WBO Title Fights This Weekend in New Zealand, Ukraine, England, United States and Canada
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) will sanction six title fights this week around the world, including a world championship bout.
Friday, June 22:
In New Zealand, local undefeated fighter Junior Fa (14-0, 8 KOs) will clash with Luis Pascual (13-1, 9 KOs), of Mexico, for the vacant WBO Oriental Heavyweight belt. The match will take place at the Auckland Indian Association headquarters in Auckland. The event is presented by Shane Cameron Promotions and will be televised live on Sky TV.
In the United States, WBO unified Middleweight Female World Champion, Christina Hammer (22-0-0, 10 KOs) will put her belts on the line against Tori Nelson (17-1-3, 2KOs) at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan. The fight will be televised by Showtime in a boxing card presented by Salita Promotions.
Hammer, from Dortmund, Germany, has dominated the division for eight years, losing only a handful of rounds in her reign as a 160-pound queen. The talented 27-year-old fighter won the WBO title in 2010 and then became the unified champion in 2016, with a victory over WBC champion Kali Reis.
Nelson became a World Middleweight Champion in 2011 and has victories over Alicia Napoleon, Mia St. John and Reis, who almost knocked out Cecilia Braekhus in her last performance. The native of Ashburn, Virginia, suffered her first loss in a close decision against Shields last January on a bout televised in the United States by Showtime.
Saturday, June 23:
In Canada and for the vacant WBO NABO Super Middleweight title, WBO 11th ranked Erik Bazinyan (19-0-0, 14KOs), of Canada, will face off Peruvian David Zegarra (32-2-0, 20 KOs) in a 10 round meeting that will take place at the Montreal Casino. The event is presented by Eye of the Tiger Management. The fight will be streamed live on www.punchinggrace.com.
In England, the WBO Inter-Continental and European Light Heavyweight champion Anthony Yarde (15-0-0, 14 KOs), of England and who currently holds the number two position in the WBO world rankings at 175 pounds, will battle Dariusz Sek (27-3-3, 9 KOs), from Poland, in a 10-round affair. The duel will be part of an event promoted by Queensberry Promotions at the O2 Arena (Millenium Dome) in Greenwich, district of London. The fight will be televised by BT Sport and Box Nation.
In Ukraine, local boxer Stanyslav Skorokhod (17-1, 14 KOs) and Russian Aram Amirkhanyan (10-0-1, 3KOs) will meet in a 12-round battle for the vacant WBO International Jr. Middleweight title. In the same card, and for the WBO Youth Welterweight belt, 15th ranked, Karen Chukhadzhyan (11-1, 5 KOs), from Ukraine, will battle against Enes Refik Ciftci (5-0, 3 KOs), from Turkey at the Sport Palace in the capital city of Kiev. The card is promoted by Sparta Boxing Promotions and K2 Promotions Ukraine.