The next three Premier Boxing Champions cards on ESPN were unveiled on Tuesday.
- Lightweight prospect Jamel Herring, a 2012 U.S. Olympian from Coram, New York, will face Russian contender Denis Shafikov, a former world title challenger, in the 10-round main event on July 2 at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania.”I am just excited about the fight. I have been looking for a big step up to get me in title contention,” Herring (15-0, 8 KOs) said. “I started training before I got the call before the fight. I have been training in [Washington] D.C. with Mike Stafford, Barry Hunter, Patrice Harris and Levi Smith, and I feel after this fight it will get me up to a championship fight. He is a tough guy.”
Shafikov has twice fought for a lightweight world title but come up short. In December he lost a unanimous decision challenging Rances Barthelemy for a vacant belt. In 2014 he lost a unanimous decision to then-titleholder Miguel Vazquez.
“I am looking forward to facing Jamel Herring,” Shafikov (36-2-1, 19 KOs) said. “He is undefeated and a former Olympian. I have the experience of fighting for a title and I know with a win, it will get me another opportunity.”
In the co-feature, Polish junior middleweight Patrick Szymanski (15-0, 9 KOs) will face former world title challenger “Silky” Wilky Campfort (21-2, 12 KOs) in a 10-round fight. Campfort, born in Haiti and living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is coming off a fourth-round knockout loss challenging Jermall Charlo for his 154-pound world title in November.
- Junior lightweight prospect Mario Barrios, of San Antonio, will square off with former European champion and former world title challenger Devis Boschiero, of Italy, in a title elimination bout on July 9 at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey.”This will be a great opportunity to showcase my talent to the world on ESPN,” Barrios (15-0, 8 KOs) said. “The time is now to take the division by storm. A victory will put me one step closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming a world champion. I will not be denied.”
The winner will move a step closer to a mandatory world title opportunity against Puerto Rico’s Jose Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs).
“I look forward to making my American debut on July 9 in New Jersey,” Boschiero (39-4, 21 KOs) said. “I know a win over Barrios will take me towards a world title shot. I plan on coming to America and putting on a great performance and bringing a great victory back to Italy.”
Unbeaten junior welterweight prospects Kevin Watts (11-0, 4 KOs) of Los Angeles, and Chicago’s Eddie Ramirez (13-0, 9 KOs) will meet in the scheduled 10-round co-feature.
- On July 15, at the Horseshoe Tunica Hotel & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, junior welterweight prospect Sergey Lipinets, of Kazakhstan, will face Walter Castillo, of Nicaragua, in a scheduled 12-round bout.”My opponent is a very tough and experienced guy, but I want to be the first one to stop him,” Lipinets (9-0, 7 KOs) said. “Buddy McGirt is my new trainer and we’ve been having a great training camp. We will have a plan for anything Castillo can bring into the ring. I believe with my new trainer I will add even more to my arsenal.”
Said Castillo (26-3-1, 19 KOs): “I’m very motivated by this fight and I plan on giving Lipinets his first pro loss. This is going to be a war. Every fight I’m in is exciting, and this one will be no different. The winner of this fight will be in line for a world title, and I’m going to be the man with my hand raised.”
In the co-feature, featherweight Tugstsogt Nyambayar (5-0, 5 KO), a 2012 Olympic silver medalist from Mongolia, will make his television debut against Puerto Rico’s Rafael Vazquez (16-2, 13 KO) in a scheduled 10-round fight.
All three cards will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as stream live on WatchESPN, beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
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