Due to scheduling conflicts, the date for IBF featherweight world championship fight card in Tuxtla Gutierrez has been changed to Saturday, July 11. The card was originally scheduled for June 27.

Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions, Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves, and Fernando Beltran’s Promociones Zanfer will promote the card at El Palenque in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.

In the main event scheduled for 12 rounds, International Boxing Federation featherweight world champion Cristobal “Lacandon” Cruz, 38-11-1 with 23 knockouts, now based in Tijuana, Mexico, will make his second defense of the title against Jorge “Coloradito” Solis, 37-1-2 with 27 knockouts, of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Cruz was born in Jiquipilas in Mexico’s southernmost state of Chiapas. It will be his first fight in his home state since January, 2002, when he fought in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capitol.

This fight is the rematch – in December, 2003, Solis won a 10 round unanimous decision against Cruz in a fast-paced, exciting fight at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Cruz fought aggressively and constantly pressured Solis, but Solis boxed effectively – he kept Cristobal off-balance with movement, scored with sharp counterpunches, and won by decisive scores of 97-93, 98-92, 99-91.

For Cruz, the loss was part of a streak in which he lost four of five fights in 2003 and 2004. His career has had a dramatic turnaround, however, in the last couple of years - he has now won four fights in a row, which include an upset 12 round decision against Thomas Mashaba in March, 2008, and another upset 12 round decision to win the vacant IBF world title against heavily favored Orlando Salido in October, 2008. Cruz made his first title defense with a 12 round decision win against hometown favorite Cyril Thomas in Saint-Quentin, France, in his most recent fight in February, 2009.

Solis is the IBF’s number-one ranked featherweight contender. He has also won four fights in a row, including an impressive fifth-round TKO against Monte Meza-Clay in January, 2009, and a 10 round decision against Miguel Roman in May, 2008. Jorge’s only loss as a pro came in April, 2007, by eighth-round knockout against Manny Pacquiao.

Promociones Zanfer will announce three more exciting bouts on the card.

The undercard will include Gabriel Martinez, 21-1-1 with 13 knockouts, of Empalme, Sonora, Mexico, one of the up-and-coming stars in the welterweight division, versus Michel Rosales, 19-3 with 17 knockouts, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in a 10 round bout.

Arturo Santos Reyes, the 2008 Mexican Olympic team representative from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, will also fight on the card. He is scheduled to make his professional debut on June 19th, 2009, on ESPN in Laredo, Texas.