Edgar Berlanga put Padraig McCrory away with a single shot in the sixth round and then called out Canelo Alvarez.
Edgar Berlanga got back to being a knockout artist on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
The 168-pound contender, who stopped his first 15 opponents in the first round and outpointed his next five, stopped Padraig McCrory with one punch in the sixth round at Caribe Royale Orlando.
Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) is now the No. 1 contender for undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez’s WBA title.
“I want him now,” Berlanga said in the ring afterward. “We want Canelo next. Look at [promoter] Eddie [Hearn] right there. He’s going to make it happen.”
McCrory (18-1, 9 KOs) fought Berlanga on roughly even terms the first few rounds. However, by Round 3, Berlanga had initiated the process of breaking down his Irish opponent.
He was battering McCrory in Round 6 with an overhand right put him down and hurt him. McCrory was able to get to his feet but was in no condition to continue, prompting both his corner and referee to indicate that enough was enough.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:44 of Round 6.
“I knew already I was breaking him down little by little,” Berlanga said. “I didn’t want to go crazy until I knew I had him hurt and that’s exactly what I did.”
Alvarez is expected to fight next on May 4 but he hasn’t announced an opponent, although fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia now seems to be the favorite to get lucrative opportunity.
Berlanga has said he’s willing to take that fight on relatively short notice if Alvarez decides to choose him.
Edgar Berlanga put Padraig McCrory away with a single shot in the sixth round and then called out Canelo Alvarez.
Edgar Berlanga got back to being a knockout artist on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
The 168-pound contender, who stopped his first 15 opponents in the first round and outpointed his next five, stopped Padraig McCrory with one punch in the sixth round at Caribe Royale Orlando.
Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) is now the No. 1 contender for undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez’s WBA title.
“I want him now,” Berlanga said in the ring afterward. “We want Canelo next. Look at [promoter] Eddie [Hearn] right there. He’s going to make it happen.”
McCrory (18-1, 9 KOs) fought Berlanga on roughly even terms the first few rounds. However, by Round 3, Berlanga had initiated the process of breaking down his Irish opponent.
He was battering McCrory in Round 6 with an overhand right put him down and hurt him. McCrory was able to get to his feet but was in no condition to continue, prompting both his corner and referee to indicate that enough was enough.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:44 of Round 6.
“I knew already I was breaking him down little by little,” Berlanga said. “I didn’t want to go crazy until I knew I had him hurt and that’s exactly what I did.”
Alvarez is expected to fight next on May 4 but he hasn’t announced an opponent, although fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia now seems to be the favorite to get lucrative opportunity.
Berlanga has said he’s willing to take that fight on relatively short notice if Alvarez decides to choose him.
Padraig McCrory on his fight with Edgar Berlanga on Saturday: “I am one punch away from changing my life.”
Padraig McCrory has received a precious gift: A golden opportunity to become a star. Now we’ll see what he does with it.
The 35-year-old Irishman is scheduled to face fellow 168-pound contender Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida (DAZN), his first meeting with a high-profile opponent.
If he loses – and the oddsmakers believe he will – he could become a footnote in boxing history. If he wins, nothing will be the same again.
“I know that I am one punch away from changing my life,” McCrory said. “If it happens, and I truly believe it is going to, I will go down in Irish boxing history, and on Saturday that’s what is going to happen.
“I’m so proud of being from Belfast, and to go down in history there would mean so much to me.”
McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) has had no problem with solid, but second-tier opposition on a local level. All but two of his fights have taken place in his native Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Tangling with Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) is another proposition. The New Yorker became a phenomenon by stopping his first 16 opponents in the first round and has continued to win, including a four-knockdown, unanimous decision victory over Jason Quigley last June.
That’s why Berlanga is about a 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets). What’s McCrory’s reaction to his underdog status? He turns it around: He believes he’s also Berlanga’s toughest opponent.
“I’m definitely his hardest fight,” McCrory said. “I’m a big 168 and he’s never taken anyone’s ‘0’. He sounds confident, but I think it’s all show. He’s trying to convince himself, and on Saturday you’ll see that I’m his biggest test.
