Promoter Felix ‘Tutico’ Zabala brings boxing cards back to Miccosukee Resort

Repeated rides to the airport for the eventual boarding of yet another flight characterizes Felix “Tutico” Zabala’s career as a promoter. Zabala amusingly recalls how he runs out of space on his passport’s pages for entry and exit approvals.

The promotional junkets that have taken Zabala to Asia, Europe, South America and throughout North America featured a noticeable void the past 10 years. In fact, the trip that Zabala longed for doesn’t even necessitate air travel, just a seven-mile drive along Tamiami Trail from his West Miami-Dade home.

Miccosukee Resort and Gaming became Zabala’s hub for fight cards when he formed All-Star Boxing in June 2001, shortly after his father and promoter, Felix Sr., retired. During a 10-year run, the younger Zabala showcased 40 cards at Miccosukee through his partnership with Spanish-language network Telemundo that continues today.

When a new Miccosukee administration assumed leadership early last decade, boxing was de-emphasized and Zabala-promoted shows ceased at the venue. As a result, Zabala moved the majority of his Telemundo-televised shows to Kissimmee and Mexico.

Holding out hope of a return to Miccosukee, Zabala got his wish after former leader Billy Cypress resumed chairmanship. Under Cypress’ guidance, the Miccosukee council and Zabala agreed on a three-card deal this year. The first of the Miccosukee shows will be Feb. 21.

“I am very happy to return home,” Zabala said. “This means a lot to my company and my family. I grew up as a promoter at Miccosukee. It was the first location that gave me an opportunity to host our fights.

“All the years away didn’t dash our goal of coming back. It took a long time but we did it.”

The Feb. 21 card will be headlined by a regional junior-flyweight title fight between Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Gonzalez and Mexico’s Saul Juarez. Also featured in separate undercard bouts are double Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba and Luis Cabrera, who represented his native Venezuela in the 2016 Games.

The highly anticipated buildup to his professional debut overwhelmed Ramirez, who lost a split decision to Adan Gonzalez Aug. 10. Promoted by Top Rank, Ramirez shook off the loss to Gonzalez and stopped Fernando Ibarra in six rounds three months later. Ramirez, who lives in Las Vegas, will face Rafael Morales on the Miccosukee card.

“I put too much pressure on myself because of expectations tied to my amateur background,” Ramirez said of the experience learned from his debut. “I made a few boxing adjustments for the second fight, but it basically came down to just being me in the ring.”

The Miccosukee show opens Telemundo’s 31st year of televised bouts, the last 20 with Zabala. As in the previous three years, Telemundo will have a seasonal format of four Friday night telecasts during the spring, summer and fall. This year, four telecasts have been added to the schedule and Zabala hopes the expanded list will include another card from Miccosukee.

“Miami can again become a popular location for boxing and Miccosukee’s history and tradition of hosting shows speaks for itself,” Zabala said. “We are hopeful of maintaining our working relationship with Miccosukee for many years to come.”

AROUND THE RING

Miami resident Guillermo RIgondeaux won a second-tier bantamweight title with his split-decision victory over Venezuela’s Liborio Solis late Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Rigondeaux (20-1) dropped Solis (30-6-1) in the seventh round for the fight’s only knockdown. In the 10th, Rigondeaux landed three solid lefts to the head that dazed Solis.

But for RIgondeaux, the bout’s verdict became tighter after he spent several rounds without engaging. Rigondeaux, 39, instead moved laterally and retreated to avoid the charging Solis.

Two judges scored the bout for Rigondeaux 116-112 and 115-113 and the third had Solis winning 115-112.

A native of Cuba, Rigondeaux has now won titles in the bantamweight and super-bantamweight divisions.

COMING UP

Friday (9 p.m., DAZN): Ryan Garcia vs. Francisco Fonseca, 12, lightweights.

Friday (10 p.m., Showtime): Tomas Mattice vs. Isaac Cruz, 10, lightweights.

Saturday (8 p.m., Fox): Caleb Plant vs. Vicent Feigenbutz, 12, for Plant’s IBF super-middleweight title.