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Whilst Michel ‘Ali’ Rivera emerged as one of many prime prospects within the sport, the sense amongst his crew was that he was prepared for prime time.
An introduction to that stage comes this weekend, because the unbeaten 23-year-old light-weight enters his first scheduled 12-round affair. It comes versus Spain’s Jon Fernandez (21-1, 18KOs), with the 2 resulting from collide in a WBA light-weight title eliminator this Saturday on Showtime from Dignity Well being Sports activities Park in Carson, California.
““I promise to ship a memorable battle,” Rivera advised BoxingScene.com. “Everybody will see boxing’s subsequent celebrity within the ring on July 3.”
The bout will open a Showtime tripleheader, with two stay fights accompanied by the unique replay of the June 26 Showtime Pay-Per-View major occasion that noticed Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (25-0, 24KOs) knock out Mario Barrios within the eleventh spherical of their secondary WBA junior welterweight title. Davis additionally holds an analogous model of the light-weight title, thus amongst Rivera’s future targets together with WBA interim titlist Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero and lineal champion Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12KOs).
An vital step is available in beating Fernandez and resonating with the followers. As he advances from prospect to contender, Rivera has adopted a brand new identification of kinds—now not going by ‘La Zarza’ as he has reverted again to outdated references of ‘Ali.’
“Everybody round me claims that I resemble a younger Cassius Clay, who in fact grew to become Muhammad Ali,” explains Rivera. “My coach (German Caicedo) all the time advised me that from day one and it simply caught.”
It’s a becoming hyperlink; Caicedo is the final remaining disciple of Angelo Dundee, the late and legendary coach of Ali all through their respective Corridor of Fame careers. In fact, Rivera and Caicedo have an extended method to go earlier than dwelling as much as that dynamic duo, therefore the insistence to step up in competitors.
The light-weight bout serves in supporting capability to WBA interim junior light-weight titlist Chris Colbert (15-0, 6KOs) who faces 2012 Olympic Silver medalist and former featherweight title challenger Tugstsogt Nyambayar (12-1, 9KOs). Rivera is able to steal the present and show he’s worthy of the excessive requirements he has set for himself.
“I’m the subsequent champion from Dominican Republic and the subsequent light-weight champion,” Rivera vows. “I belief in my expertise, my conditioning and my expertise that I belong among the many Prime 5 at [lightweight] and wish to be certain everybody is aware of my title.”
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
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