Welterweight Thomas Dulorme, one of the most exciting prospects in boxing, hasn't fought at home in Puerto Rico since February 2011, but that will soon change. For any fighter to hit it big, he must have talent, but it's also important to build a fan base. So Dulorme's promoters -- the trio of Universal Promotions' Javier Bustillo, Lou DiBella and Gary Shaw -- hope to build him up in front of his own fans. That's why, after six consecutive fights away from home (including some in New York, the biggest market for Puerto Rican fighters outside of the island), Dulorme will headline in his hometown of Carolina on a card Bustillo is putting on Aug. 31 at the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum. The 22-year-old Dulorme (15-0, 12 KOs), who will face Ivan Hernandez (29-3, 23 KO) of Colombia, is happy to go home again. "Without a doubt this is one of the great things to ever happen to me in boxing," he said. "Since I was a boy, I've always wanted to fight in the town that saw me develop. This is a dream come true. I'm very grateful to Bustillo and the honorable mayor of Carolina for this opportunity." Dulorme's most recent fight came on June 14 on one of DiBella's "Broadway Boxing" cards in New York, where he stopped Alberto Herrera in the seventh round. A win on Aug. 31 could pave the way for him to make his HBO debut in October.
