De La Hoya Faces Avelar in Non-Title Bout

Frankie Avelar is a champion boxer looking for national exposure.

Oscar De La Hoya is a gold-medal media darling looking for his first title.

So it would seem a perfect matchup when they meet today in a nationally televised fight at Caesars Tahoe (shown delayed at 4:30 on Channel 7). But there’s a catch.

Avelar’s North American Boxing Federation junior-lightweight belt will not be at stake in the scheduled 10-round bout.

“I’m the champion (at 132 pounds),” said Avelar, 23, who has a 15-3 record with seven knockouts. “I was ready to go 12 rounds for the title if he was ready.”

In his six pro fights, however, De La Hoya has weighed between 133 and 138 pounds. This will be his first fight at 132, and at 10 rounds.

“I would have loved it if this fight was for the NABF title,” De La Hoya said. “But things just didn’t work out. We felt that I needed to try this weight for 10 rounds first.”

Besides, De La Hoya has bigger titles in mind. As De La Hoya’s seventh professional opponent, Avelar is considered another steppingstone for the 20-year-old East Los Angeles native.

Since turning pro last November, De La Hoya is 6-0 and already is scheduled for two more fights in the next two months.

De La Hoya has signed to fight Troy Dorsey in Las Vegas on June 7, and Narciso Valenzuela on July 17.

“I don’t like how he already has more fights scheduled,” said Avelar, who is from Las Vegas. “I need the exposure to show the world who I am. People are going to be shocked because I think that there is a chance that I’ll knock him out in the late rounds.”

In his last bout, on April 8, De La Hoya won an eight-round decision over Mike Grable in Rochester, N.Y.

Avelar, who is trained by former light-heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, is a credible opponent who represented El Salvador in the 1988 Olympic Games.

After moving up in weight and losing an eight-round decision at 138 pounds to Gabriel Castro a year ago, Avelar has won three consecutive fights, including a 12-round decision over Valenzuela for the NABF title Jan. 30.