The Costa Rica national male soccer team lost to Mexico yesterday, but throughout the last few weeks other athletes have had great achievements, like swimmer Camila Haase at the Sao Paulo 2017 Parapan American Youth Games, Laurens Molina who won the Los Angeles Marathon, and Kenneth Meneses at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria; other athletes are also preparing for their next competition, this is the case for boxers Yokasta Valle and Francisco Fonseca.

Yokasta Valle is the current Light-Mini Flyweight Female World Champion of the International Boxing Federation (IBF), she won this title in a split decision win over Mexican Ana Victoria Polo back in December. Valle is undefeated with 12 professional fights.

Francisco Fonseca is the IBF Inter-Continental Super Featherweight champion, he is undefeated with 18 wins and 1 draw. Fonseca was training for a title defense that was scheduled for mid-March in Spain, but the promoter of the event cancelled the fight.

Both Valle and Fonseca will be stepping into the ring again next Friday, March 31 at the Parque Central in downtown San José, their titles will not be on the line, these fights will help them prepare for their next big matches.

“Boxers train to fight, if a match falls off the table last minute because of an injury or any other reason these frustrates them, they prepare their bodies for a war, and they need to stay active, Francisco hasn’t fought since October and Yokasta’s last fight was back in December, so this is a good chance for them to test their progress and skills, and measure up against tough fighters without risking their belts, this is a learning experience a preparation for their next title defense”, said manager Mario Vega.

Yokasta will be facing experienced Panamanian fighter Yaditza Pérez at 105 pounds in a ten round fight.

Francisco Fonseca’s opponent is Nicaraguan Eliecer Lanzas, the fight was agreed in 133lbs category and they will battle for 8 rounds.

Other fights in the card include Francisco’s brother Freddy Fonseca, who has a record of 19 wins, 2 loses and 1 draw, against Nicaraguan Moises Castro; and undefeated Yerel Siezar against Miguel Corea, also from Nicaragua.

The event is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.