“It’s obvious that he has power, he comes with a big punch. Ask anyone and they’ll say he’s strong and has power. I think he is getting a bit better fundamentally, but he isn’t the finished article. …
“I think he needs more time, and that’s why they haven’t taken the [Jaime] Munguia fight or the [John] Ryder fight, or any of these big fights. They are trying to get him ready for those big fights and, unfortunately, I’m a step too far.”
Berlanga’s goal is to win boxing’s version of the lottery, a fight with undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez.
If McCrory can pull off an upset, he figures he’ll move toward the front of the line to face the Mexican superstar and the other top super middleweights. One victory equals a new, exciting reality.
“Winning this fight changes my life for good,” he said. “Anything that’s happened in the past is irrelevant. My life is great. I’m happily married with three kids. And on Saturday it’s going to get even better.
“This win opens up massive opportunities, the biggest names, like Jaime Munguia, Diego Pacheco or even Canelo Alvarez. He’s the dream fight for everybody, the money fight, and that’s what awaits me after this fight.
“[Berlanga is] looking past me talking about those guys. He’s not worried about me, but that’s a big mistake. He’s in for a nightmare.”
Padraig McCrory on his fight with Edgar Berlanga on Saturday: “I am one punch away from changing my life.”
Padraig McCrory has received a precious gift: A golden opportunity to become a star. Now we’ll see what he does with it.
The 35-year-old Irishman is scheduled to face fellow 168-pound contender Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida (DAZN), his first meeting with a high-profile opponent.
If he loses – and the oddsmakers believe he will – he could become a footnote in boxing history. If he wins, nothing will be the same again.
“I know that I am one punch away from changing my life,” McCrory said. “If it happens, and I truly believe it is going to, I will go down in Irish boxing history, and on Saturday that’s what is going to happen.
“I’m so proud of being from Belfast, and to go down in history there would mean so much to me.”
McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) has had no problem with solid, but second-tier opposition on a local level. All but two of his fights have taken place in his native Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Tangling with Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) is another proposition. The New Yorker became a phenomenon by stopping his first 16 opponents in the first round and has continued to win, including a four-knockdown, unanimous decision victory over Jason Quigley last June.
That’s why Berlanga is about a 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets). What’s McCrory’s reaction to his underdog status? He turns it around: He believes he’s also Berlanga’s toughest opponent.
“I’m definitely his hardest fight,” McCrory said. “I’m a big 168 and he’s never taken anyone’s ‘0’. He sounds confident, but I think it’s all show. He’s trying to convince himself, and on Saturday you’ll see that I’m his biggest test.
“It’s obvious that he has power, he comes with a big punch. Ask anyone and they’ll say he’s strong and has power. I think he is getting a bit better fundamentally, but he isn’t the finished article. …
“I think he needs more time, and that’s why they haven’t taken the [Jaime] Munguia fight or the [John] Ryder fight, or any of these big fights. They are trying to get him ready for those big fights and, unfortunately, I’m a step too far.”
Berlanga’s goal is to win boxing’s version of the lottery, a fight with undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez.
If McCrory can pull off an upset, he figures he’ll move toward the front of the line to face the Mexican superstar and the other top super middleweights. One victory equals a new, exciting reality.
“Winning this fight changes my life for good,” he said. “Anything that’s happened in the past is irrelevant. My life is great. I’m happily married with three kids. And on Saturday it’s going to get even better.
“This win opens up massive opportunities, the biggest names, like Jaime Munguia, Diego Pacheco or even Canelo Alvarez. He’s the dream fight for everybody, the money fight, and that’s what awaits me after this fight.
“[Berlanga is] looking past me talking about those guys. He’s not worried about me, but that’s a big mistake. He’s in for a nightmare.”
