HOUSTON, TX (March 13, 2014) – Super Welterweight sensation, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (19-1-2, 12 KOs) has been elevated to World Champion by the WBA (World Boxing Association) after successfully defending his interim title against Afredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) and Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs). The Cuban born fighter, who now resides in Houston, Texas, is happy that the WBA has made their decision to make him a World Champion.
“I applaud the WBA for their decision to make me a world champion and I want to send a special thank you to a good friend of mine Gilberto Mendoza from the WBA,” said Erislandy Lara. “I’ve never had anything come easy to me. I’ve fought everyone that has been offered to me with no hesitation. All I want is an opportunity to prove I’m the best fighter in the division. I’ve worked my entire life to become a world champion and now the dream has come true. I’m truly living the American Dream and I love this country that I now call home.”
Lara can arguably be referred to as an undefeated fighter, but was robbed in his only loss on record, a controversial majority decision debacle against Paul Williams, that forced the New Jersey State Athletic Commission to suspend all three judges scoring that night for their incompetent judging.
With the elevated status of WBA World Champion, Lara feels his career is heading in the right direction. He wants to challenge the best fighters in the world and knows what it’s going to take to get those fighters in the ring.
“It’s no secret that I would like to challenge the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Floyd Mayweather, Gennandy Golovkin and any other top fighter that feels they are the best. I’ll fight anyone. I’m going to keep working hard and do my best to keep winning fights. Boxing should be about the best fighting the best. If we were back in the old days of Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis, all these fights would have been made already. I’m hoping boxing resurrects itself to the days when the best fought the best. I love this sport and I will do what ever it takes to make it better for the fans.” Lara concluded.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
