Boxing history is set to be made this summer, as a massive outdoor fight card in San Francisco aims to shatter a record that has stood for over eight decades. On July 11, Anthony Olascuaga will defend his WBO flyweight title against Mexico's Andy Dominguez at Civic Center Plaza, headlining an event with an audacious goal: surpassing the all-time boxing attendance record of 135,132 fans, set by Tony Zale vs. Billy Pryor in Milwaukee back in 1941.
The event is being spearheaded by Ed Pereira's newly formed iVisitBoxing, with veteran promoter Sampson Lewkowicz recently brought on as lead promoter. A formal press conference is scheduled for May 7 to unveil the full details, and the entire show will stream live on YouTube—making it accessible to fight fans worldwide.
For Olascuaga (12-1, 9 KOs), this is the latest chapter in a remarkable rise. The Californian, known as "Princesa," first turned heads in April 2023 when he stepped in on short notice to challenge unified light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji. Though he didn't win, Olascuaga's gutsy performance was all the more impressive given it was just his sixth pro fight. He didn't wait long for another shot. Just two fights later, he stopped Riku Kano in the third round to capture the WBO flyweight belt, and he has since made five successful defenses. A sixth will come in July on the grandest stage possible.
Standing across the ring will be Dominguez (13-1, 6 KOs), a Mexican contender who has rattled off three straight wins since a loss to Puerto Rican Olympian Yankiel Rivera. In that setback, Dominguez actually had Rivera badly hurt in the ninth round, showing the kind of power that can change a fight in an instant. Most recently, he edged Byron Rojas by split decision this past July, proving he belongs among the division's elite.
The undercard is stacked with talent as well. WBO No. 2-ranked middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. will face Gerardo Luis Vergara, while recent super featherweight title challenger Charly Suarez takes on veteran Manuel Avila. In a battle of unbeaten heavyweights, Gurgen Hovhannisyan meets Uila Mau'u—a clash that promises fireworks and could produce the next big thing in the division's deepest weight class.
With a record crowd expected and a world title fight at the center of it all, July 11 is shaping up to be a night that boxing fans won't want to miss. Whether you're watching from the stands or streaming from home, this is the kind of event that reminds us why the sweet science still captivates like no other sport.