Lourdes Juarez Will Defend WBC World Title in Fresnillo, Mexico

Lourdes Juarez will defend her WBC World Female junior bantamweight title tonight against Debora Vanesa Gomez at El Domo de la Feria in Fresnillo, Mexico.

The Juarez-Gomez fight will headline a Promociones del Pueblo card and will air live on Canal Space throughout Mexico, Central America, and South America. 

Juarez (33-2, 4 knockouts), who resides in Mexico City, will be making the fourth defense of the WBC title she won in December 2020, defeating Guadalupe Martinez Guzman by unanimous decision. In her last bout on November 12, Juarez defeated Luz Aguilar by unanimous decision. 

The 35-year-old has not lost since suffering back-to-back losses in 2014. Juarez has since won her last 30 fights in a span of almost eight years.

Gomez (7-7-2), who resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, fought to a split-decision draw against once-beaten Ayelen Granadino on October 23. Two months later in the rematch, Gomez lost to Granadino by unanimous decision. 

The 27-year-old has won only once in her last five bouts.

In the co-feature, fringe junior featherweight contender Bryan Mercado will square off against Martin Casillas in an eight-round clash between Mexico City prizefighters. 

Mercado (21-1, 16 KOs) stopped Pedro Tut in the opening round of his last bout on April 2. The win over Tut took place over five months after Mercado defeated Gabino Hernandez by unanimous decision. 

The 26-year-old has received high praise from promoter Oswaldo Kuchle, who believes Mercado can become a contender at 122 pounds. 

“He’s moving along well and improving,” Kuchle told BoxingScene Friday afternoon. “He has that classic Mexican style, sort of like Salvador Sanchez. He is thin and tall. He sets up his punches well, including that left hook to the body.

Casillas (20-12-1, 10 KOs) has not fought since November 2019, losing to unbeaten contender Thomas Ward by unanimous decision. He had won his previous five bouts after losing his previous five.

Karim Arce (19-1-2, 8 KOs) will face former world title challenger Ivan Meneses (19-21-2, 11 KOs) of Puebla, Mexico. Arce, who resides in Los Mochis, Mexico, is the nephew of former world champion Jorge ‘Travieso’ Arce. 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing