(San Diego, CA) - The table is set for undefeated twenty-five year old San Diego fighter Emmanuel "Renegade" Robles (9-0-1, 3KOs) to take the next step in his and in typical Robles fashion, he is not taking the easy road. Robles will be facing 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and interim WBC 140lb Latino champion Yordenis Ugas (15-1, 7KOs) of Miami, Florida, by way of Santiago, Cuba in the ten round title main event of "San Diego Fights", the first fight card of the year for California Hall of Fame promoter Bobby D Presents in association with Caribe Promotions on Friday, February 28th, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley.
After spending a birthday in Juvenile Hall, Robles knew he had to do something different to get his life back on track. He chose boxing. Asking his mother, a single mother of three boys, for a boxing gym membership for Christmas, Robles jumped into training with both feet and has not let off. With his street fights as experience to draw from, the "Renegade" learned the sport quickly despite starting late but once he met his current trainer, Ernest Johnson Sr, he knew he was on the right track. Together they amassed a respectable amateur record of 35-9 with a 2008 PAL National championship at 141 pounds. Robles also won the 2009 southern California Golden Gloves and the Desert Showdown tournament the same year. In his last hurrah as an amateur, Robles reached the quarter finals in the U.S. Nationals in his final year as an amateur.
As respectable as Robles' pre-pro debut career was, it does not compare to the resume that the Cuban Ugas put together. A veteran of hundreds of amateur bouts, the twenty-seven year old Ugas is a four-time Cuban national champion who competed i nternationally since 2003 until 2009. Ugas medaled in every important world-class competition in the amateur world, from the World Cup to the Pan-American Games. In Beijing in the summer of '08, Ugas lost to Daouda Sow in the lightweight division but still took Olympic bronze.
In 2010 Ugas defected from Cuba to join the pro ranks.
Tall and bony with a deceptively languid style, Ugas is known as a sharp, technically accomplished fighter who Dan Rafael of ESPN called a "crowd pleaser", he went pro in mid-2010 in Georgia with a win over Dino Dmunjic and stringed together an eleven fight win streak including tilts against Kenny Abril and Esteban Almaraz. In March of 2013 he suffered his lone defeat against the undefeated Johnny Garcia via an eight round split decision in Tucson. Despite the loss, Ugas went on winning afterwards with impressive performances against veteran Cosme Rivera and John Williams in his last fight.
Photo by Paul Gallegos
San Diego's own undefeated Emmanuel Robles will challenge Cuban Yordenis Ugas for a WBC regional title.
Robles, a married father of three, went pro the same year as Ugas but later by a couple of months with a unanimous decision over Luis Sanchez. Robles lined up three more wins, two by knock out. In early 2012, Robles faced fellow San Diegan Adrian Vargas in what is considered one of the best local fights of recent times. The popular Vargas owned a win over Robles in the amateurs but for Emmanuel the four rounder in the pro ranks wasn't to exact revenge, "I was having trouble getting on fight cards and we knew that Vargas would be a tough fight in which we could showcase our skills. We wanted to show that we have the talent to be a world champion."
Despite being in his hometown, Robles stepped into hostile territory as the pro-Vargas crowd chanted their favorite fighter's name throughout the twelve minutes of action. In a classic matchup of boxer vs. brawler, Robles controlled the majority of the action with quick footwork and even quicker hands as Vargas tried to use brute force to impose his will. In the end, the judges saw it a majority draw in a fast placed battle that many saw Robles easily take it.
On the strength of that performance, Bobby D. Presents extended a promotional contract to Robles.
Since then Robles has kept winning with meaningful victories over experienced Jaime Orrantia and Adolfo Landeros as well as being called by current welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and Mexican 2012 Olympian Oscar Molina for sparring in preparation of important bouts.
In his best win to date, Robles suffered early on against hard hitting Joshua Marks but still grinding out an impressive 4th round KO win last April.
Robles recognizes his first opportunity for a title is not an easy won but he wouldn't have it any other way.
Tickets are available at www.SanDiegoFights.com.
DHB truly offers more content daily than any other boxing resource!
For much more videos and boxing news, GET THE REAL BITE by visiting our home page here at Doghouse Boxing.
