Jamel Herring: record, next fight and profile →
All that Jamel Herring was willing to change about his upcoming title defense was the date. The 34-year old southpaw from the Coram section of Long Island, New York is prepared to put his 130-pound crown on the line for the second time when he faces Vega Alta’s Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo. The two will collide on July 14 live on ESPN from MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring and Mikaela Mayer, both of whom are healthy following recent positive COVID-19 test results that delayed their fights, are primed for their “Bubble” debuts. U.S. Marine veteran Herring will make his second world title defense against Puerto Rican challenger Jonathan “Polvo” Oquendo on Tuesday, July 14, at the MGM Grand Conference Center — Grand Ballroom.
Super featherweight contender Andy Vences (23-1-1) returns to the ring on Tuesday against Luis Lopez (20-2) of Mexico in an ESPN televised co-main event. The bout takes place underneath the Jose Zepeda-Kendo Castaneda main event in "The Bubble" at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Veteran contender Jonathan "Polvo" Oquendo will not allow the postponement of world title fight against Jamel Herring to be a pretext to let his guard down. Originally, the fight was announced for July 2, but it was then postponed because Herring tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Tentatively, the duo will face off on July 14 at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
When Shakur Stevenson discusses potential 130-pound title fights, he purposely mentions Jamel Herring last. Leo Santa Cruz, the WBA’s “super” champion, always comes up first. Stevenson also has made it well known that he would love to challenge the winner of the Miguel Berchelt-Oscar Valdez fight for Berchelt’s WBC belt.
ESPN and promoter Top Rank have lost another main event due to COVID-19. Jamel Herring acknowledged in a Tweet issued Tuesday afternoon that he tested positive for the virus last week. His second defense of the WBO junior lightweight title, a 12-rounder against Jonathan Oquendo that was scheduled for July 2 in Las Vegas, thus has been postponed indefinitely.
As boxing slowly inches its way back towards a normal schedule, the sanctioning bodies have also taken the necessary steps to ensure a healthy return. More than two months after having suspended operations due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) is now back in business. The Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body has has rolled out its COVID-19 protocol for when the time comes to once again stage title fights.
As BoxingScene.com previously reported, former two division world champion Carl Frampton is looking to return to the ring in last July or early August. Frampton was booked to challenge for his third world title last this month, by taking on WBO super featherweight world champion Jamel Herring.
Jamel Herring is suddenly the most wanted man in the 130-pound division. The 34-year old southpaw is coming up on his one-year anniversary as the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight titlist, having spent much of his reign calling out the division’s best only to hear nothing but crickets in return.
With his promoter ready to bring the sport back to the American viewing public, Andy Vences is eager to be a part of the movement. Unfortunately, the offers he has willingly accepted weren’t quite as embraced by the other side. The 130-pound contender from San Jose, California didn’t hesitate to say yes when approached by his handlers for a showdown with reigning junior lightweight titlist Jamel Herring (21-2, 10KOs). The offer was to fight on or around Independence Day, roughly one month into present plans for Top Rank Inc.—whom promotes both Herring and Vences—to stage closed-doors events in Las Vegas. Such a fight will serve as the first major title fight on U.S. soil since Roman Gonzalez turned back the clock to unseat 115-pound titlist Khalid Yafai on February 29 in Frisco, Texas.