| |
|
|
Akhmadliev In World Title Eliminator As
Four More Brits Head To Arizona On Dec. 16
Murodjon Akhmadaliev will face Kevin Gonzalez in an
eliminator for the WBA World Super-Bantamweight title as the
chief support bout to the Flyweight unification blockbuster
between Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards at the Desert
Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday December 16,
live worldwide on DAZN – with Edwards being joined by four
fellow British talents on the card.
Akhmadaliev (11-1 8 KOs) is gunning to get a shot at winning
the WBA title back after the former unified king surrendered
the crown along with the IBF strap via a majority decision
loss against Marlon Tapales in San Antonio in April. The
Uzbek star ripped the belts from Daniel Roman in February
2020 in Miami and successfully defended them three times
before the reversal against Tapales, and now the 29 year old
will be looking to take a massive step towards gaining one
of his old titles back early in 2024 with victory.
Gonzalez (26-0-1 13 KOs) will have other ideas though and
can catapult himself into the big leagues by handing
Akhmadaliev back-to-back defeats. The Mexican, who sits at
#2 in the WBA rankings behind the Uzbek, was last in action
in March where he defeated Jose Sanmartin in Las Vegas. The
unbeaten 25 year old tastes action in the States for the
third straight fight having beaten Emanuel Rivera Nieves in
California in May 2022, and fights over 12 rounds for the
first time in the biggest fight of his career to date.
“I am excited to return to the ring,” said Akhmadaliev. “No
matter what happened in the last fight, my goal is to fight
for justice and to return what is mine.”
“I feel very happy and optimistic with the opportunity that
has been given to me,” said Gonzalez. “I will have a very
difficult fight, probably the toughest fight of my life.
Akhmadaliev is a former unified World champion, who not only
has had a very successful professional career, but has a
great amateur record as well. While I believe he is a very
tough fighter, I also believe boxing is a sport of timing
and moments, and this is my moment.
“I will make the most out of this moment so everyone can see
that Mexico has a great product. I don’t see myself losing.
Failure is not an option. This will be a very tough fight
and I am preparing accordingly, both physically and
mentally. This fight will be a crowd-pleasing fight. I’m
prepared to go through hell and I am ready for a war. I want
to thank Matchroom, my promoter Juan Iván Orengo and Fresh
Productions for always looking after me and getting me the
best fights, and my manager Jacob Najar for always having my
back.
“Since day one my manager always told me that someday I
would fight for a World title and that time is approaching.
He also told me that I would fight in big stages. Now, I
have the opportunity to fight in a card promoted by the
biggest promoter in the world. I will make the best of my
chance under the lights and the cameras. It is my moment
and, come December 16, the world will know who Kevin “El
Chacal” González is: a full Gallo from Mexico.”
The main event stars unbeaten British World ruler Edwards,
and four more Brits cross the pond to end their 2023 in the
US. Galal Yafai will be hoping to get his job done and take
his seat for the main event, and it is a second outing in
America as he defends his WBC International Flyweight title
against Rocco Santomauro. Yafai (5-0 4 KOs) won the title on
debut in London in February 2022 and traveled to New York to
make his first defense two months later. Last time out,
Yafai destroyed Tommy Frank in a hometown Birmingham in
August, and the Olympic gold medal man will look to close
2023 out in style against the experienced Californian
Santomauro (22-2 6 KOs).
“I am looking forward to fighting on a great card in
Arizona,” said Yafai. “The main event is one that I will be
watching closely being in the same division as me – but I
have work to do first, and all the focus is on doing a job
on Santomauro.”
“I am grateful for this opportunity against a strong
opponent like Yafai,” said Santomauro. “I am ready to show
the world why I belong on the main stage.”
Peter McGrail fights in the States for the first time in the
paid ranks, and fights for his first pro title as he takes
on Ja’Rico O’Quinn for the WBA Continental
Super-Bantamweight belt. McGrail (8-0 5 KOs) bagged a second
wide points win of 2023 in his last action on his home patch
in Liverpool last month, and now the 27 year old can cap his
year by adding his first pro honors to his wealth of amateur
titles with victory over Detroit’s O’Quinn (16-1-1 8 KOs).
“I am really buzzing for this one,” said McGrail. “I think
the US fans are going to love my style of fighting. I can’t
wait to get over there and show them what I’m about. Thank
you to my team for keeping me active, I am ready to close
the year in style and keep improving and impressing.”
“I told Eddie Hearn last summer when we were in Detroit that
I want to fight for Matchroom,” said O’Quinn. “I’m about to
give McGrail an American boxing lesson. He’s going to get
schooled by the Great Lakes king.”
It’s a family affair for McGrail as he kicks off the main
card on DAZN, after the Before the Bell action will be
launched by his younger brother Joe McGrail (7-0 3 KOs), who
fights for the eighth time in the pros against Brandon
Rosales Marquez (6-5-2) over six rounds at Featherweight.
The fifth Brit to step through the ropes on the night will
be rising star Junaid Boston (7-0 6 KOs), with the Rotherham
talent tackling unbeaten Detroit man Gordie Russ II (6-0 6
KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Welterweight.
Completing the line-up in Arizona and also starring in the
Before the Bell portion of the card are Californian Arturo
Popoca (11-0-1 7 KOs) who faces Carlos Mujica (8-3 3 KOs)
over eight rounds at Super-Bantamweight and Albert Gonzalez
(5-0 2 KOs) who takes on Robenilson Vieira de Jesus (5-1 1
KO) over six rounds at Featherweight.
|
|
|
