Marco Antonio Rubio vs. Matt Vanda, Friday in Las Vegas; February Bout with Chavez Jr. Looms

WBC #1 middleweight contender, Marco Antonio Rubio (52-5-1, 45 KOs) takes on Minnesota’s Matt Vanda (44-13, 24 KOs) this Friday, December 16th at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas as part of the WBC’s 49th annual convention.

Mexico’s Rubio, who is 9-0 with 8 KOs since losing a February, 2009 bout with Kelly Pavlik, stopped Canadian prospect, David Lemieux in seven rounds earlier this year to become the WBC’s mandatory top contender. In his 11-year career, Rubio has been in the ring with the likes of Lemieux, Pavlik, Kassim Ouma, Grady Brewer, Jose Luis Zertuche, Rigoberto Alvarez, and Enrique Ornelas among others.

Vanda, whose career highlight is a near win over in 2008 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and a unanimous decision rematch loss four months later, has lost four of his last six bouts. However, the rugged club fighter from St. Paul has only been stopped once in a fifteen year career that has featured bouts with Chavez , Peter Manfredo Jr., John Duddy, Yori Boy Campas, Sebastien Demers, and Anthony Bonsante.

On the line for Rubio is a February 4th title shot at WBC middleweight titlist, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Chavez, who is in attendance for the WBC convention, confirmed to Latin American media the date, venue, and his desire to face Rubio, should he defeat Vanda Friday.

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