Ronny Rios to headline March 9 Golden Boy on ESPN card

Ronny Rios, who challenged for a super bantamweight world title last year in a losing effort against Rey Vargas, will return to action on March 9 in the main event of a Golden Boy on ESPN card, facing Azat Hovhannisyan from The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California.

Rios (29-2, 13 KO) last fought on December 2, winning a tune-up bout against Deivi Julio Bassa on the Cotto-Ali undercard in New York. He’ll look to make it two straight against Hovhannisyan (13-2, 10 KO), who has won seven straight fights since his last loss in 2014. He was also defeated in his 2011 pro debut.

In the co-feature, welterweight prospect Alexis Rocha (10-0, 7 KO) will look to stay unbeaten against an opponent to be named. Rocha went 4-0 in 2017, and will hopefully look to up his competition in 2018.

Junior middleweight Marvin Cabrera (6-0, 5 KO) and lightweight Joseph Aguirre (19-0, 10 KO) will also be in action.