What is the story about?
The
undercard for Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23 has come together.
Previously reported was a solid welterweight matchup between Jack Catterall and Shakhram Giyasov. In addition to that we’ll see:
- The rescheduled fight between Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KO) and Richard Torrez Jr (14-0, 12 KO) in their IBF heavyweight eliminator. The fight was meant to take place on March 28, but Sanchez hurt his knee a little bit, and the bout had to be postponed. They promised it wouldn’t take long to get a new date, and it hasn’t.
- Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KO) will face Alem Begic (29-0-1, 23 KO) for the vacant WBO super middleweight title, one of the four that was given up when Terence “Bud” Crawford retired. Germany’s Begic is a 39-year-old lacking a single true world-level win, so Sheeraz will come in a heavy favorite.
- Mizuki Hiruta (10-0, 2 KO) will defend her WBO super flyweight title against Mai Soliman (10-1, 6 KO). Soliman was born in Cairo and lives in Australia, where she’s had all of her fights.
- Cruiserweight prospect Jamar Talley (6-0, 5 KO) will face local fighter Basem Mamdouh (10-2, 4 KO). You may have seen Talley, 28, on the February 1 Zuffa card, where he knocked out Devonte Williams in the second round.
- Egyptians Omar Hikal and Mohamed Mabrou Yehya will make their pro debuts.
How do you like the card? Remember, it’s a pay-per-view, technically, though is available for DAZN Ultimate subscribers as well, without any extra purchase that way. (Not an endorsement, just information.)
