Pierce scored a third-round stoppage over undefeated Jesse Garcia in June 2022. (Photo via Abrams Boxing)
Junior featherweight Elijah Pierce will face Lorenzo Parra on June 28, manager Trifon Petrov said on The Ring on Wednesday. The 10-round bout will take place at the Overtime Elite (OTE) Arena in Atlanta, Georgia and will be broadcast live on DAZN (8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT).
“We are excited about the opportunity for Elijah Pierce to fight another world-respected opponent,” Petrov told The Ring. “I am confident that Elijah will manage Lorenzo Parra. We’re chasing (Ring Magazine and junior featherweight champion) Naoya Inoue. On June 28, we will be another step closer to making this fight a reality.”
In his last fight on March 29, Pierce (19-2, 16 knockouts), ranked No. 8 by The Ring at 122 pounds, won the title in the first round of the fight to stop former world champion Kevin Villanueva. In his previous fight on August 4, Pierce knocked out fellow contender Mike Plana in the third round.
Both wins against Villanueva and Plania took place at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, where Pierce lives and trains.
The 27-year-old southpaw has won his last 10 fights, eight by knockout, since his decision loss to featherweight Sulaiman Segawa in September 2019.
Pierce hails from Midwest City, Oklahoma and is undefeated as a junior featherweight.
Parra (23-1, 18 KOs), who lives in Machiques, Venezuela, last fought on August 18, defeating Javon Campbell by split decision. This fight was also at the Overtime Elite Arena, where OTX Boxing promotes their cards.
The 29-year-old has won his last nine fights since a unanimous decision loss to former world and national champion Yonfrez Parejo in June 2017.
Parra is ranked number 15 by the WBA and promoted by Brendan Gibbons.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has handled boxing in Southern California and internationally since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. They can be reached at [email protected]
