Raeese Aleem (proper) vs. Adam Lopez. Picture credit score: Amanda Westcott/Showtime
Golden Boy Promotions might have secured a golden alternative for certainly one of its rising contenders.
On Friday morning, the corporate secured the rights to the WBA 122-pound title eliminator between Raeese Aleem and Azat Hovhannisyan with a bid of $80,001. Golden Boy can have 10 days to generate ultimate contracts for the bout, which might function two undefeated fighters whom want to get one step nearer to title glory.
Nonetheless Aleem (18-0, 12 knockouts) is already signed to face Eduardo Baez on November 27, in a Showtime-televised tripleheader, at MGM’s Park Theater in Las Vegas. Though that battle is simply weeks away, if Aleem opts to face Baez, the WBA will declare Hovhannisyan the necessary challenger to face unbeaten unified titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
BoxingScene.com was first to report the story.
Whereas it could not appear sportsmanlike or stylish, “The Beast,” 31, a Michigan native based mostly in Las Vegas, might haven’t any alternative however to desert Baez for the shot of a lifetime. Provided that he opts to battle Hovhannisyan and wins, Aleem can have a assured title shot in 2022. As they are saying in boxing, it’s each man for himself.
Apart from the huge thumb of the WBA, Aleem doesn’t have very many choices at his weight class. He can’t face Akhmadaliev, who was initially ordered to subsequent face Ronny Rios till the latter got here down with a case of COVID-19. Jose Velasquez subsequently changed Rios.
Brandon Figueroa, who holds the WBC 122-pound belt, can also be unavailable as he’s set to sq. off with fellow undefeated WBO titlist Stephen Fulton in a much-hyped unification extravaganza.
Aleem, The Ring’s No.7-ranked junior featherweight, has not fought since January 23, when he stopped beforehand unbeaten Vic Pasillas within the eleventh spherical in Connecticut. The Ring’s eighth-ranked 122-pounder, Hovhannisyan (20-3, 16 KOs), 33, an Armenian preventing out of Los Angeles, has received 5 of his final six bouts by knockout and has not dropped a battle since Might 2018, when Rey Vargas outpointed him to efficiently defend the WBC junior featherweight title.