Odds: Berlanga 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ***
Also on the card: Andy Cruz vs. Brayan Zamarripa, lightweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Pablo Cesar Cano, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, bantamweights; Yankiel Rivera vs. Andy Dominguez, flyweights
Background: Berlanga continues on his path toward showdowns with the biggest names at 168 pounds. The New York slugger’s days of early knockouts are behind him but he has continued to win, claiming decision victories in his last five fights. He last fought in June, when he struggled with the movement of Jason Quigley but put the Irishman down four times to win a unanimous decision. That was his only fight last year. He is among those targeting undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez but has also expressed interest in fighting fellow unbeaten contender Jaime Munguia and veteran Gabriel Rosado. He’s ranked in the Top 11 by all four major sanctioning bodies, as high as No. 5 by the WBO. McCrory is a 35-year-old contender from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He’s unbeaten but is taking a significant step up in opposition on Saturday, which is why he’s a significant underdog. McCrory is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Steed Woodall last August in Belfast. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBA – ahead of No. 8 Berlanga – and No. 13 by the IBF.
Odds: Berlanga 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ***
Also on the card: Andy Cruz vs. Brayan Zamarripa, lightweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Pablo Cesar Cano, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, bantamweights; Yankiel Rivera vs. Andy Dominguez, flyweights
Background: Berlanga continues on his path toward showdowns with the biggest names at 168 pounds. The New York slugger’s days of early knockouts are behind him but he has continued to win, claiming decision victories in his last five fights. He last fought in June, when he struggled with the movement of Jason Quigley but put the Irishman down four times to win a unanimous decision. That was his only fight last year. He is among those targeting undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez but has also expressed interest in fighting fellow unbeaten contender Jaime Munguia and veteran Gabriel Rosado. He’s ranked in the Top 11 by all four major sanctioning bodies, as high as No. 5 by the WBO. McCrory is a 35-year-old contender from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He’s unbeaten but is taking a significant step up in opposition on Saturday, which is why he’s a significant underdog. McCrory is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Steed Woodall last August in Belfast. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBA – ahead of No. 8 Berlanga – and No. 13 by the IBF.
Edgar Berlanga promises to bring back excitement against Padraig McCrory on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
Edgar Berlanga insists that everything is clicking for him.
The unbeaten 168-pound contender is coming off a one-sided decision over Jason Quigley in June, which came after a one year layoff. He put the Irishman down four times, including twice in a wild 12th round. He reunited with former trainer Mac Farrait for that fight, which has energized him. And he has hired respected conditioning coach Angel “Memo” Heredia.
He’s ready to rock ‘n’ roll against Padraig McCrory on Saturday at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida (DAZN).
“The 12th round of my last fight, I feel like that’s really woken me up,” Berlanga said. “I haven’t missed anything. I know I have got the power to hurt anybody, and I feel different as a fighter, mentally, physically and spiritually. I know that there’s going to be fireworks coming from me on February 24. That’s a fact. I’m coming for the KO. He can say whatever he wants, but at the end of the day, we have to go in there and tussle.
“Me at my best, nobody is f—— with me. When I am 100 percent, which you’ll see on February 24, I am unstoppable.”
Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) hasn’t looked unstoppable, at least not compared to the start of his career.
The 26-year-old New Yorker garnered international attention by stopping his first 16 opponents in the first round, a run that stamped him as a rising young star. He has continued to win but his last five victories – decisions over better opposition – didn’t come as easily.
He even struggled at times against Quigley, finding it difficult to cope with the Irishman’s movement. He said recently that he went into that fight with injuries, which isn’t the case today.
He’s now healthy after a productive training camp in the Tampa, Florida area.
“I’ve sacrificed a lot, changing my environment, coming to the suburbs and being fully locked in on myself and my craft,” he said. “I’ve refocused on the small details of my style to bring the best out of me. So, from all that right there, it’s going to be something amazing.
“There is jealousy. I’m here in Tampa now and there’s a lot of people out there that were acting like they were my friends, and they weren’t, people that were close to me that were envying me. So I got rid of all those people, and I’m just focused on myself and my team.
“And I feel that with God with me, the sky is the limit and there’s nothing stopping me.”
