Angel Ayala and Dave Apolinario face off after making weight for his or her Aug. 9 IBF flyweight title battle in Mexico Metropolis.
Angel Ayala and Dave Apolinario are set to fill the void left behind by one of many sport’s best possible.
Each fighters arrived in supreme situation forward of their vacant IBF flyweight title battle 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 dwell within the U.S.
Ayala (17-0, 7 KOs), No. 4 at 112, enters his first profession title battle because the necessary challenger. He earned that proper after a questionable 12-round win over Felix Alvarado final October 14 in Merida, Mexico.
“With this battle, I can now change into part of boxing historical past,”
There was at all times the belief amongst Ayala’s staff that his bid for the IBF belt would are available in a vacant title battle. Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) beforehand held the IBF and WBO titles at flyweight however vacated each belts earlier this yr. 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 Basic Santos Metropolis good points his first title battle by means of attrition quite than advantage. 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 battle is a giant distinction from another I’ve had and I’m excited to show I’m one of the best,” Apolinario mentioned. “I had a very long time to arrange for this. This battle is essential and I’ve improved my abilities, my energy… and likewise my IQ.”
Each fighters have been required to attend out a handbag bid course of, which killed plans to land on the Might 6 Naoya Inoue-Luis Nery card in Tokyo. Zanfer Boxing, Ayala’s promoter, bid $250,500 to to safe promotional rights.
Friday’s battle date satisfies the phrases of the bid, which referred to as for an Aug. 12 deadline to stage the vacant title battle.
