Dmitriy Salita aims for Thursday night’s show to showcase the next generation of boxing in Puerto Rico with his next installment of Big Time Boxing.
The DAZN show is headlined by Felix Parrilla, a Puerto Rican boxer from New Haven, Connecticut who faces Jose Velasquez in a scheduled 10-round featherweight at the Coliseo Pedrin Zorrilla in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Salita Promotions started the Big Time Boxing series on DAZN in 2024, with a focus on Detroit and Puerto Rico.
The series has served as a platform to help develop young fighters on Salita’s roster, with Joshua Pagan being the most notable fighter to come through the series so far.
Salita Promotions will hold its fourth show in Puerto Rico.
“People come to the island, and they disappear,” Salita said at Tuesday’s final pre-fight press conference. “Our goal is to build the foundation, build the fighters, to help the gyms, to build the community.”
Parrilla, 12-0 (10 KOs), recently signed a co-promotional agreement with Salita Promotions. The 26-year-old Boricua is riding a two-fight knockout streak, with both fights taking place on his home island.
“He is a link between the United States and Puerto Rico,” Salita said of Parrilla. “We believe that he has all the skills and ability to be one of the first world champions this series produces.”
Velasquez, 34-12-3 (24 KOs), is a veteran opponent from Quellon, Chile.
More than his wins and losses, one thing stands out about the 36-year-old’s record: he has never been stopped as a professional. Notably, he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to former titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev in 2021.
In attendance for Tuesday’s press conference were former Puerto Rican beltholders Ivan Calderon and Juan Manuel Lopez.
Calderon – a 2024 Hall of Fame inductee - will be cornering women’s junior lightweight contender Kiria Tapia.
Abisael Cotto, 10-0 (8 KOs), is also featured on the card. Cotto, a 25-year-old from San Juan, was announced as signing with Salita Promotions this week.
Salita took pride in seeing the former titleholders coming out to support his developmental program on the island.
“You know you have something special when you have the support of the great Puerto Rican champions,” Salita said. “We are very excited to bring big-time boxing to Puerto Rico.”
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