He believes that a strong performance against McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) – a knockout? – will bring back some of the buzz that has been missing the past few years.
And he hopes it will lead to his dream fight: a meeting with undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.
“I’ll be one of the best 168-pouind fighters in the world,” he said. “I think that after this fight my name is going to be buzzing again, and people will be talking about me and Canelo in September or Jaime Munguia. I feel those fights are there to be made and it’s time to go capture a belt.
“I’m not the guy that fought Jason, and he’s (McCrory) going to see that. I’m getting better and better. I was four years away from Marc before that fight and I went through a lot of injuries in that camp.
“I’m on a different level now physically. I’m sparring 15, 16 rounds with three or four different guys, and I didn’t get a chance to do that in my last camp with the injuries and coming back to camp overweight with the lay-off and not having a promoter, going through some depression in New York.
“We brought in ‘Memo,’ who everyone knows has worked with the best, and we know we can go 12 strong rounds and go at it hard, and I know that if I do that, no one can stand a chance with me.”
Edgar Berlanga promises to bring back excitement against Padraig McCrory on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
Edgar Berlanga insists that everything is clicking for him.
The unbeaten 168-pound contender is coming off a one-sided decision over Jason Quigley in June, which came after a one year layoff. He put the Irishman down four times, including twice in a wild 12th round. He reunited with former trainer Mac Farrait for that fight, which has energized him. And he has hired respected conditioning coach Angel “Memo” Heredia.
He’s ready to rock ‘n’ roll against Padraig McCrory on Saturday at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida (DAZN).
“The 12th round of my last fight, I feel like that’s really woken me up,” Berlanga said. “I haven’t missed anything. I know I have got the power to hurt anybody, and I feel different as a fighter, mentally, physically and spiritually. I know that there’s going to be fireworks coming from me on February 24. That’s a fact. I’m coming for the KO. He can say whatever he wants, but at the end of the day, we have to go in there and tussle.
“Me at my best, nobody is f—— with me. When I am 100 percent, which you’ll see on February 24, I am unstoppable.”
Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) hasn’t looked unstoppable, at least not compared to the start of his career.
The 26-year-old New Yorker garnered international attention by stopping his first 16 opponents in the first round, a run that stamped him as a rising young star. He has continued to win but his last five victories – decisions over better opposition – didn’t come as easily.
He even struggled at times against Quigley, finding it difficult to cope with the Irishman’s movement. He said recently that he went into that fight with injuries, which isn’t the case today.
He’s now healthy after a productive training camp in the Tampa, Florida area.
“I’ve sacrificed a lot, changing my environment, coming to the suburbs and being fully locked in on myself and my craft,” he said. “I’ve refocused on the small details of my style to bring the best out of me. So, from all that right there, it’s going to be something amazing.
“There is jealousy. I’m here in Tampa now and there’s a lot of people out there that were acting like they were my friends, and they weren’t, people that were close to me that were envying me. So I got rid of all those people, and I’m just focused on myself and my team.
“And I feel that with God with me, the sky is the limit and there’s nothing stopping me.”
He believes that a strong performance against McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) – a knockout? – will bring back some of the buzz that has been missing the past few years.
And he hopes it will lead to his dream fight: a meeting with undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.
“I’ll be one of the best 168-pouind fighters in the world,” he said. “I think that after this fight my name is going to be buzzing again, and people will be talking about me and Canelo in September or Jaime Munguia. I feel those fights are there to be made and it’s time to go capture a belt.
“I’m not the guy that fought Jason, and he’s (McCrory) going to see that. I’m getting better and better. I was four years away from Marc before that fight and I went through a lot of injuries in that camp.
“I’m on a different level now physically. I’m sparring 15, 16 rounds with three or four different guys, and I didn’t get a chance to do that in my last camp with the injuries and coming back to camp overweight with the lay-off and not having a promoter, going through some depression in New York.
“We brought in ‘Memo,’ who everyone knows has worked with the best, and we know we can go 12 strong rounds and go at it hard, and I know that if I do that, no one can stand a chance with me.”
