Fight Weekend Preview
We get our first super busy week of 2024 boxing, with major cards on Tuesday and Thursday. Fight fans get to keep the momentum going on the weekend. Two big cards. One on each side of the pond.
The action kick-off in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the Ulster Hall. Undefeated Welterweight Lewis Crocker puts his 18-0 (10), record on the line against rugged veteran Jose Felix, 40-6-1 (31). Crocker is coming off of a career-best win over Tyrone McKenna, a dominant 10-round unanimous decision back in December. His opponent shocked an undefeated opponent in his last outing, a third-round knockout of Gary Cully in May. He will look to upset another undefeated prospect. Felix has been a pro since 2009 and fought for an interim world title in 2009, coming up just short against Bryan Vazquez via a split decision in 2014. Losing by a single point on the deciding card.
Also on that card is undefeated Irish protege and fan favorite Paddy Donovan. Donovan is one of boxing's brightest young stars and sports a 12-0 (9) record and has scored impressive stoppage victories in his last two outings over Danny Ball in November and Sam O'maison in May. The Irishman will battle Williams Andres Herrera 15-2 (6). Also surging Cruiserweight Cheavon Clarke, 7-0 (5), takes a massive step up when he steps in with former world title challenger Tommy McCarthy, 20-5 (10).
The action hops the pond to the US and invades Arizona at the Footprint Center. The WBC Silver Super Middleweight strap will be on the line as fan-favorite Jaime Munguia puts his undefeated record on the line as the 42-0 (33) Mexican KO artist battles John Ryder, 32-6 (18). Ryder had consecutive wins over Zach Parker and Danny Jacobs before being dominated in a fun 12-round decision loss to Canelo last year. Munguia last fought in June and was pushed to the limit by Sergiy Derevyanchenko before producing a dramatic 12th-round knockdown to eke out a decision victory.
The card also fears a woman's world title fight between Gabriela Fundora, 12-0 (5), puts the IBF flyweight title that she won by annihilating Arley Mucino back in May up against Christina Cruz of New York, New York. Cruz scored a six-round UD over Josefina Vega in her last outing at the Sony Hall in her home city. Also on the card are highly touted Texas-based prospects "Goyo" Gregory Morales, 15-1 (9), a Featherweight from San Antonio and Killen native who now fights out of Houston, "DFG" Darius Fulghum, 9-0 (9). Fulghum takes a major step up and battles Alantez Fox for the WBA inter-continental Super Middleweight title.
