Notebook: 'Sugar' Nunez ‘just getting started’ in 1st title defense
Conlan sharp as he stops Bateson; Valdez still harbors title dreams; Joshua update; Itauma gets next fight date; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez, one of boxing’s biggest punchers, took to the road for his last fight on May 28, traveling to Yokohama, Japan, where he outpointed Masanori Rikiishi to win the vacant IBF junior lightweight title.
That victory was just the start of what Nunez hopes will be a long ride at the top. Now he is set to make his first defense against Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz in the main event of the Matchroom Boxing/BXSTRS card on Saturday (DAZN, 9 p.m. ET) at the Los Mochis Multipurpose Center in Los Mochis, Mexico, Nunez’s hometown.
“It’s the return of, in my opinion, the new star of Mexican boxing, ‘Sugar’ Nunez, making his homecoming defense of his world title against Christopher Diaz — Mexico against Puerto Rico on a great night of boxing here in Los Mochis,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said at this week’s pre-fight news conference. “Next week, you have one of your greatest champions, Canelo Alvarez, in a big fight (against Terence Crawford), and he’s coming towards the end of his career and this man, ‘Sugar’ Nunez, is the future of Mexican boxing.”
