WBO light heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr will make his first title defense against an unlikely contender. With original foe Callum Johnson testing positive for COVID-19, Smith will now face Steve Geffrard on January 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino and LIVE on ESPN. Geffrard (18-2, 12 KOs), a 31-year-old native of Miami, Florida, has won 18 straight fights since starting his career 0-2. He had a fight scheduled for January 8 but jumped at the chance to fight Smith on eight days’ notice.
In the 10-round co-feature, featherweight contender Abraham Nova (20-0, 14 KOs), who was originally slated to fight Jose Enrique Vivas, will fight William “El Gago” Encarnacion (19-1, 15 KOs) after Vivas dropped out with an injury.
That’s a pretty good late replacement actually. He beat whatever was left of Denis Grachev in his last fight, won 18 in a row and had a pretty good amateur career. Beat Jordan Shimmel, Andrew Tabiti, Thomas Williams Jr. and Hasim Rahman Jr.
Solid last minute replacement. I’m excited.
Humm,could be a good fight
Complete and total mismatch, embarassing Championship bout material. He lasts as long as Joe’s team decide, 1st rd blast or get some safe rds in.
Abraham Nova, I hear, is pretty talented.
Not good……
never heard of joe smiths replacement hope this is a good fight