Featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza will make his most memorable protection against Sergio Chirino at Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Las Vegas on June 21.
Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) procured his belt last December, disturbing Robeisy Ramirez in a Battle of the Year competitor. Notwithstanding being wrecked in the fifth in the wake of taking an early lead, Espinoza energized late and dropped Ramirez in the twelfth prior to taking a larger part choice.
“I’m eager to get back to the ring,” Espinoza said. “I’m preparing exceptionally hard, as usual. I realize that I’ll confront a Mexican countryman who is coming to win. I will be prepared to guard my title with a great deal of coarseness and heart. Furthermore, that is the very thing I’ll do in the ring – battle with a ton of heart and come out on top for my most memorable championship guard.”
At 6-foot-1, Espinoza is the tallest title holder in featherweight history – a division that has included Mexican greats like Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez, Erik Spirits and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Chirino (22-1, 13 KOs) went 9-0 preceding an early misfortune to possible world champion Mauricio Lara in August 2018. From that point forward, he has stayed unbeaten, prevailing upon choices Partner Mwerangi and Sebastian Tinoco Chavez prior to making his 2024 presentation in February by halting Dennis Contreras with a body shot in the third round.
Espinoza-Chirino will stamp the 161st all-Mexican world title battle, including the twentieth of its sort at featherweight.
Rafael Espinoza to Defend Against Sergio Chirino on June 21 in Las Vegas
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“We Mexicans are known for having a ton of heart,” Chirino said. “Furthermore, at whatever point there are two of us in the ring, it’s a fight. I’m glad for the open door, and yet, I realize I deserve it. I’m coming for that belt. I have a ton of involvement. There will be an issue in the ring, and that issue is Espinoza. In any case, I will tackle that issue and bring back home the triumph.”
In the co-highlight, Andres Cortes will confront Abraham Nova in a 10-round junior lightweight session. Unbeaten middleweights Troy Isley (12-0, 5 KOs) and Javier Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs) will reignite a wild novice competition in their own 10-rounder to balance the highest point of the card, which will stream live in the U.S. on ESPN+ and on Sky Sports in the U.K. furthermore, Ireland.
“We’ve been on a crash course for quite a while,” Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) said of Cortes. “It was in the long run going to occur. Andres has been nipping at my heels for some time, getting down on me and flapping his gums at public interviews.”
“He believes I’m his pass to another title shot, yet I will establish him on the material,” Cortes (21-0, 12 KOs) said of Nova. “I’m prepared for a title shot, and no one, particularly not Nova, will prevent me from accomplishing my fantasy.”
Additionally on the undercard:
Bantamweight prospect and Las Vegas local Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) will show up in an eight-round slant against Francisco Pedroza (18-11-2, 10 KOs).
Junior lightweight southpaw DJ Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs), additionally of Las Vegas, will confront Jose Antonio Meza (9-9, 2 KOs) in an eight-round challenge.
Junior bantamweight phenom Steven Navarro (1-0, 1 KO) will battle in a six-rounder against Juan Pablo Meza (7-3, 2 KOs). The 13-time U.S. public beginner champion entered the expert positions by halting Jose Lopez in six in April.
Albert Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs), a featherweight champion prepared by Robert Garcia, will take on Conrado Martinez (9-1) in a six-rounder. Gonzalez will return in the wake of impacting out Joel Alberto Mora last month.
