The Takeover is returning to his South Florida roots.
Teofimo Lopez will defend his WBO and Ring Journal junior welterweight world titles towards Canadian contender Steve Claggett on Saturday, June 29, at James L. Knight Heart in Downtown Miami, Florida.
Within the 10-round featherweight co-feature, Cuban former WBO world champion Robeisy Ramirez returns towards Mexico’s Brandon Leon Benitez.
The six-round televised opener sees middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh try and avenge his solely professional defeat in a rematch towards Sona Akale.
Teofimo-Claggett, Ramirez-Benitez & Ali Walsh-Akale II might be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Sky Sports activities will broadcast the occasion within the UK & Eire.
Promoted by Prime Rank, in affiliation with Eye of The Tiger, tickets go on sale Wednesday, Might 22 at 2 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster.com.
“Teofimo Lopez is among the many most electrifying fighters within the sport, and I do know he’s motivated to placed on a present towards a really powerful challenger in Steve Claggett,” stated Prime Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Robeisy Ramirez needs to develop into a two-time world champion, and the street again begins in his adopted hometown. Nico Ali Walsh has been asking for the Akale rematch from the second the judges’ resolution got here again after their first battle, and he now has an opportunity for revenge.”
Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs), a two-weight lineal champion who grew up in South Florida, captured the IBF light-weight world title with a second-round knockout towards Richard Commey in December 2019. The next yr, he triumphed over pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko to assert the WBA, WBO, and WBC Franchise titles. He misplaced the belts in a stunning upset to George Kambosos Jr. in November 2021. The 26-year-old made his junior welterweight debut in August 2022, registering a seventh-round TKO versus Pedro Campa earlier than tallying a factors verdict over Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin that December. In June 2023, Lopez painted a fistic masterpiece when he upset former undisputed champion Josh Taylor to seize the WBO and Ring Journal titles. He defended his crown with a unanimous resolution over former newbie rival Jamaine Ortiz in February.
Lopez stated, “I’ve at all times needed to battle in South Florida, the place I grew up and developed as a fighter. I by no means thought it might occur, however now, on June 29, I get the chance to take action not simply as a world champion however because the lineal world champion of my division. This has been one in all my objectives since turning professional, and I’m motivated to showcase my expertise there in entrance of my Honduran followers and your complete Latino neighborhood. This is sort of a Rocky Balboa story for Steve Claggett. I am very a lot trying ahead to what sort of fashion I will see. There have been no different fighters who have been thinking about combating me, and I felt like he would give not simply me, however the followers as nicely, a terrific battle to observe.”
Claggett (38-7-2, 26 KOs), a local of Calgary, Canada, is a 15-year veteran who hasn’t misplaced a battle since 2021. The 34-year-old went 4-0 with two knockouts in 2023. In March, he stopped Rafael Guzman Lugo in seven to seize the vacant NABF junior welterweight strap. He defended it with a third-round TKO towards former world champion Alberto Machado in June earlier than decisioning Carlos Sanchez in September and Miguel Madueño in November. He kicked off his 2024 in January by dispatching Marcos Gonzalez Barrera in two.Claggett stated, “I’ve labored my complete life for this chance, and I intend to profit from it. I’m extra motivated than ever earlier than, and I’m prepared to provide it every part I’ve bought.”
Ramirez (13-2, 8 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, received the WBO featherweight world title by defeating Isaac Dogboe in April 2023. The 30-year-old traveled to Japan for his first protection, battering hometown hero Satoshi Shimizu en path to a fifth-round TKO within the July 2023 co-feature to the Naoya Inoue-Stephen Fulton primary occasion. Ramirez misplaced the title through majority resolution towards Rafael Espinoza, dropping the Mexican within the fifth earlier than himself visiting the canvas within the twelfth spherical of a Struggle of the 12 months contender. Benitez (21-2, 9 KOs) appears to capitalize on a seven-fight win streak. His final defeat was towards Saul Sanchez in Might 2019. His wins since then embrace a break up resolution upset over former world champion Xu Can in October 2022 and a physique shot knockout over Rigoberto Hermosillo in December.
Ramirez stated, “Final December, we placed on an action-packed battle, a worthy ‘Struggle of the 12 months’ candidate. Whereas the outcome was sudden, we additionally proved to the boxing world simply how wonderful a Miami crowd could be. On June 29, I’ll start my quest to recapture my world title and return to the highest, the place I do know I belong. It’s Cuba vs. Mexico once more, and I’m excited to have the loyal help of the Cuban neighborhood of Miami.”
Benitez stated, “I’m grateful for the chance to point out that I belong among the many better of the division. However I would like Robeisy Ramirez to know that that is nothing new to me. I do know what it’s wish to go on enemy turf towards a tricky former world champion. Like I did with Can, I’m going to make it a tricky night time for Ramirez. I respect him as a fighter, however as quickly as I get within the ring, I’m not going to cease throwing punches till my hand is raised.”
Ali Walsh (10-1, 5 KOs) went 8-0 earlier than struggling his first professional defeat towards Akale final August in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The grandson of “The Biggest” bounced again with a factors overcome Noel Lafargue final December in Conakry, Guinea, and made his 2024 debut with a six-round unanimous resolution win towards Charles Stanford in March. Ali Walsh thrived within the lone rematch on his file. In August 2022, he knocked out Reyes Sanchez in two rounds after edging him by majority resolution the earlier December. Akale (9-1, 4 KOs) heads into the rematch after decisioning Tray Martin throughout six final December.
“I’ve had a rematch earlier than. I understand how to proper my wrongs,” Ali Walsh stated. “I admire Akale for not operating from the rematch, however on June 29, I’ll depart little doubt.”
Akale stated, “I’m excited and grateful for the chance to battle once more for Prime Rank on ESPN. I will show my first win over Nico was no fluke. After this battle, everybody will know I’m the true deal.”
In scheduled undercard motion, streaming stay and solely on ESPN+:
· Junior welterweight Rohan Polanco (12-0, 7 KOs), who represented the Dominican Republic on the Tokyo Olympics, returns in an eight-rounder towards Mexican veteran Luis Hernandez (23-4, 20 KOs). Polanco thrilled the South Florida followers final December with a sixth-round TKO over Keith Hunter in Pembroke Pines.
· Middleweight puncher Euri Cedeño (8-0-1, 7 KOs), an Olympic teammate of Polanco’s, appears to extend his profitable streak to a few in an eight-rounder towards Colombian southpaw Dormedes Potes (14-6-1, 10 KOs).
· Rising Dominican prospect Yan Santana (11-0, 11 KOs) seeks his twelfth straight knockout in a 10-rounder towards the tough-as-nails Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs), who’s coming off a choice loss to Ruben Villa final September.
· South Florida-born heavyweight fan favourite Lorenzo Medina (10-0, 9 KOs) fights Baltimore native Colby Madison (11-7-2, 7 KOs) in a six-rounder. The 19-year-old Medina has received three straight bouts by knockout, together with December’s sixth-round stoppage over Joshua Temple.
· Puerto Rican middleweight prospect Bryan Polaco (6-0, 4 KOs) faces fellow unbeaten Richard Acevedo (6-0-1, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.
