Boxing is just a few days from its return. And promoter Bob Arum is excited.
Top Rank, his company, will be the first to stage fights — without live audiences — after the lock down period that resulted from the coronavirus pandemic. Featherweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson headlines the first card on Tuesday (June 9) in Las Vegas.
The show will be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
“Well, it looks like we’re back,” Arum said on a conference call. “This is a momentous occasion. Boxing is back after a three-month lapse. I’m really proud that Top Rank is the first promoter out of the box.
“We have a great show on the 9th of June. Then we continue [with] virtually two and three boxing events a week.”
Arum believes the sport will boom quickly.
“Boxing is going to come back, believe me, bigger and more important than ever,” he said. “In this two-month period, June and July, it looks like there won’t be any NBA or Major League Baseball. The spotlight will be on the sport of boxing.
“And with the bouts we’ve lined up, I believe the public will once again be enthused about the competitive level of the sport.”
Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs) will face Felix Caraballo (13-1-2, 9 KOs) in a non-title junior lightweight bout, as the 126-pound champ is testing the waters at 130. Also on that card, Mikaela Mayer (12-0, 5 KOs) will face Helen Joseph (17-4-2, 10 KOs).
Top Rank also has shows scheduled for June 11, June 16, June 18, June 20 and June 23.
Here is the complete June lineup of featured fights:
June 9 – Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs) vs Felix Caraballo (13-1-2, 9 KOs); Mikaela Mayer (12-0, 5 KOs) vs Helen Joseph (17-4-2, 10 KOs).
June 11 – Jessie Magdaleno (27-1, 18 KOs) vs Yenifel Vicente (36-4-2, 28 KOs); Adam Lopez (13-2, 6 KOs) vs Luis Coria (12-2, 7 KOs).
June 16 – Joshua Greer Jr. (22-1-1, 12 KOs) vs Mike Plania (23-1, 12 KOs); Giovanni Santillan (25-0, 15 KOs) vs Antonio Demarco (33-8-1, 24 KOs).
June 18 – Jose Pedraza (26-3, 13 KOs) vs Mikkel LesPierre (22-1-1, 10 KOs); Gabe Flores Jr. (17-0, 6 KOs) vs Josec Ruiz (21-2-3, 14 KOs).
June 20 – Emanuel Navarete (31-1, 27 KOs) vs Uriel Lopez (13-13-1, 6 KOs).
June 23 – Andrew Moloney (21-0, 14 KOs) vs Joshua Franco (16-1-2, 8 KOs); Christopher Diaz (25-2, 16 KOs) and Jason Sanchez (15-1, 8 KOs).
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