Erislandy Lara vs. Greg Vendetti - August 29, 2020

[Ruthless-RKO]

Erislandy Lara will be as heavily favored to win his first fight in almost a year as he was the last time he stepped into the ring.

FOX and Premier Boxing Champions announced Saturday night during the network’s Jamal James-Thomas Dulorme telecast that Lara will headline its August 29 show against Greg Vendetti. The unknown Vendetti is the WBA’s 11th-ranked contender for Lara’s world super welterweight title.

The Lara-Vendetti card will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, the same venue where James and Dulorme headlined FOX’s first boxing broadcast in five months Saturday night.

FOX’s three-bout broadcast August 29 also will include Alfredo Angulo and Caleb Truax in a 12-round IBF super middleweight elimination match. The third fight of FOX’s telecast wasn’t announced Saturday night.

FS1 will air Lara-Vendetti undercard fights before FOX’s tripleheader begins August 29, but none of those matchups were announced Saturday night.

In the main event, the 37-year-old Lara seemingly has been afforded a second straight relatively easy fight.

Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) knocked out Mexico’s Ramon Alvarez (28-8-3, 16 KOs, 1 NC) in the second round of his previous appearance, last August 31 at The Armory in Minneapolis. The Cuban-born southpaw won the then-vacant WBA world 154-pound crown by beating the completely out-classed Alvarez, who came in 4½ pounds overweight and thus wasn’t eligible to win that title.

The 30-year-old Vendetti (22-3-1, 12 KOs), of Stoneham, Massachusetts, has won two straight bouts by unanimous decision since French contender Michel Soro (35-2-1, 24 KOs) stopped him in the second round of their December 2018 meeting in Levallois-Perret, France.

The winner of the Truax-Angulo bout can climb the IBF rankings, toward a shot at champion Caleb Plant (20-0, 12 KOs).

The 36-year-old Truax (31-4-2, 19 KOs, 1 NC), a former IBF 168-pound champ from St. Michael, Minnesota, is ranked third in the IBF’s 168-pound ratings. The 37-year-old Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs) is rated 12th, but the Mexican veteran upset former WBO middleweight champ Peter Quillin (34-2-1, 23 KOs, 1 NC) by split decision in his last fight, a 10-rounder last September 21 in Bakersfield, California.

The top two spots in the IBF’s super middleweight ratings are vacant.

[margaret thatcher]

Vendetti earned this opportunity with his brutal 2 round KO loss to Michel Soro lol

They keeping Lara on patsies until they can make a fight with a bigger name? Not feeling too confident in him?

[Rgoodwin]

Wtf why?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight Week!

[Boxing Prospect]

Trash fight
Did enjoy Vendetti vs Kamegai, fan friendly fight that one, but this is trash. Give Vendetti a TV fight, sure, but get it with a fellow exciting but flawed fighter

[jujigatame]

PBC putting another trashy mismatch on FOX. I don't think it's that they have no confidence in Lara, I actually think it's the opposite. It's that they have too much confidence in him to match him with someone like Charlo. So they're happy to just have him spin his wheels against no-hopers.

[Ruthless-RKO]

PBC putting another trashy mismatch on FOX. I don't think it's that they have no confidence in Lara, I actually think it's the opposite. It's that they have too much confidence in him to match him with someone like Charlo. So they're happy to just have him spin his wheels against no-hopers.

They might as well just use him.. he’s 37.. they expect him to win another world title?

[margaret thatcher]

For some reason they've been going especially scrubby for Lara, like there are good opponents in there too, no doubt, but when he's not in those fights they go way way down, like this dude here, Canelo's brother, crippled Yuri Foreman, etc

[jujigatame]

I mean it would be fantastic if they did Charlo/Lara next. But I ain't holding my breath.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I mean it would be fantastic if they did Charlo/Lara next. But I ain't holding my breath.

Yeh. Lara-Hurd was a good one.. 2-3 years ago now..

[Ruthless-RKO]

Lara: Here To Give Fans Exciting Fights As I Enter My Latter Years In Boxing

“I think it’s important to look impressive in this fight and I plan on doing that to the best of my ability,” Lara (26-3-3, 15KOs) acknowledged to Boxing Scene. “No matter who I fight, I must look impressive in victory.

“I’m here to give fans exciting fights as I enter my latter years of boxing.”

