Edward “Kid” Vazquez, a globally ranked featherweight contender hailing from Fort Worth, TX, is primed to step back into the ring this Saturday, July 29. His opponent? Brayan de Gracia. The stakes are high as the pair will compete for the vacant IBF Intercontinental Featherweight Championship. The event is brought to us by Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment, helmed by the hall of fame promoter himself.
The Vazquez – de Gracia encounter will headline a thrilling card of five bouts. The venue? Riders Field, home to the AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the Frisco Roughriders. As an exciting finale, spectators in attendance will have the chance to catch the long-awaited fight featuring local star, Errol Spence Jr. up against Terence Crawford. This clash of the titans for the undisputed welterweight championship will be broadcast live on the largest jumbotron in minor league baseball!
Managed by DKO Boxing, Vazquez recently inked a promotional deal with DiBella Entertainment, making this his debut bout under their banner.
With an enviable 14-1 record, Vazquez is currently ranked 10th in the world by the IBF. His rapid ascension within the featherweight division is nothing short of impressive. Last February 17th, he secured a hard-fought decision victory over Misael Lopez (14-1) in a nationally televised match on Showtime’s ShoBox, The New Generation. This marked yet another milestone in the Kid’s pursuit of his maiden World Title shot. His wins also include formidable prospects such as Viktor Slavinskyi (13-1-1), Irvin Gonzalez (14-2), Adan Ochoa (11-1), and Brandon Cruz (6-0). Vazquez’s only loss, a controversial decision to Raymond Ford (now ranked: WBA 2, IBF 5, WBO 8, and WBC 15), was widely viewed as a clear victory for Vazquez, even by Ford’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.
An outstanding performance against de Gracia would further solidify Vazquez’s standing in the world rankings.
De Gracia, a hard-hitting contender from Panama, enters the ring with an equally impressive 29-2-1 (25 KO’s) record. Notably, his last 12 victories have all ended in knockouts. This upcoming bout promises to be a titanic battle that fans won’t want to miss.