LOS ANGELES: Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (pic) and Australian-based Irishman T.J. Doheny risk their world boxing crowns today in a championship card from the Forum in Los Angeles.
Srisaket puts his 20-fight win streak and the World Boxing Council super flyweight title on the line in a rematch against Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada.
Unbeaten southpaw Doheny, the International Boxing Federation champion, will face World Boxing Association champion and hometown hero Daniel Roman in a super bantamweight title unification bout.
Srisaket, 47-4 with one drawn and 41 knockouts, took a February 2018 majority decision over Estrada at the Forum and the 32-year-old southpaw now defends for the fourth time the crown he took
from Nicaragua’s Roman Gonzalez in 2017 in his US debut in New York.
“I’m excited to be back fighting in the US,” Rungvisai said. “Estrada is a great fighter and we had an amazing fight last year. I believe this fight will be even more entertaining. I’m confident I’ll be the winner.”
Srisaket has not lost since falling to Mexico’s Carlos Cuadras in May 2014.
Estrada, 38-3 with 26 knockouts, is a former WBA and WBO flyweight champion won has won twice since losing to the Thai star to earn another chance at the title.
“I’m extremely excited for this rematch,” Estrada said. “I’m getting ready to bring the title back to Mexico. I’m confident I’m going to win.”
Doheny, 21-0 with 15 knockouts, defends for the second time the IBF crown he took from Japan’s Ryosuka Iwasa last August.
“This is a fight you want to see. The best against the best, champion against champion,” Doheny said. “I’ve been asking for this fight since I won the world title and finally it’s here.
“There’s a lot of respect between myself and Danny… when that first bell goes, the respect will be gone out the window and the fans can expect fireworks.”
Roman, 26-2 with one draw and 10 knockouts, has won 18 fights in a row since dropping a 2013 decision to American Juan Reyes.
“This is the fight I wanted,” Roman said. “It’s a dream come true. I was looking to unify the first fight after winning the belt. I want the best in the division. For me that’s the champions.
“Finally, that’s happening and it’s in my backyard in Inglewood where I grew up, so I’m so excited. That has given me even more motivation to start my quest to hold all the belts.”
Should he beat Doheny, Mexico’s unbeaten Rey Vargas, the 33-0 WBC champion, would be next on Roman’s hit list. – AFP