“Since I’ve been back training with Salas, I’ve gotten back to the fundamentals of boxing,” notes Lara. “I’m sitting on my punches and fans will see me fighting on the inside a lot more.

“At my age I have to pace myself more. I feel good fighting this style.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Erislandy Lara and Greg Vendetti both easily made weight for their 12-round junior middleweight main event, which airs live Saturday evening from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Their bout tops a televised tripleheader live in primetime on Fox, beginning at 8:00pm ET.

Lara (26-3-3, 15KOs) checked in at 153 pounds, as the 37-year old Cuban southpaw makes the first attempt of his secondary version of the World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight title. Massachusetts’ Vendetti (22-3-1, 10KOs) came well within the divisional limit, showing up at a fighting fit 152.4 pounds for his first career title fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Caleb Truax (Illness) Out, Alfredo Angulo To Now Face Vladimir Hernandez

Caleb Truax cannot catch a break.

The former super middleweight titlist has been forced off of Saturday’s edition of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox due to what BS.com understands is non-COVID related illness. Minnesota’s Truax was due to face Alfredo Angulo in a sanctioned title elimination contest as part of a Fox-televised tripleheader live from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Replacing Truax in the Fox-televised chief support is Vladimir Hernandez (11-4, 6KOs), who was made available given his assigned role as the designated standby opponent. Hernandez was not previously scheduled to appear on the six-fight card, but his name surfaced as the new foe Friday morning on BoxRec.com.

"In preparation for this fight, I suffered an illness that required medical attention Thursday night," Truax confirmed in an official statement released through his verified social media account. "I have made the hard decision to withdraw."

Francisco Salazar—a longtime reporter for BS.com and RingTV.com—was the first to reveal the development of Traux being removed from the show and also contributed to this story.

While Hernandez was able to make himself available for the fight, he enters currently unranked by the IBF which puts into question whether the bout will remain a sanctioned eliminator. Truax is the highest rated contender at number-three (the first two spots are currently vacant, a common practice by the IBF in assigning mandatory challengers), while Angulo is ranked number-eleven by the New Jersey-based sanctioning body.

Stylistically, it represents a drastic switch in tactics for Angulo (26-7, 21KOs). As opposed to facing a larger, orthodox fighter in the 6’1” Truax, the 38-year old Mexican from Coachella, California is now presented with a squat southpaw in Hernandez, a 31-year old from Denver by way of Durango, Mexico who is coming off of a 10-round win over Aaron Coley just seven weeks ago in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Truax (31-4-2, 19KOs) claimed the belt with a 12-round win over James DeGale in a major upset in December 2017. The reign was short-lived, conceding the title in their rematch just four months later. It has been a frustrating climb back toward contention, having fought just twice since his reign came to a close.

One of the bouts was a truncated title eliminator with former middleweight titlist Peter Quillin, their bout halted after a cut from a clash of heads left Truax unfit to continue after two rounds of action last April in Minneapolis. Their attempted rematch last August never saw the light of day, as Truax suffered an injury during training camp which required months of physical rehabilitation.

Angulo wound up facing Quillin one month later, scoring an upset 10-round decision win last September in Bakersfield, California.

Truax since returned with a 10-round win in his home state this past January, only to watch the sport as a whole get shut down soon thereafter due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. His latest attempt at returning to the contender stage has proven just as troublesome.

"I know my fans are disappointed but no one is more disappointed than I am because I was looking forward to this opportunity that PBC provided me," noted Truax. "I am going to return to my family, take some time to heal and record and rethink my future.

"I appreciate all those fans who support me."

The balance of the card remains intact. The evening’s headliner pits Erislandy Lara (26-3-3, 15KOs) in the first defense of his secondary version of the WBA junior middleweight title as the 37-year old Cuban export faces Massachusetts’ Greg Vendetti (22-3-1, 10KOs).

[Ruthless-RKO]

Lara: My Team Reached Out To Hurd For Rematch, He Said No

Of the three losses on his record, Erislandy Lara only has a realistic shot at trying to avenge one.

When that fight happens, he insists, will depend on whenever Jarrett Hurd is game for the cause.

