QUINCY, Mass. – 4-time New England Golden Gloves Champion Keno Luna will make his lengthy anticipated skilled debut at dwelling on Saturday night time, December 9, preventing on the “Pandemonium on the Palladium 2” card, introduced by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), in a four-round bout in opposition to Moises Riveira.
The entire motion will probably be streamed stay on BXNGTV.com from the famed Palladium in Luna’s hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts.. GCP has partnered with Challenge New Hope, a Worcester-based charity that helps veterans and their households.
Along with profitable 4 N.E. Golden Gloves titles, Luna (67-18 beginner report) is a five-time Silver Mittens champion, who additionally reached the semi-finals of the 2019 and 2023 Nationwide Golden Gloves Event. He’s educated by Chico Lopez at Ken Ball’s Camp Proper Boxing Health club in Worcester.
“I needed to make it to the Olympic Qualifiers this 12 months, however I fell brief,” Luna defined why he’s turning professional now. “I felt robbed and everyone else did too. I didn’t wish to wait 4 extra years to try to make the (2028) Olympics.
“I’m solely going to be higher as a professional, as a result of my model is healthier suited to it than the amateurs, the place it’s all about punching for factors. I prefer to take my time and choose spots. I’m a southpaw who individuals within the health club have been calling mini-Pacquiao. I’m a speedy southpaw who began going to the health club after I was 10. I didn’t actually know a lot about Manny Pacquiao, however as soon as I began watching his fights, I spotted why they have been calling me mini-Pacquiao.”
Preventing at dwelling as one of many leaders of the brand new wave of Worcester boxers means so much to the 21-year-old Luna. He’s conscious of his hometown’s wealthy custom of manufacturing elite fighters for the previous century, together with high 10-rated light-weight contender Jamaine Ortiz.
“Preventing my professional debut at dwelling is sort of a dream come true for me,” Luna stated. I can’t wait. I’m comfortable and enthusiastic about this chance. I’ve educated with sparred Jamaine and it’s meant a lot to me. He’s been my inspiration and look the place he’s at present.”
Two different Worcester fighters are on the cardboard as effectively, mild heavyweight Kendrick Ball, Jr. (21-1-3, 12 KOs), and junior middleweight Khiary “Too Sharp” Grey (17-6, 13 KOs). Ball will probably be preventing for his third title when he faces Heber Rondon (20-5,13 KOs), of Venezuela, in an eight-round match for the vacant United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Mild Heavyweight Championship. Grey fights for the primary time in two years, squaring off with veteran Jimmy “The Quiet Storm” Williams (18-13-2, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout match that would steal the present.
“We’re honored to have Keno’s first skilled bout on a Granite Chin occasion,” GCP president Chris Traietti remarked. “All of the chatter about him has been enthusiastic and optimistic that he has the products to go someplace in boxing. All of it simply provides to the standard of the cardboard being placed on December 9th. Granite Chin is displaying the quick and comparatively quickly way forward for Massachusetts boxing.”
The stacked “Pandemonium on the Palladium 2,” card additionally has Worldwide Boxing Affiliation (IBA) Americas Tremendous Middleweight and Massachusetts Mild Heavyweight Champion Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (9-0, 7 KOs) preventing an opponent to quickly be introduced.
Card topic to alter.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Government Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and likewise a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.