SUPER-BANTAMWEIGHT boss Guillermo Rigondeaux will fight mandatory challenger Moises Flores next, reportedly on the undercard of the mooted Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev rematch.
The fight had previously been scheduled to appear on the Miguel Cotto-James Kirkland undercard in February, but the whole show was scrapped when Kirkland picked up an injury.
The WBA – whose title Rigondeaux holds – ordered his defence against Flores to be rescheduled and the Panama-based outfit confirmed earlier this week that the two sides had come to an agreement, therefore avoiding the purse bids scheduled for April 3.
Contracts will be sent to the WBA in the coming days, but it appears the fight is being pencilled in for the Ward-Kovalev show, which is mooted for June 17 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Roc Nation Sports – who promote Ward and Rigondeaux – have booked that venue on that date alongside Main Events, Kovalev’s promoter.
Rigondeaux has not fought since he stopped Jazza Dickens in two rounds – when the Liverpudlian’s jaw broke – last July. Flores will also be coming off a lengthy layoff, having not fought since last June when he outpointed Paulus Ambundu.
While the confirmation of this fight is positive news, there is still some way to go before a Ward-Kovalev rematch is finalised. The Russian recently signed a memo for the return, but Ward sent a series of tweets to his adversary suggesting the numbers don’t quite add up.
@KrusherKovalev You better check them numbers before you go putting your name on contracts. They got you again. SMH. #YouHave2Wait
— Andre S.O.G. Ward (@andreward) March 25, 2017
Meanwhile, ‘Rigo’ will be pleased to have secured a fight against a universally-recognised top 10 super-bantamweight, having struggled to lure top names into the ring with him since his breakout points win over Nonito Donaire in 2013.
