With Juan Francisco Estrada now bumped up to WBC franchise champion, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1 43 KOs) and Carlos Cuadras (39-4-1 27 KOs) will reignite their rivalry with the vacant WBC super flyweight belt on the line at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday February 5, live worldwide on DAZN.
Rungvisai and Cuadras headline the event that was initially due to be held at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, but logistical and operational issues mean the night moves venues but stays in Arizona and just a short distance to the downtown home of the Phoenix Suns.
A clash between Jessie Vargas and Liam Smith was slated to top the bill but the former tested positive for COVID forcing it to be postponed, with the fight set to be rescheduled.
In the co-feature, unbeaten WBA #2, WBO #4 light flyweight Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (14-0 10 KOs) will face an opponent to be named.
There’s more world title action on the card as Jamie Mitchell (7-0-2, 4 KOs) makes the first defense of her WBA female bantamweight title against Carly Skelly (4-0-1, 0 KOs).
WBA Continental featherweight beltholder Raymond Ford (10-0-1, 6 KOs) faces Edward Vazquez (11-0, 3 KOs).
This should be a helluva good fight. Cuadras is a excellent fighter just a hair below JFE, RG and SSR. But I think they are both past their best days. I think Caudras can pull it off. SSR hasn’t been as active in the past couple of years and I dont think he’s hitting as hard as he used to. But judges have never given the close decisions to Cuadras
I agree, I think they’re both past their best and it should be a great fight, but I’m taking SSR. He only fought once last year, but Cuadras has been out since the second Estrada fight and I think Rungvisai has a little more left in the tank. Got him by close, but deserved, decision.
@Phil…judges gave to Cuadra in their first meeting, when the fight was stopped due to a clash of heads. The fight was amazingly violent.
Well, Cuadras and his team were avoiding Rungvisai since their first meeting back in 2014. The fight ended after a clash of heads, and a clamor by fans and media for a rematch was heard that night in Magdalena Mixhuca (Mexico DF). Cuadras is a diminished fighter now, and I truly believe he left all what he had in his loss by KO against Juan Francisco “el gallo” Estrada. It was a brutal fight. Rungvisai in the other hand, won 20 fights in a row, among them 2 against Roman Gonzalez and one with “el gallo” Estrada. His only loss since 2014 is the UD against Estrada, but Rungvisai has never been battered or kayoed since his loss to Cuadras, and even though he is not a young fighter, got enough in the tank to KO Cuadras and defeat the winner between “gallo” Estrada vs “chocolatito” Gonzalez
@Burucho and @Lucie- you both make great points and I stand corrected. I’m thinking SSR for the win. Just cant count CC out of any fight.
I definitely agree Phil. Cuadras does have a good chance and I wouldn’t be shocked if he won it.
No matter what stage in their careers these two go at it, fireworks are guaranteed as long as it lasts. Good match up of styles.im going with Sor just on having fewer miles on the odometer.