Bryan Vasquez vs. Jose Felix Jr: Fight Time, Date, TV Info and More

It's time for Jose Felix Jr. (26-0-1, 21 KO) to step up to the big time.

The highly touted 21-year-old Mexican prospect will face the toughest opponent of his career on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In the process, Felix Jr. will get an opportunity to win the interim WBA super featherweight title.

The champion, Bryan Vasquez (32-1, 17 KO), is determined to keep the up-and-coming star from arriving at his expense.

The fight is part of the undercard for the Timothy Bradley-Manny Pacquiao bout. 

It's not a star-studded card, but hardcore boxing fans will see the intrigue in this matchup. Felix Jr. has the potential to become a fan favorite because of his action style.

Vasquez is a rough, 26-year-old veteran of 33 professional bouts. The proud Costa Rican will not go quietly in this bout. 

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said this about Saturday night's show, per Lem Satterfield of The Ring Magazine:

"

It's a card that has good, competitive, fun fights with good fighters, and for people who want to see more than just the main event, these are good, entertaining fights. There are going to be that 90 percent of the people who buy a show for the main event, but for the 10 percent that want to see a full boxing show, then you've got to please them. So this is a crowd-pleasing undercard for people who want to see more than just the main event.

"

Here's how you can watch Felix Jr.-Vasquez and the entire Bradley-Pacquiao 2 card.

Where: MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev.

When: Saturday, April 12. Card begins at 9 p.m. ET

TV: HBO pay-per-view

The Book on Felix Jr.

Vasquez is the champion, but this fight is being set up as a potential showcase for Felix Jr.

At such a young age, he has already established a reputation as an action fighter.

His 77.78-percent KO percentage, per BoxRec, has helped add to his buzz. In his last fight, Felix Jr. laid waste to Santos Benavides in the third round.

It was his third straight stoppage victory. All of them came within three rounds. Though he has flashed some boxing skills, Felix Jr. likes to slug more than anything.

His defense is still a work in progress, so there's some vulnerability there, but he could become the type of fighter that garners a solid following.

The Book on Vasquez

Vasquez has an interesting backstory. He has overcome tons of childhood adversity to succeed in boxing. As a child, he was abandoned by his biological mother and taken in by his grandparents.

He talks about some of the obstacles in this video from WBA News:

Though he's only 26, Vasquez has already had 33 professional bouts. 

He captured the interim title in his last bout against Rene Gonzalez.

Vasquez stands just 5'5", so he'll be giving up considerable height to Felix Jr., who is 5'8.5". Finding a way inside could be Vasquez's major issue in this bout.

Because his opponent is a free swinger that prefers power punches over jabs, Vasquez could drag the challenger into more a brawl.

That style would probably give him his best chance to win, despite Felix Jr.'s power.

Who will control the identity of the bout?

Prediction

Vasquez represents a huge step up in competition for Felix Jr. The champion is smart and durable. The only issues here are length, speed and power.

Felix Jr. has the advantage in all three of those important categories.

Vasquez will have his opportunities because of Felix Jr's periodic lapses in concentration when he's not punching. But because he has a solid chin, Felix Jr. should be able to absorb what he receives from Vasquez.

The young challenger will wear down Vasquez and stop him late to earn his first interim world title.

Prediction: Felix Jr. by 10th-round TKO.

@BMaziqueFPBR