Top Rank won the promotional rights of the vacant featherweight world title fight between Uzbekistan’s Otabek Kholmatov and the American Raymond Ford.
Top Rank wins Kholmatov vs Ford.
The promoter offered an amount of US$ 317,500.00 while giving three possible options of date and place to make the fight. The first is February 16 in New York; the second is February 17 in Ryad; and the third is March 2 in New York.
Matchroom Boxing also participated in the bidding, offering US$ 255,555.55 in the bidding that took place through Zoom this Monday morning.
Kholmatov and Ford are the top two rated 126-pounders and will contest the world championship that was recently vacated due to former champion Leigh Wood’s move up in class.
Davies vs Barroso
Ohara Davies and Ismael Barroso are set for their WBA super lightweight interim title fight this Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Davies and Barroso were called to fight for the interim title after the injury that took Rolando Romero out of action. Rolando is currently recovering from the injury.
Davies is the mandatory challenger after defeating Lewis Ritson in an eliminator fight last March, which earned him the right to fight for the world title in the category.
The Briton comes in on a 7-fight winning streak and has not lost a fight since 2018, which speaks of the great present that the 31-year-old fighter is living.
Barroso is a 40-year-old vet who comes from fighting against Rolando Romero in a bout that was stopped in the ninth round. The stoppage created a lot of debate as Barroso was up on the cards and looked like he could stay in the fight, so now he has been given another shot at the belt.
The Venezuelan is a great knockout man and will try to assert his power from the start, making the fight a nice challenge and a great strategic war for both.
Davies has a record of 25 wins, two losses, and 18 knockouts, while Barroso has 24 wins, four losses, two draws, and 22 knockouts.
Kazuto Ioka
Kazuto Ioka will end 2023 with a world title defense against Venezuelan challenger Josber Perez. The Japanese will put his World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight belt on the line on December 31, and the bout was officially presented at a press conference earlier this week.
The Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, will be the venue for the 115-pound fight.
The Asian won the world belt against Joshua Franco (18-2-3) last June which was vacant because the American had failed to make weight. It is worth remembering that this was the second time that Franco and Kazuto met. The first fight ended in a draw at the end of last year.
Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KO ) is 34 years old and has not lost since 2018. He accumulated seven wins in that span, two by knockout and the draw against Franco.
Josber Perez, a native of Miranda, Venezuela, will have the second world title fight in his career. In his first time, he lost by unanimous decision to undefeated Ukrainian Artem Dalakian (22-0) in his quest for the world flyweight title of the pioneer body.
The 28-year-old Venezuelan is coming from winning the national super flyweight belt after defeating his compatriot Jose Farfan (11-4) by knockout in the third round. In the middle of the year, he also won by knockout against Rafael Hernandez (3-6) in the first round. Likewise, at the beginning of 2023, he won by knockout over Jimmy Vivas (0-11).
Perez (20-3, 18 KO) has a more than attractive knockout power above 90%. He has a four-fight knockout win streak before the fourth round.
Conlan vs Gill
Michael Conlan and Jordan Gill are in for a big fight this Saturday at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Both will enter the ring to compete for the international super featherweight belt in the night’s main event, and each has a lot on the line.
These are two fighters coming off losses who need to win to remain among the elite in the division and challenge for the big fights at 130 pounds.
With an excellent amateur past known for his aggressive boxing style and big fights, Conlan is coming off a knockout loss to Luis Alberto “Venado” Lopez in a headlining bout. Hence, he needs to get back on the winning track if he wants to get another such opportunity in the future.
On the other hand, Gill is coming off a tough loss to Spain’s Kiko Martinez, and after a year away from the ring, he feels ready to return and make a big splash in his comeback.
Conlan has 18 fights won, two lost, and nine knockouts. In the case of Gill, he has 27 wins, two losses, one draw, and eight defeats by stoppage.
