotions show set for Aug. 8 at Brownsville Sports Park is scheduled to feature a six-round bantamweight main event between Gabriel “El Cadete” Rangel (6-5-3, two KOs) and Alejandro Garcia (5-5, four KOs). Rangel, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, now fights out of Mission. Garcia is from Laredo.

Rangel gave Sergio Perales (10-0, five KOs) a strong battle before losing to the Brownsville bantamweight on an eight-round unanimous decision May 9 at Brownsville Sports Park.

The Aug. 8 show’s co-main event is a scheduled four-round female matchup between Maria de Jesus Rodriguez (2-1) of Brownsville and Norma Ramirez (1-1) of Saltillo, Mexico. Rodriguez is a past four-time amateur lightweight champion who ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in her division in 2004.

Boxing is scheduled to return to Brownsville Sports Park on Aug. 22 with Perales fighting in the main event of a Julio Marines show.

Edinburg middleweight Raul “El Tigre” Casarez (14-2, seven KOs) may also fight on the card in one of the featured bouts.

Roy Hess writes for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him via e-mail at rhess@brownsvilleherald.com.