Fight Week: Edgar Berlanga will face Padraig McCrory in Orlando. Meanwhile, three title fights will be featured on a card in Tokyo.
FIGHT WEEK
Edgar Berlanga will face fellow unbeaten contender Padraig McCrory on Saturday in Orlando, Florida. On the same day, in Tokyo, Alexandro Santiago vs. Junto Nakatani highlights a stacked card.
EDGAR BERLANGA (21-0, 16 KOs)
VS. PADRAIG MCCRORY (18-0, 9 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Berlanga 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ***
Also on the card: Andy Cruz vs. Brayan Zamarripa, lightweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Pablo Cesar Cano, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, bantamweights; Yankiel Rivera vs. Andy Dominguez, flyweights
Background: Berlanga continues on his path toward showdowns with the biggest names at 168 pounds. The New York slugger’s days of early knockouts are behind him but he has continued to win, claiming decision victories in his last five fights. He last fought in June, when he struggled with the movement of Jason Quigley but put the Irishman down four times to win a unanimous decision. That was his only fight last year. He is among those targeting undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez but has also expressed interest in fighting fellow unbeaten contender Jaime Munguia and veteran Gabriel Rosado. He’s ranked in the Top 11 by all four major sanctioning bodies, as high as No. 5 by the WBO. McCrory is a 35-year-old contender from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He’s unbeaten but is taking a significant step up in opposition on Saturday, which is why he’s a significant underdog. McCrory is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Steed Woodall last August in Belfast. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBA – ahead of No. 8 Berlanga – and No. 13 by the IBF.
ALEXANDRO SANTIAGO (28-3-5, 14 KOs)
VS. JUNTO NAKATANI (26-0, 19 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
Time: 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Kokugikan Arena, Tokyo
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Bantamweight (118 pounds)
At stake: Santiago’s WBC title
Pound-for-pound: None
Odds: Nakatani 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ****
Also on the card: Takuma Inoue vs. Jerwin Ancajas, bantamweights (for Inoue’s WBA title); Kosei Tanaka vs. Christian Bacasegua, junior bantamweights (for vacant WBO title)
Background: Santiago vs. Nakatani highlights a card featuring three major titles fights. Santiago made a splash last July, when he upset future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire by winning a unanimous decision and the vacant WBC 118-pound title. The 28-year-old Mexican is 4-0 since he lost a close (disputed?) decision to unbeaten Gary Antonio Russell in November 2021. Nakatani, who had an impressive run a 112- and 115 pounds, will fight for a major title in his first fight as a 118-pounder. The 26-year-old southpaw from Japan is a considerable favorite over Santiago because of his combination of ability, power and strong resume. He’s coming off a one-sided decision over Argi Cortes in the only defense of his WBO 115-pound title, his latest success against elite opposition. He’s 6-0 (4 KOs) against current or former word titleholders. Inoue (18-1, 4 KOs) will be making the first defense of his WBA belt against Ancajas (34-3-2, 23 KOs). The brother of Naoya Inoue is 5-0 since he lost a decision to Nordine Oubaali in 2019. Ancajas bounced back from back-to-back losses to Fernando Martinez by stopping Wilner Soto in five rounds last June. Tanaka (19-1, 11 KOs) will be trying to win a major title in a fourth division. He has won four straight fights since he was stopped by Kazuto Ioka in 2020. Bacasegua (22-4-2, 9 KOs) is fighting for a major title for the first time. He has never fought outside his native Mexico.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
TUESDAY
Ardreal Holmes Jr. vs. Marlon Harrington, junior middleweights, Detroit (DAZN)
FRIDAY
Gor Yeritsyan vs. Quinton Randall, welterweights, Santa Ynez, California (UFC Fight Pass)
Wendy Toussaint vs. Mpondu Kalunga, junior middleweights, Huntington, New York (StarBoxing.TV)
SATURDAY
Josue Francisco Aguero vs. Francisco Javier Lucero, junior lightweights, Buenos Aires, Argentina (TyC Sports)
Fight Week: Edgar Berlanga will face Padraig McCrory in Orlando. Meanwhile, three title fights will be featured on a card in Tokyo.
