WBA Title Fights in Haiti on Wednesday

Evens Pierre will defend his WBA Fedelatin lightweight title this Wednesday. (Photo: Courtesy)

By Clarence George

WBAnews

Three WBA title fights will take place at the Karibe Convention Center in Petionville, Haiti, this Wednesday, the 16th.

In the main event, Evens Pierre will defend his WBA Fedelatin lightweight title against Juan Carlos Salgado over a scheduled 11 rounds.

An eight-year pro (26-1, 17 KOs), the 32-year-old Port-au-Prince native won the then-vacant title in November 2014 by retiring Rene Gonzalez in the 10th. “The Sun City Kid” has successfully defended twice, most recently this April by beating Tomas Mendez via unanimous decision. Sixth-ranked by the WBA, Pierre has only suffered one defeat, beaten by Rosano Lawrence via unanimous decision in April 2010.

Fighting out of Mexico City since 2003, though out of the ring in ’08 (26-6-1, 1 No Contest), 31-year-old Salgado won the WBA World super featherweight title by stopping Jorge Linares via first-round TKO in October 2009. He lost the belt in his next fight, three months later, Takashi Uchiyama stopping him by 12th-round TKO. In September 2011, Salgado took the then-vacant IBF World super featherweight title by beating Argenis Mendez via unanimous decision. He lost the belt in a March 2013 rematch, Mendez winning by fourth-round KO. The former WBA/IBF champ hasn’t won since. In fact, he’s lost his last five, most recently to Dante Jardon, who won by unanimous decision this March.

Also up, Azea Augustama will defend his WBA Fedelatin light heavyweight title against Wilmer Mejia over a scheduled 11 rounds.

Born in Les Gonaives, Haiti, but fighting out of Hollywood, Florida, the 33-year-old titlist is a seven-year ring vet (19-2, 11 KOs) who won the then-vacant belt by retiring Andy Perez in the third in November 2014. Fourteenth-ranked by the WBA, Augustama hasn’t fought since May 2015, when he defended his title against Eduardo Mercedes, knocking him out in the third.

A southpaw, his 34-year-old opponent fights out of Irvington, New Jersey, by way of the Dominican Republic. Although a pro since 1999 (20-7-2, 15 KOs), “El Lecherito” was out of the ring in ’04, ’07, from ’09 to ’11, and in ’14 and ’15. Mejia last fought this September, stopping Antonio Sanchez by first-round TKO.

Finally, Wilky Campfort and Jeffrey Rosales will go a scheduled nine rounds for the vacant WBA Fedecaribe super welterweight title.

Born in Haiti but fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 32-year-old Campfort is a seven-year ring vet, though inactive in ’13 (21-3, 12 KOs), who last fought this July, losing to Patrick Szymanski by unanimous decision. “Silky” most recently won in September 2015, stopping Ronald Montes by second-round TKO.

His 24-year-old opponent, of Panama City, is a five-year ring pro (8-3-2, 2 KOs) who last fought this October, beating Jorge Andrade by unanimous decision. He’s lost three of his last six.