Oscar Collazo Will Make His First Defense In Puerto Rico

Minimum weight world champ Oscar Collazo will make his first defense of his WBO belt next month in his home country of Puerto Rico. That’s according to a Friday announcement from Golden Boy Promotions.

From their release:

“With his eyes locked on legacy making, Puerto Rico’s Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo (7-0, 5 KOs) will continue his history-making journey as he makes his first WBO Mini Flyweight World Championship defense against Garen “Hellboy” Diagan (10-3, 5 KOs) of General Santos City, Philippines on Saturday, August 26. The first men’s world title fight in Puerto Rico in six years, the special island broadcast of the Golden Boy Fight Night Series on DAZN will take place at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan and is presented in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions. The DAZN broadcast begins at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT

“El Pupilo” solidified his place at the top of the list of active Puerto Rican boxers with a meteoric rise in the sport through a spectacular knockout of former titleholder Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem this past May 27 on the undercard of Rocha vs. Young. Displaying his adaptability and surgical use of a heavy left hand punch that hurt the former champion, Collazo crushed a number of records in his victorious championship fight, including shredding the record for the fastest to become a world champion from Puerto Rico.

“I feel super honored to return to fight where I made my pro-debut, and make my first defense there,” said World Champion Oscar Collazo. “Great champions such as Wilfredo Gómez, Wilfredo Benitez, Tito Trinidad and Miguel Cotto have fought there, and this is another historic moment that marks my career once again. I am super grateful to Miguel Cotto Promotions, Golden Boy and DAZN for believing in me and allowing me to make my first defense here, in front of my people of Puerto Rico. I am very excited and grateful.”

“Like all Filipinos, my opponent comes to fight. He is a strong boxer who has come with two great victories. He is tall and he uses his reach well. We have everything planned and we know the hands that I have can attack and make damage. I just want to continue thanking my fans for the support they have given me, and I want them to support me on August 26 to continue making history together with all my beautiful people from the Island,” concluded Collazo.

With a moniker of “Hellboy,” Diagan is a tough southpaw who created chaos in South Africa when he knocked out local hero Simpiwe Konkco and in Vietnam when he outscored world-ranked Huu Toan Le with a split decision victory. Diagan is not a stranger to being the underdog in a foreign land and securing an upset victory.

“I am amped about my opponent, Collazo is a world champion. I will bring my A-game,” said challenger Garen Diagan. “I’ll do my level-best to prove to all that I can hang with the best of them too. My opponent is a tough cookie and well-rounded fighter. There is something about him that sets him apart from the others – he packs a punch and is on a winning spree. He’s got some serious muscle. My coach and I have a plan, we have been putting in the hours in the gym, and I’ll give it everything I’ve got to show everyone that he’s up against a true Filipino.”

More information on the complete undercard will be announced in the coming weeks.”

The 26 year old Collazo made Puerto Rican championship boxing history with his stoppage of Jerusalem, winning a world title in just his seventh professional bout. He has already established himself as a puncher, as well, having scored a KO in three of his last four bouts.

The venue is a famed arena in San Juan named after the hall of fame baseball great Clemente and Golden Boy Promotions will fill out the August 26th undercard in the coming weeks.