Notebook: Tellez faces Baraou, aims to stand out in deep 154 division
Miller-Hunter heavyweight fight canceled; former 130 titlist retires; U.S. Olympian Jahmal Harvey shines in debut; Mielnicki draw overturned; Canelo-Crawford officials named; Quick hits; Show and tell
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The junior middleweight division is teaming with talent, established names and activity. It’s good to be a 154-pounder these days.
There is WBC titlist Sebastian Fundora, who is headed toward an Oct. 25 defense against Keith Thurman; WBC interim titlist Vergil Ortiz Jr., who takes on top contender Erickson Lubin on Nov. 8; IBF titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev, who is in talks with Josh Kelly; newly crowned WBO titleholder Xander Zayas; notable contenders such as former titlist Israil Madrimov and Serheii Bohachuk, who is set for a rematch with Brandon Adams on the Sept.13 Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford undercard; and former unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis, who will make his debut in the division on Oct. 11.
And then there is the WBA interim titleholder Yoenis Tellez, the entertaining Cuban defector, who may not have the name recognition of the others but certainly has the desire and seemingly the talent to join them.
Tellez will get a chance to strut his stuff against mandatory challenger Abass Baraou in the co-feature of a Most Valuable Promotions/Boxlab card on Saturday (DAZN, 8 p.m. ET) at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
“Defending my WBA interim title means everything to me because it’s proof that dreams can’t be broken when you refuse to quit,” Tellez said through an interpreter. “It’s about showing that I’m not just holding this belt — I’m building toward being the true, undisputed world champion at 154.”