The 37-year old Cuban southpaw returns to the ring this weekend, facing Greg Vendetti (22-3-1, 10KOs) atop a PBC on Fox telecast live from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles (Saturday, 8:00pm ET). For Lara, it’s the first defense of the secondary version of the WBA 154-pound title he claimed in a 2nd round knockout of Ramon Alvarez exactly 52 weeks prior—also on Fox, live from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The win was the first for Lara since a 12-round nod over Terrell Guasha in October 2017, marking the fifth and final title defense of his WBA junior middleweight title reign which ended in a heartbreaking split decision loss to Hurd (24-1, 16KOs) in their Fight of the Year-level war in April 2018. The fight left Hurd with the WBA, IBF and IBO titles, and Lara eager for a rematch.

More than two years later, that feeling has not changed one bit, nor—he claims—has the stance taken from the other side.

“My team have reached out to Hurd for a rematch and he said no,” Lara claimed during a recent media conference call to otherwise discuss his bout with Vendetti.

An inquiry placed to Hurd through his team by BS.com seeking comment went unreturned as this goes to publish. The former unified titlist—who suffered his career lone loss to Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams last May—did claim shortly after his fight with Lara that he wasn’t particularly interested in a part two or even sticking around at the junior middleweight division.

For now, the latter part has at least changed as Hurd remains put at the weight and still awaiting his next ring assignment.

Lara is good enough with the fight in front of him for now, but at some point would like to avenge some of the blemishes on his record. Lara suffered a highly questionable 12-round loss to Paul Williams in July 2011, a verdict so poorly received that it resulted in the suspension of all three judges. A rematch will never happen for obvious reasons, as Williams remains paralyzed from near life-threatening injuries sustained in May 2012 motorcycle accident.

The closest that Lara will likely ever get to avenging his July 2014 split decision defeat to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was the knockout win he scored over Canelo’s brother, Ramon last August. The global superstar from Guadalajara is eyeing a super middleweight bout for his next fight, while Lara has remained at junior middleweight his entire 12-year career.

That only leaves Hurd, with the offer still on the table in the absence of getting a shot at the winner of the September 26 showdown between Jeison Rosario (20-1-1, 14KOs) and Jermell Charlo (33-1, 17KO) for the lineal championship and the WBC/WBA/IBF junior middleweight titles.

“I am willing and able to fight anywhere, anytime against anyone in the division to become the best in the world,” Lara insists. “Again, we reached out, [Hurd] said no.

“But I am open to a rematch anytime he is up for it and whenever it is possible.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Prelims (FS1, 6:00 pm ET)

10 Round Super Welterweight Contest
Thomas LaManna (28-3-1, 10 KOs) vs. Brian Mendoza (18-1, 13 KOs)

8 Round Super Lightweight Contest
Justin Pauldo (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Josec Ruiz (21-3-3, 14 KOs)

6 Round Super Lightweight Contest
Jose Valenzuela (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Zack Kuhn (10-5-1, 5 KOs)

Main Card (FOX, 8:00 pm ET)

WBA & Vacant IBO World Super Welterweight Championship
Erislandy Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) vs. Greg Vendetti (22-3-1, 12 KOs)

10 Round Super Middleweight Contest
Alfredo Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs) vs. Vladimir Hernandez (11-4, 6 KOs)

8 Round Super Lightweight Contest
Abram Martinez (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Luis Arcon (10-0, 10 KOs)

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anyone gonna watch this? Going to do low numbers..

[jujigatame]

I'm watching. The fights have been entertaining. I thought Angulo got utterly robbed even though he didn't look that great.

[jujigatame]

Main event is boring. Only question is whether Lara wins a shutout or closes the show.

[Duran1970]

I'm watching. The fights have been entertaining. I thought Angulo got utterly robbed even though he didn't look that great.

Angulo got beat fair and square

[margaret thatcher]

I mean I know Lara is more of a points scoring boxer and all that, but I was not expecting this dude to last the distance with him, dude was so brutally ktfo early by Soro

[margaret thatcher]

Did Vendetti legitimately deserve 3-4 rounds like the cards have?

[jujigatame]

Did Vendetti legitimately deserve 3-4 rounds like the cards have?

I didn't see any round that I thought he won. But after the first 4 my attention started drifting, so I can't say for sure.

I will say that Lara was really doing the bare minimum to win most rounds, so if the judges were the type to favor whoever is coming forward and throwing, maybe they found him a few rounds where Lara was particularly low volume.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[bobcatbox]

Nice night for Hernandez. Upsets a known name and got a good payday in a hard year for boxers to earn money in.