MICHAEL Fareñas is set to fight at the Erwin Center in Austin, Texas on April 27 (April 28 Sunday Philippine Time) against Gerardo “El Torito” Zayas (19W-21K-2D, 11 KOs) of Mexico instead of the previously reported Hardy Paredes.
The southpaw Fareñas lost to Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa in a WBA interim superfeatherweight title fight in Las Vegas last December by unanimous decision on the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez IV.
Last July 2012, Fareñas challenged Takashi Uchiyama for the regular WBA superfeatherweight world title but had to settle for a third round technical draw.
The 28 year-old Fareñas (34W-4L-4D, 26 KOs) has spent the past couple of weeks at the Wild Card Gym under trainer Freddie Roach and Filipino assistant trainer Marvin Somodio.
The 35 year-old Zayas on the other hand, beat Jorge Sillas by unanimous decision in Mexico but lost to Jorge Pedraza by first round TKO in his last fight in Puerto Rico. Fareñas vs. Zayas is a non-title contest. /Correspondent Rene Bonsubre