Fight Week Preview
We get another bust week of boxing three cards featuring world title fights in its main event to keep fight fans busy this weekend. Two in the US and then a Sunday card in England
The action kicks off in San Francisco, California, as Devin Haney, 30-0 (15), the former undisputed lightweight champion who is fresh off a career-best win by narrowly outpointing Vasyl Lomachenko back in May tries to become a two-division world champion as he steps in with WBC 140-pound world champion Regis Progrias of New Orleans, Louisiana. Prograis sports a 29-1 (24), record and last foul in his home city in a highly criticized performance against Danielito Zorilla. Prograis scored a lackluster split decision victory in a fight that Zorilla would not engage in at all. Prograis has twice held 140-pound world titles, and his lone loss was a 2019 fight of the year candidate as he lost narrowly and controversially to Josh Taylor. He won his world title back in 2022 by stopping Jose Zepeda in the 11th round.
The undercard features Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Andy Cruz, 1-0 (0), who takes on late substitution Jovanni Straffon, a rugged Mexican veteran who sports a 26-5-1 (19) record and is coming off a July sixth-round TKO of Jesus Bravo. Also on the cars is an intriguing Jr welterweight fight between undefeated Australian southpaw Liam Paro, 23-0 (14), who is coming off his first-round destruction of Brock Jarvis, and Montana Love, 18-1-1 (9), who is coming off a disastrous DQ loss to Steve Spark 13-months ago.
The action stays in the US but moves to Florida as Cuban Gold Medalist and WBO Featherweight champion Robeisy Ramirez, 13-1 (8), battles little-known contender Rafael Espinoza, 21-0 (18) of Mexico. Espinoza has no wins of note and last fought in July and scored a second-round KO of Ally Mwerangi. Ramirez won his world title in April by outpointing Isaac Dogboe. He made his first title defense this summer and destroyed Satoshi Shimizu in five rounds via fifth TKO. The undercard features Top Rank's top prospects, including Xander Zayas, who will battle Jorge Fortea. Bruce Carrington will take on Jason Sanchez. In a very interesting 154-pound fight, 20-year-old Jahi Tucker of Deer Park, New York, looks to bounce back from his first career loss, a majority decision loss to Nicklaus Flaz. He will put his 10-1 (5) takes on undefeated Argentine KO artist Francisco Daniel Veron. Veron last fought in June and took a split decision over Timur Kerefov.
The final card of the weekend takes place in the UK as WBO Cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith, 18-1 (12), takes on Polish veteran Mateusz Masternak 47-5 (31). Masternak outpointed undefeated prospect Jason Whateley to earn a chance at the WBO belt. He has previously shared the ring with former world champions like Tony Bellew and Yuniel Dorticos and came up short. Billiam-Smith won his belt in his last fight by dropping Lawrence Okolie three times on his way to taking a Majority decision victory back in May.
