Carolina, Puerto Rico – The World Boxing Organization (WBO), led by Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, will celebrate its 37th (37) Annual WBO Convention, “Rise of the Heavyweights,” in grand style at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, during a busy press conference held in the lobby of the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Isla Verde.

From Monday, October 28 to Friday, November 1, 2024, world champions, legends, former world champions, officials, prospects, promoters, managers and other boxing personalities will participate in various activities of the organization to discuss basic situations related to the sport, its development in the different regions represented, the highly regarded WBO Classification Commission meeting attended by representatives of all countries, the Gala Dinner where the awards of the year will be presented, the boxing poster and other events that can be found at www.wboboxing.com/convention

Mr. Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, OMB President:

“It has already been confirmed that the champions and former champions are in Puerto Rico, as are the three presidents of the other world organizations. On Thursday, December 31st, this convention will hold elections. We want everyone who wants to run to be a candidate. We have delegates in 81 countries. We will open the convention with a golf tournament at El Legado on Monday, October 28th. It will feature great legends and champions.

“During the week we will have very intriguing seminars with judges, referees and doctors from ABC, Dr. Valcárcel will be present, who will talk about gender equality in boxing, brain injuries, the orthopedist Leivia from Panama will be present, as well as other experts on the subject. We will organize a gala dinner and the awarding of the year, with this we will end the convention and of course the day before, on Wednesday, October 30, there will be the boxing gala “WBO Champions Night” in Humacao, which will be broadcast on ESPN Plus and ESPN Knockout”.

Honorable Mayor of Humacao Julio Geigel:
“Bringing the WBO card to Humacao is something incredible for our people and for boxing in general, because these will be fights that will define the future of our René Santiago and Juan Carlos Camacho and Juana Díaz. You can always count on our support for the sport.”

During the convention, promotional companies Miguel Cotto Promotions and All Star Boxing, Inc will be responsible for the poster titled “WBO Champions Night”, which will take shape on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at the Marcelo Trujillo Coliseum in Humacao.

In the main event, in a world-class junior flyweight (108 pounds) bout, Puerto Rican René Santiago (12-4, 9 KOs) will face Panamanian Azael Villar (21-3-4, 15 KOs) in a regional title fight. Santiago is ranked eighth by the WBO, while Villar is ranked thirteenth.

In the semifinals, WBO NABO flyweight champion Juan Carlos “El Indio” Camacho (17-1, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico will face Filipino Jayson Mama (20-1, 10 KOs).

Félix “Tuto” Zabala, promoter of All Star Boxing:
“My father worked with Batista Salas, the founder of OMB. I was at the first gathering and, God willing, we will be at the 37th. I thank OMB for their support, Promociones Miguel Cotto for working with us and making this possible.”

“We will spread the name Humacao around the world. Returning to where my father started, where he took his first step in 1964, with a card featuring Rocky Rivero against Florentino Fernández in Bithorn, is an honor and a pride. “Indio” and “Chulo,” two Puerto Rican figures on their way to world titles, will have something to talk about on October 30 in Humacao.”

Héctor Soto, President and Promoter of Miguel Cotto Promotions:

“Thank you OMB for considering us to host this great event. We have three title fights. Our great 135-pound prospect Cristian Barreto will be in action. Remember that name, he’s going to be great, he’s very disciplined and we managed to even his fight with Miguel Marrero, the fighter from Tutico. It’s going to be a great fight to open the ESPN broadcast. We have “Indio” Camacho who is one step away from a world title after this fight. He’s number 6 in the WBO, his opponent Jayson Mama has a great record and is very good. Expect some close fights.”

Sixth-ranked WBO 112-pound and NABO champion Juan Carlos “Indio” Camacho vs. Juana Díaz:

“Thank you Miguel Cotto Promotions for supporting me since I started professional boxing. Thank you Paco, WBO for the great opportunity to take part in a fight that puts me one step away from the world title, which for me is a dream come true. I am very restless, I have many desires and Paco, I will win this fight and become world champion. You will see that Juan Carlos “Indio” Camacho will be there for the long haul. – I am not going to let you down.