FIGHT WEEK
Edgar Berlanga will face fellow unbeaten contender Padraig McCrory on Saturday in Orlando, Florida. On the same day, in Tokyo, Alexandro Santiago vs. Junto Nakatani highlights a stacked card.
EDGAR BERLANGA (21-0, 16 KOs)
VS. PADRAIG MCCRORY (18-0, 9 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Berlanga 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ***
Also on the card: Andy Cruz vs. Brayan Zamarripa, lightweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Pablo Cesar Cano, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, bantamweights; Yankiel Rivera vs. Andy Dominguez, flyweights
Background: Berlanga continues on his path toward showdowns with the biggest names at 168 pounds. The New York slugger’s days of early knockouts are behind him but he has continued to win, claiming decision victories in his last five fights. He last fought in June, when he struggled with the movement of Jason Quigley but put the Irishman down four times to win a unanimous decision. That was his only fight last year. He is among those targeting undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez but has also expressed interest in fighting fellow unbeaten contender Jaime Munguia and veteran Gabriel Rosado. He’s ranked in the Top 11 by all four major sanctioning bodies, as high as No. 5 by the WBO. McCrory is a 35-year-old contender from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He’s unbeaten but is taking a significant step up in opposition on Saturday, which is why he’s a significant underdog. McCrory is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Steed Woodall last August in Belfast. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBA – ahead of No. 8 Berlanga – and No. 13 by the IBF.
ALEXANDRO SANTIAGO (28-3-5, 14 KOs)
VS. JUNTO NAKATANI (26-0, 19 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
Time: 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Kokugikan Arena, Tokyo
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Bantamweight (118 pounds)
At stake: Santiago’s WBC title
Pound-for-pound: None
Odds: Nakatani 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ****
Also on the card: Takuma Inoue vs. Jerwin Ancajas, bantamweights (for Inoue’s WBA title); Kosei Tanaka vs. Christian Bacasegua, junior bantamweights (for vacant WBO title)
Background: Santiago vs. Nakatani highlights a card featuring three major titles fights. Santiago made a splash last July, when he upset future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire by winning a unanimous decision and the vacant WBC 118-pound title. The 28-year-old Mexican is 4-0 since he lost a close (disputed?) decision to unbeaten Gary Antonio Russell in November 2021. Nakatani, who had an impressive run a 112- and 115 pounds, will fight for a major title in his first fight as a 118-pounder. The 26-year-old southpaw from Japan is a considerable favorite over Santiago because of his combination of ability, power and strong resume. He’s coming off a one-sided decision over Argi Cortes in the only defense of his WBO 115-pound title, his latest success against elite opposition. He’s 6-0 (4 KOs) against current or former word titleholders. Inoue (18-1, 4 KOs) will be making the first defense of his WBA belt against Ancajas (34-3-2, 23 KOs). The brother of Naoya Inoue is 5-0 since he lost a decision to Nordine Oubaali in 2019. Ancajas bounced back from back-to-back losses to Fernando Martinez by stopping Wilner Soto in five rounds last June. Tanaka (19-1, 11 KOs) will be trying to win a major title in a fourth division. He has won four straight fights since he was stopped by Kazuto Ioka in 2020. Bacasegua (22-4-2, 9 KOs) is fighting for a major title for the first time. He has never fought outside his native Mexico.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
TUESDAY
Ardreal Holmes Jr. vs. Marlon Harrington, junior middleweights, Detroit (DAZN)
FRIDAY
Gor Yeritsyan vs. Quinton Randall, welterweights, Santa Ynez, California (UFC Fight Pass)
Wendy Toussaint vs. Mpondu Kalunga, junior middleweights, Huntington, New York (StarBoxing.TV)
SATURDAY
Josue Francisco Aguero vs. Francisco Javier Lucero, junior lightweights, Buenos Aires, Argentina (TyC Sports)
