Junior lightweights Luis Melendez and Thomas Mattice will sq. off on November 5, Prime Rank introduced Friday.
The eight-round bout will happen at The Theatre contained in the Virgins Resort Las Vegas and can precede the primary occasion unification bout between girls’s WBO junior light-weight titleholder Mikaela Mayer and IBF titleholder Maiva Hamadouche. That matchup may also have the vacant Ring Journal championship at stake.
Each fights, together with the remainder of the Prime Rank card, will stream reside on ESPN+ (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT).
The crossroads conflict between Melendez and Mattice replaces the middleweight bout between Janibek Alimkhanuly and former world titleholder Hassan N’Dam, which has been postponed to a later date.
Melendez (16-1, 13 KOs), who’s initially from Puerto Rico and now resides in Miami, Florida, knocked out former fringe contender Walter Estrada within the second spherical of his final bout on July 22.
Earlier this yr, the 23-year-old fought 4 occasions in two weeks, going unbeaten in that span and successful three of these fights by knockout.
“I’m coming to offer the struggle followers an amazing present,” stated Melendez, who has fought his final seven bouts in Colombia. “If you keep prepared, good issues occur. I’m at all times within the health club and in form, and I give credit score to Mattice for being prepared as nicely.”
Mattice (17-2-1, 13 KOs), who resides in Cleveland, Ohio, final fought on June 19, when he stopped Deivi Julio in 4 rounds. He has received back-to-back fights since dropping by majority resolution to Isaac Cruz of Mexico on February 14 of final yr.
The 31-year-old, who’s promoted by Vick Inexperienced, notched his most necessary win in September 2019, when he stopped prospect Michael Dutchover in eight.
“I’ve been staying prepared, and when the chance got here to struggle Melendez, I didn’t hesitate,” stated Mattice, who has fought a handful of occasions on the ShoBox sequence. “Everyone has been turning me down at 130 kilos. This (struggle towards Melendez) is an enormous alternative.”
Additionally happening on the Prime Rank card shall be an eight-round junior light-weight bout between Las Vegas resident Andres Cortes and Mark Bernaldez of the Philippines.
Cortes (15-0, 8 KOs) final fought on August 14, when he knocked out former featherweight title challenger Genesis Servania within the opening spherical. The 24-year-old has been preventing below the Prime Rank banner since final yr.
Bernaldez (23-4, 17 KOs) stopped Juan Kantun in his final bout on July 9. The 27-year-old has received his final three fights since dropping on factors to the unbeaten Albert Bell on July 2 of final yr.
Unbeaten Joseph Adorno (14-0-2, 12 KOs), who resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania, will face Damian Araujo (21-3, 8 KOs) of Argentina in an eight-round light-weight bout.
Francisco A. Salazar might be reached by e mail at [email protected] or on Twitter @FSalazarBoxing
