Raphael Igbokwe: record, next fight and profile →
Local middleweight Raphael Igbokwe (14-2, 6 KOs) takes on Genc Pllana (8-2, 4 KOs) of Kosovo in the main event at the Arabia Shrine Temple in Houston on Nov. 28. Staged by Force Trains Promotions and streamed live via PPV at www.nexrfightup.com, the card will be the first to have a live audience since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Raphael Igbokwe will face once-beaten Genc Pllana in a rematch Saturday night, manager Joseph Vredevelt told Boxingscene Wednesday night. The eight-round super middleweight bout will take place at the Arabia Shrine Center in Houston, Texas and will headline a Force Train Promotions card that will stream live on pay-per-view ($9.99/ NextFightUp.com).
For the second time in as many days, Tuesday’s edition of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN has lost a fight due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The latest fallout comes on fight day, as a planned rematch between super middleweights Raphael Igbokwe and Genc ‘The Sexy Albanian’ Pllana will no longer take place. BoxingScene.com has learned that Houston’s Igbokwe (14-2, 6KOs) tested positive for COVID-19, the result coming to light less than 24 hours after both boxers made weight for their undercard appearance which was to have taken place prior to the start of the ESPN telecast.
An intriguing, intermediate level rematch takes place tonight at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas on the undercard of Oscar Valdez vs. Jayson Velez. Raphael "Trouble" Igbokwe (14-2, 6 KOs) of Houston will fight a rematch against Genc Pllana (8-1, 4 KOs) of Kosovo.
The first run of Top Rank on ESPN shows inside the MGM Grand “Bubble” will conclude with former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez, ranked No. 1 by the WBC and WBO at junior lightweight, facing former world title challenger Jayson Velez in the 10-round main event Tuesday, July 21, inside the MGM Grand Conference Center.
Miguel “Escorpion” Marriaga’s quest for a fourth world title shot continues inside the MGM Grand “Bubble” Thursday, July 16, in a scheduled 10-round featherweight main event against Filipino veteran Mark John Yap. In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Puerto Rican sensation Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo, closing in on a world title shot of his own, will fight the unbeaten Will Madera.
Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. broke new ground in the boxing business by becoming promoters while they were still active and promoting their own fights. Continuing in that trend is former super middleweight contender Alfonso Lopez, who will be promoting a card under his El Tigre banner in which he will fighting in thee main event at the Humble Civic Center on the outskirts of Houston on Friday, June 22.