A Bakersfield Brawl Heats Up A Summer Night

Former Lightweight Champion Javier Jauregui Returns Against James Crayton On July 30

Simply put, Javier Jauregui is a warrior, a former world lightweight champion who fights any time, any place, and against any opponent. It's a way of life that has made him one of the fight game's most respected participants, and on Friday, July 30, at the Centennial Garden in Bakersfield, California, Jauregui begins his road back to the top of the 135-pound division with a ten rounder against another respected veteran, James Crayton.

This ten round contest, which headlines an exciting night of boxing presented by Golden Boy Promotions, will be televised live on Telefutura's "Solo Boxeo", beginning at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

In the co-featured bout of the evening, highly regarded junior welterweight prospect Curtis Meeks puts his unbeaten record on the line in a bout against Guadalajara battler Humberto Chavez.

Former IBF world lightweight champion Javier Jauregui (47-11-2, 34 KOs) has taken the road less traveled during his amazing 16-year career. Hailing from Guadalajara, Mexico, "Chatito" turned pro at the age of 14, and he learned his craft the hard way, fighting men twice his age as he rose through the ranks.

Once Jauregui had established his credentials as a fighter to watch, he moved on to fighting a Who's Who of this era's best boxers. From scoring two stoppage victories over former lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, to squaring off against the likes of world champions Acelino Freitas, Agapito Sanchez, and Jesus Chavez, Jauregui is a fighter that has earned the title 'warrior'.

In November of 2003, Jauregui, riding a three-fight winning streak, got his chance at the gold ring when he took on Levander Johnson for the vacant IBF lightweight crown. With a packed house at the Grand Olympic Auditorium screaming his name, Jauregui emphatically stopped Johnson in eleven rounds to win his first world title. In May of 2004, Jauregui lost his title via a hard-fought majority decision to Julio Diaz, but he vows to reclaim his belt sometime very soon

Las Vegas' James "Too Sweet" Crayton (33-18-2, 19 KOs) would like to wear a championship belt himself, and he knows that a win over Jauregui will put him right back in the title picture. A ten-year veteran of the sport, Crayton is a former NABA lightweight champion, and the fighters he has faced over the years comprise some of the best fighters in the world at 135 pounds, including Juan Lazcano, Julio Diaz, and Stevie Johnston.

This bout is a classic matchup between two veterans trying to stay alive in one of the sport's most competitive weight classes.

Speaking of competitive weight classes, look at the junior welterweight division, where unbeaten Texan Curtis Meeks (8-0, 3 KOs) is attempting to make his name. That shouldn't be too hard, since the 2001 National Golden Gloves finalist and 1998 and 1999 Junior Olympic semi-finalist from Austin, has already garnered positive notices as a fighter to watch.

Receiving compliments from none other than legendary trainer Lou Duva comparing him to former world champion Meldrick Taylor, Meeks seems to be on the road to the championship.

The roadblock on July 30 will be Guadalajara's hard-hitting Humberto Chavez, who, like his countryman Jauregui, is a no-nonsense fighter who leaves it all in the ring every night. In Chavez' last bout, on May 13, he won a clear cut unanimous decision over Javier Garcia to lift his record to 6-3-1 with 5 KOs.