By Jake Donovan
The May 25 DAZN will card remain put, after all.
In the wake of Oleksandr Usyk bowing out of the headlining act due to a torn biceps injury, came discussion to relocate the show from Oxon Hill, Md. to The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Such a move would have benefited at least two key remaining principles on the card—unbeaten lightweight contender Devin Haney and second-generation heavyweight Michael Hunter II, both of whom live and train in Vegas.
Instead, a decision has been made on Thursday to keep the original location intact, with the card still to take place at MGM National Harbor.
Haney (21-0, 13KOs) will now claim the marquee slot, in a 10-round bout versus Mexico’s Antonio Moran. The event will mark Haney’s debut under the Matchroom Boxing USA banner, with whom he signed in April.
The 20-year young boxer has served as his own promoter while rapidly rising through the ranks, including his most recent win over previously unbeaten Xolisani Ndongeni in the main event of Showtime's ShoBox series this past January in Shreveport, La.
Hunter II (16-1, 11KOs) will remain on the card, although his opponent remains to be determined. There was preliminary consideration of his facing Carlos Takam, whom is presently without a dance partner after Usyk suffered a torn biceps injury which prompted the event shakeup.
Hunter—whose father and namesake was a heavyweight gatekeeper in the 1980s and 1990s—has won four straight following a cruiserweight title fight loss to Usyk in this very venue more than two years ago. The second-generation boxer was among the short list of candidates to face Anthony Joshua on June 1 in place of Jarrell Miller, but was instead requested to remain on the May 25 card as Andy Ruiz ultimately landed the assignment.
Usyk (16-0, 12KOs) was forced to bow out of the show after the pain from his suffered injury proved too much to bear. The reigning cruiserweight king and 2018 Fighter of the Year sought to make his heavyweight debut, but withdrew from the show earlier this week and—according to manager Egis Klimas—likely won’t return until August or September.
The rest of the card will likely remain intact. Filip Hrgovic, an unbeaten prospect and 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist from Croatia will make his U.S. debut in a scheduled 10-round bout versus journeyman Gregory Corbin.
An intriguing female super lightweight title fight graces the undercard, as recently crowned Jessica McCaskil faces Anahi Esther Sanchez in her first title defense. Both boxers lost in succession to current unbeaten, unified lightweight titlist and 2012 Olympic Gold medalist Katie Taylor in separate late 2017 bouts but have since remained unbeaten,
The show will also include the next step in the career of rookie lightweight Otha Jones III (1-0, 0KOs), who turned pro under the Matchroom Boxing USA banner earlier this year. An opponent is still being sought for the 19-year old former amateur standout from Toledo, Ohio, who prevailed in an aggressively-matched pro debut this past March.