Rafael Espinoza will have his newly won WBO featherweight title on the line tonight when he makes his first defense against Sergio Chirino in the ESPN+ main event at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
(Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Position)
Event start time: 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT.
Boxing News 24 will provide live updates and results below for tonight’s action:
The 6’1″ Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) surprised many last year when he upset WBO 126-lb champion Robeisy Ramirez, defeating him by a 12-round majority decision on December 9 in Pembroke Pines, Florida .
Espinoza went down in the fifth to come back to dominate the remaining rounds of work and drop Robeisy in the 12th round to seal the victory. Before that win, Espinoza was unknown to the fans, but he surprised the two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Eight-year trainer Chirino Sanchez (22-1, 13 KO) has been largely unknown during his career, but somehow, he has a reason to be #2 in the World Boxing Association rankings without defeating anyone of note.
Other fights on tonight’s card:
– Undefeated super featherweight Andres Cores (21-0, 12 KOs) takes on slugger Abraham Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) in a 10-round bout for the vacant NABO title. Nova, 30, is coming off a loss earlier this year to O’Shaquie Foster and is in a must-win situation.
– Middleweight prospect Troy Isley (12-0, 5 KO) fights Javier Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KO) in a ten-round NABO title fight. Isley, 25, has the power to hit, but he gets hit a lot and hasn’t looked big all the time. It is not clear if he will go far in the game without making major changes.
– Bantamweight Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) faces veteran Francisco Pedroza (18-11-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-round contest.
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