René Santiago, ranked eighth by the WBO at 108 pounds:

“I am grateful to our mayor of Humacao Julio Geigel, WBO, All Star Boxing and Cotto Promotions. We invite everyone to my home in Humacao. After 10 years we will say “now”. I remember my debut 10 years ago in Humacao and we are coming back home on this great card. It will be a great show. As always I will give it my all and we will continue to do so.”

But a mega-money clash with Fury now seems further away than ever. The pair have publicly agreed to fight twice before, but negotiations have fallen through, frustrating British fans and accusing both icons of greed.

If Joshua were to beat Dubois and Fury were to win his world title rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in December, it was widely believed the pair would finally meet in a unification fight in 2025. However, Frank Warren, the Gypsy King’s promoter, has now given the 2012 Olympic gold medalist hope that the fight could still happen.

Pressed on whether he thinks the Joshua vs. Fury fight is dead, he said: “I don’t know. “I think people might still want it, if he (Joshua) comes back and wins, who knows.

“Fury has to face Usyk in a rematch on December 21 first, but I hope he can do it. This heavyweight division is alive, losers fight losers and winners fight winners.”

The question remains whether ‘AJ’ will have a chance to pick up that potentially pivotal victory over Dubois. In an apparent response to Hearn’s claim, Warren, 72, also clarified the situation surrounding the next defense of his IBF world title, which he also manages through Queensberry Promotions.

“He doesn’t have a rematch in his contract. But there is one in AJ’s contract,” he said. “I’m fine with a rematch if they want to do it and the terms are right. But it’s too early. He has to savor the moment, he’s shown what he’s all about, fighting four world-class guys this year.”

For his part, Dubois has stated that he would love to face Joshua a second time, but is also open to fighting the winner of Fury vs. Usyk. However, the 27-year-old admitted that financial incentives will play a role in his final decision.

“I’d like a rematch, but really, any one of them — the one that pays me the most,” he said, also appearing on . “If there’s a rematch next time, then yes. I want to try. I want to do even better next time.”

Anthony Joshua has reflected on his recent defeat to Daniel Dubois, but the wise words Mike Tyson shared with Errol Spence Jr. could be just as relevant for the British heavyweight.

Joshua entered the ring at Wembley to face Dubois on the back of a winning streak and seemingly having shaken off his defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.

Despite being tipped to win, Dubois dominated the fight, knocking Joshua down in the first and third rounds before securing the win in the fifth.

At 34, Spence is at a similar point in his career, having not fought since his inaugural loss to Terence Crawford in 2023.

Tyson, a former heavyweight champion, offered some sage advice during an appearance on “It Is What It Is,” reminding fighters that a single defeat doesn’t mean it’s over.

“The sky is the limit,” Tyson noted. “It means nothing, a loss. He [Spence] can still make a lot of money.

“That’s what today’s warriors do [do]They lose the fight, they get discouraged, [think] Maybe I won’t do it again. That’s life – don’t get discouraged.

“In life you lose… anything. You lose your job, you lose your mother, you lose your teeth, you lose your hair, and we have to go on living, we have to go on sailing.”

Joshua’s current record is 28-4, after failing to take the IBF heavyweight title from Dubois.

Despite the setback, promoter Eddie Hearn remains hopeful about Joshua’s future, expecting him to sign a rematch clause with the 27-year-old Dubois.

AJ has already made it clear that he has no plans to retire and will apparently heed the advice of American icon Tyson.

“I’m sure he’ll exercise that rematch clause. I think that’s a given,” Hearn noted after the Wembley fight, admitting that Joshua needs to rest before taking on such a risky fight again.

“This guy [Dubois] He’s still gaining confidence, but he’s going to believe he can hurt Dubois. He’s going to believe he can beat him. But full credit to Daniel Dubois, he deserves all the credit tonight, that was a great performance from Daniel.”

Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, has hinted at the possibility of a future fight between Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk, after Usyk first faces Tyson Fury.

And on Saturday he said: “Everybody here saw the champion perform tonight. Two great fighters in the ring and the champion perform. And I think he did everything that was asked of him.

“He showed his courage, he showed his skills, his resilience. AJ caught him with a shot there and I was worried about that. But he caught him with a counter and that’s what happened. What a great, great fight by both guys.”