Weslaco, Texas, middleweight veteran Roberto "La Amenaza" Garcia (33-3, 22 KOs) says he's ready to go this Friday, February 7, when he steps in to face Monterrey, Mexico's Norberto "Demonio" Gonzalez (20-2, 13 KOs) in the Friday Night Fights-televised 10-round main event at UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
33-year-old Garcia is serving as a late-substitute opponent, due to an injury to "Mantequilla" Gonzalez.
"I believe in myself and in my abilities, so it doesn't matter who I fight," said Garcia. "I'm a throwback fighter. I don't duck anybody. These are the kinds of fights I take to prove what I can do."
Presented by Mike Tyson and Garry Jonas (Iron Mike Productions), Dominic Pesoli (8 Count Productions) and Leon Margules (Warriors Boxing), in addition to Garcia vs. Gonzalez, "Friday Night Fights" at UIC Pavilion will also feature a 10-round, televised co-feature between undefeated featherweight prospect Kamil Laszczyk (15-0, 7 KOs) of Warsaw, Poland, and Nicaragua's Daniel "El General" Diaz (20-5-1, 14 KOs), plus 18-year-old welterweight prospect Erickson "Hammer" Lubin (2-0, 2 KOs) opening the telecast in a four-rounder vs. TBA.
Tickets for "Friday Night Fights" are priced at VIP $151, VIP Ringside $101, Ringside $76, Mezzanine $51 and General Admission $31 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000), the 8 Count Productions Offices: 312-226-5800 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740.
Garcia says he's seen one two-minute video of opponent Gonzalez, but isn't worried about it.
"I made it clear to my team this year that I'm ready to fight anyone and just go for it. I'm a pressure fighter, I move forward and mix it up and I'm just going to go in there and see if he can take the heat. I'm always ready for 10 or 12 consistent rounds of breaking my opponent down. Let's see what happens."