Summer nights mean summer fights, and there’s no shortage of exciting bouts set to take place in June and July this year. Floyd Mayweather’s return to the ring on Sunday kicked the season off in style, but the hard-hitting action doesn’t stop there. Here’s a round-up of some of the top fights coming up this summer:
Regis Prograis v Danielito Zorrilla (17 June)
Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, USA
Championship boxing returns to New Orleans on 17 June as the city’s very own World Super-Lightweight champ takes on Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla. Nicknamed Rougarou, a swamp monster from Cajun folklore, Prograis (28-1 24 KOs) hopes that a win will help set up a long-awaited fight with Undisputed Lightweight Champion Devin Haney later this year, but Zorilla (17-1 13 KOs) will be out to spoil the party. Other fights on the card include Shakhram Giyasov v Harold Calderon and Ramla Ali v Julissa Guzman.
Tim Tszyu v Carlos Ocampo (18 June)
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach
It might not be summer in Australia, but things will certainly heat up when Tim Tszyu steps into the ring with Carlos Ocampo. With the WBO Super-Welterweight Interim World Title on the line, Australian superstar Tszyu (22-0) will face a tough task in overcoming #1 ranked super-welterweight Ocampo (35-2), but a win could set up a thrilling undisputed title clash with Jermell Charlo. Other fights on the card include Sam Goodman v Ra'eese Aleem and Justin Frost v Hassan Hamdan.
Franchon Crews-Dezurn v Savannah Marshall (1 July)
AO Arena, Manchester, UK
Following the postponement of the planned rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr, Franchon Crews-Dezurn v Savannah Marshall will now headline this huge night of championship boxing at AO Arena on 1 July. Marshall will be looking to bounce back after suffering the first loss of her career back in October, when old rival Claressa Shields took her WBO Middleweight belt. She'll face an enormous challenge in stepping up to super-middleweight to take on Crews-Dezurn, but one that promises an equally enormous reward if she can pull it off.
Jared Anderson v Zhan Kossobutskiy (1 July)
Huntington Center, Toledo, USA
Jared Anderson (14-0, 14 KOs) fights for the first time as a professional in his home town of Toledo on 1 July. His opponent will be Zhan Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18 KOs), a powerful southpaw from Kostanay, Kazakhstan. The fighters will be joined on the card by 2 more big-time heavyweights when Montreal-based Arslanbek Makhmudov (16-0, 15 KOs) faces Nigeria’s Raphael Akpejiori (15-0, 14 KOs). The likes of DeAndre Ware, Tiger Johnson, Dante Benjamin Jr, and Husam Al Mashhadi will also be part of the action.
Alycia Baumgardner v Christina Linardatou (15 July)
Masonic Temple, Detroit, USA
Detroit’s ornate Masonic Temple will be the venue when Alycia Baumgardner takes on Christina Linardatou on 15 July. The event will see Baumgardner (14-1 7 KOs) fight in her home city for the first time as a professional as she defends her WBA, IBF, WBC and WBO Super-Featherweight titles against Greece's Linardatou (14-2 6 KOs). Elsewhere on the card, Montana Love will face Richardson Hitchins, and Andy Cruz will take on Juan Carlos Burgos.
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