Jose Pedraza: record, next fight and profile →
Barboza, Pedraza Weights Photos Gallery - The Top Rank on ESPN 2023 schedule continues with a world title card on Friday evening at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (photos by Mikey Williams)
Emanuel Navarrete insisted prior to fight week that he is not yet done with the featherweight division. That said, the 28-year-old Mexican looked comfortable at Thursday’s weigh-in ahead of his bid to become a three-division titlist. Navarrete was 129.2 pounds for his scheduled twelve-round fight with Australia’s Liam Wilson, who checked in at a career-light 126.3 pounds for his U.S. debut.
Navarrete, Wilson Final Press Conference Photos Gallery - The main event is a battle for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title, as Emanuel "Vaquero" Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) seeks to become a three-weight world champion against Australian upstart Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs).
For Arnold Barboza, two-time world champion José “Sniper” Pedraza represents the next step to landing a title fight at 140 pounds. His intentions are to eliminate the Puerto Rican fighter from the road when they meet on February 3 during the card that Top Rank will present at the Desert Diamond Arena in Tucson, Arizona.
Arnold Barboza Jr. (27-0) may not be getting the title fight he has pushed for, but he is very thankful for his upcoming fight against former two-division champion Jose Pedraza (29-4-1).
Puerto Rico's Jose “Sniper” Pedraza wants a chance to challenge for one of the world belts at 140 pounds. To do so, he will first have to get past Arnold Barboza Jr when they meet in a 10-round crossroads showdown on February 3.
Mexican star Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Australian contender Liam Wilson will fight for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title Friday, Feb. 3, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Navarrete, the reigning WBO featherweight world champion, hopes to become the 10th Mexican-born boxer to win world titles in three weight divisions.
Admittedly, Teofimo Lopez believes that he spent far too much time competing at 135 pounds. After snagging the WBA, WBO, and WBC “Franchise” titles from Vasiliy Lomachenko, the brash 25-year-old concludes that he simply should have opted to walk away from the lightweight division.
The junior welterweight who was supposed to fight Teofimo Lopez on Saturday night and the undefeated contender who most wanted to oppose Lopez at Madison Square Garden have agreed to fight each other.
The WBC super lightweight elimination match ordered last week will happen a lot sooner than anyone anticipated. BoxingScene.com confirmed Thursday that Spain’s Sandor Martin has agreed to replace an ill Jose Pedraza as Teofimo Lopez’s opponent December 10 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Martin was the other opponent Lopez and his handlers at Top Rank Inc. considered before they picked Pedraza for this next bout, but Martin happily replaced Pedraza on barely three weeks’ notice.