4/21/07 - Tom Dodgewww.keeppunching.com  De la Rosa, from Harlingen, Texas, is 17-1-1 as a professional and is a strong prospect in his weight class. That one loss was to Mikel Williams, a 23-year-old from Monroe who is 7-18-4 as a pro. Williams earned a technical knockout, stopping de la Rosa in the eighth round Oct. 21, 2006, in Donna, Texas. “I have been training hard,” De la Rosa said of his preparation for the upcoming fight. “I am excited about the chance for a rematch.  “I was doing everything right and I was beating him in that fight,” De la Rosa said of his loss to Williams. “I just got careless in the end. I know better now what I should have done. I was coasting at the end,” he reflected, “I knew it was over with and I had it won. I fell asleep on him and he beat me in the last 10 seconds.” How important is this next fight for De la Rosa? “This is a make or break me fight,” he admitted. “I have to win this fight because I want to go to bigger and better things, hopefully there is a IBU title fight for me down the road. I don’t want anything to get in the way of that so I am not going to let down. De la Rosa must win to continue to be looked at as a future prospect having won two fights on THE CONTENDER series and looked at as a 'media darling' before having to leave with injuries to his hands. De la Rosa was touted to win the entire series by many boxing experts. Now, he must travel to Louisiana where Williams is from to prove he is for real and can be a real contender for a world championship. “He fought me to the end and got his punch in that got me,” De la Rosa reflected of the first fight against Williams. “I am looking for redemption on May 12th and take my win back.”  Ringside seats are $100 while available, general admission is $40. Tickets are going fast. UP NEXT – A look at Mikel Williams 
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