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AP Picture / John Locher
FIGHT WEEK
Pound-for-pounder Kazuto Ioka will face Josber Perez on the normal New Yr’s Eve card in Japan. Then, on Saturday, Vergil Ortiz Jr. will return to the ring after a 17-month hiatus.
KAZUTO IOKA (30-2-1, 15 KOs)vs. josber perez (20-3, 18 KOs)
Kazuto Ioka defeated Joshua Franco of their rematch. Yuichi Tamazaki / AFP through Getty Pictures
Date: Sunday, Dec. 31
Time: 3 a.m. ET / midnight PT (essential occasion later in present)
The place: Ota Metropolis Common Gymnasium, Tokyo
TV/Stream: No TV in U.S.
Division: Junior bantamweight (115 kilos)
At stake: Ioka’s WBA title
Pound-for-pound: Ioka, Honorable Point out
Odds: NA
Additionally on the cardboard: Yoshimitsu Kimura vs. Kosuke Saka, 12 rounds, junior lightweights; Daigo Higa vs. Navapon Khaikanha, 10 rounds, bantamweights; Hayato Tsutsumi vs. Luis Moncion Ventura, 10 rounds, featherweights
Background: Ioka, 34, proved he has a lot left within the tank by outpointing chubby Joshua Franco of their rematch to regain a 115-pound title on June 24, six months after they fought to a draw. Ioka received his first world title as a 108-pounder in 2011 and has worn one belt or one other nearly constantly since then, making him one of the constant boxers on the planet. He’s undefeated (7-0-1) since he misplaced a break up resolution to Donnie Nietes in 2018, a setback he avenged final 12 months. Perez is a 28-year-old from Venezuela who can be making his second try to win a significant title. He misplaced a one-sided resolution to 112-pound champ Artem Dalakian in 2020. He’s 3-0 in opposition to journeymen in his dwelling nation since that setback, the final two fights happening at 115 kilos.
vergil ortiz JR. (19-0, 19 KOs)vs. FREDRICK LAWSON (30-3, 22 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 6
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (essential occasion later in present)
The place: The Theater at Virgin Inns, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Junior middleweight (154 kilos)
At stake: No main titles
Pound-for-pound: None
Odds: NA
Additionally on the cardboard: Ohara Davies vs. Ismael Barroso, junior welterweights; Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Xolisani Ndongeni, junior welterweights; Sergiy Derevyanchenko vs. Rowdy Montgomery, tremendous middleweights; Raul Curiel vs. Elias Diaz, welterweights
Prediction: Ortiz KO 6
Background: Ortiz can be returning to the ring after a 17-month hiatus, the results of sickness and struggle cancelations. And he’ll be making his debut at 154 kilos. The 25-year-old native of Dallas was a high 140- and 147-pounder — who stopped all 19 of his opponents — however he by no means acquired an opportunity to struggle for a significant title in these divisions. He was scheduled to face fellow 147-pound contender Eimantas Stanionis in what would’ve been his largest struggle however the bout was postponed thrice, the final time in July solely days earlier than the occasion as a result of Ortiz couldn’t make weight. He final fought in August of final 12 months, when he stopped Michael McKinson in 9 rounds. Lawson is a 34-year-old from Ghana. He’s solely 3-2 in his final 5 fights however has received his final two, over fellow journeymen Collinson Korley and Estevan Villalobos in January and April. Oritz is a monumental step up in opposition for Lawson, though he as soon as beat former contender Breidis Prescott.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
SATURDAY
Dusty Hernandez-Harrison vs. Norberto Gonzalez, gentle heavyweights, Richmond, Virginia (FITE+)
