JESSE Rodriguez will attempt the next step of his quest to become boxing’s first undisputed super-flyweight champion when he fights WBO title holder Phumelele Cafu on July 19. Now, another fight with world title implications has been added to the Matchroom bill.
Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, 18-1 (12 KOs), has been tipped for success by boxing fans but his momentum was halted when Hamzah Sheeraz handed him his first career defeat with an 11th-round stoppage last year.
However, the Wisconsin-born southpaw has responded well to adversity, securing two wins since to regain world title contention, stopping Gian Garrido and outpointing Patrice Volny.
Those wins have positioned Williams in the top 10 of the world rankings with three sanctioning bodies, convincing fans he can become America’s leading middleweight at the peak of the historic 160lb division.
Meanwhile, Italy’s Etinosa Oliha, 21-0 (9 KOs), holds the IBF #2 ranking and has shown technical improvements since signing with German promotional outfit Agon Sports in 2023, maintaining his unbeaten record with five straight wins against stronger opposition in Germany.
In March, the IBF ordered Williams and Oliha to fight to determine a mandatory challenger for undefeated unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, 17-0 (12 KOs), but the contest went to purse bids after a deal could not be reached.
Matchroom outbid Agon Sports by just $18,000, and Eddie Hearn’s firm has decided to stage the fight on the Rodriguez-Cafu undercard, with the IBF website confirming that Williams and Oliha will meet in Frisco, Texas, on July 19.
On the same card, Matchroom has confirmed that Diego Pacheco, 23-0 (18 KOs), and Trevor McCumby, 28-1 (21 KOs), will meet in the co-main event, as Pacheco seeks to establish himself as an immediate threat to the super-middleweight world titles.
