Angel Ayala and Dave Apolinario face off after making weight for his or her Aug. 9 IBF flyweight title combat in Mexico Metropolis.
Angel Ayala and Dave Apolinario are set to fill the void left behind by one of many sport’s absolute best.
Each fighters arrived in supreme situation forward of their vacant IBF flyweight title combat in Mexico Metropolis. The locally-based Ayala arrived at a match and trim 110.8 kilos, whereas the Philippines’ Apolinario was a fight-ready 111.7 kilos.
Their bout headlines an ESPN Knockout present from Restaurante Arroyo in Mexico Metropolis. ESPN+ will stream the occasion stay within the U.S.
Ayala (17-0, 7 KOs), No. 4 at 112, enters his first profession title combat because the obligatory challenger. He earned that proper after a questionable 12-round win over Felix Alvarado final October 14 in Merida, Mexico.
“With this combat, I can now grow to be part of boxing historical past,”
There was all the time the conclusion amongst Ayala’s group that his bid for the IBF belt would are available a vacant title combat. Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) beforehand held the IBF and WBO titles at flyweight however vacated each belts earlier this 12 months. The Ring’s No. 5-rated pound-for-pound fighter returned to 115, the place he dethroned long-reigning RING champ Juan Francisco Estrada.
Apolinario (20-0, 14 KOs) was the benefactor from the transfer, because the No. 3-rated IBF contender. The unbeaten contender from Common Santos Metropolis positive aspects his first title combat by means of attrition somewhat than benefit. His resume is pretty skinny, though three of his final 4 wins got here on the highway. He enters on the heels a fourth-round stoppage of Tanes Ongjunta on February 22 in Tokyo.
“This combat is an enormous distinction from some other I’ve had and I’m excited to show I’m one of the best,” Apolinario stated. “I had a very long time to arrange for this. This combat is essential and I’ve improved my expertise, my energy… and in addition my IQ.”
Each fighters had been required to attend out a handbag bid course of, which killed plans to land on the Could 6 Naoya Inoue-Luis Nery card in Tokyo. Zanfer Boxing, Ayala’s promoter, bid $250,500 to to safe promotional rights.
Friday’s combat date satisfies the phrases of the bid, which referred to as for an Aug. 12 deadline to stage the vacant title combat.
