BoxRec

Roman-Payano, Castro-Diaz WBC Title Eliminators; Vargas Named Champion In Recess

Waiting in the wings will be upward of three mandatory challengers, per separate rulings at the 58th annual WBC convention Thursday afternoon via remote location.

The belt became available after long-reigning titlist Rey Vargas (34-0, 22KOs) suffered a broken leg this summer, thus putting him on the shelf essentially for the rest of 2020. However long, it will be extended enough to not honor his mandatory title defense obligations. As such, the 29-year old from Otumba, Mexico has been named WBC “Champion in Recess.”

The title is granted to reigning champs who suffer injuries which keep them out of the ring for an extended period of time. The benefit that comes with the designation is that it allows the former titlist to contend for the title whenever he is medically cleared and so chooses to return to that level of competition.

In the meantime, the WBC ordered two separate title eliminators, with the order of who gets a shot first to be determined upon completion of such a series.

On the same Showtime PPV card will come a 12-round clash between former unified WBA/IBF titlist Daniel Roman (27-3-1, 10 KOs) and former bantamweight title claimant Juan Carlos Payano (21-3, 9 KOs). Both boxers are coming off of losses in their most recent performances.

Roman dropped a tightly contested 12-round decision to Murodjon Akhmadaliev (8-0, 6 KOs) this past January in a leading contender for 2020 Fight of the Year. The setback ended Roman’s run of holding at least one title since a 9th round knockout of unbeaten WBA titlist Shun Kubo in September 2017 in Kyoto, Japan. Four successful defenses followed including a 12-round win over then-IBF titlist TJ Doheny to unify in their Fight of the Year-level war last April.

Payano has been out since a 9th round knockout loss to Nery last July. The two-time Olympian for Dominican Republic was previously due to face Reymert Gaballo for an interim version of the WBA bantamweight title, but has since been assigned to meet Roman for the right to challenge for the WBC title.
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Also now due to enter the mix is a planned clash between unbeaten contender Carlos Castro and former title challenger Christopher Diaz. The two will collide October 24 on an ESPN platform live from The Bubble in Las Vegas, per Top Rank VP of Operations Carl Moretti.

Phoenix’s Castro (26-0, 11 KOs) is coming off arguably the best win of his career, dismantling former interim 122-pound titlist Cesar Juarez in four rounds this past July in Las Vegas. The win aired live on ESPN, as did Diaz’s latest feat. The 25-year old from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico weighed a career-lightest 124 ¾ pounds for a 10-round win over Jason Sanchez in their June 23 pairing of former title challengers.

Diaz (26-2, 16 KOs) is now moving all the way down from junior lightweight, where he challenged Japan’s Masayuki Ito for the vacant WBO title just two years ago. Since then have come four bouts within the featherweight limit before making the decision to drop all the way down to junior featherweight.

Roman is currently the number-two ranked WBC contender at 122 pounds, one spot above Castro. Where they fall after their respective bouts—should they both win—remains to be seen, although it was reiterated that Vargas would still be eligible to potentially jump the line should he be cleared to fight by such point.

Should be a decent little fight this..

Roman-Payano, Nery-Alameda, Casimero-TBD Added To Showtime PPV Card 9/26

Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced alterations Saturday night to the undercard of a six-fight, pay-per-view show September 26 that’ll feature Jermall Charlo and Jermell Charlo.

Most notably, hard-hitting WBO bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero has been added to the Jermall Charlo-Sergiy Derevyanchenko portion of the show, which will start at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. from a site to be determined.

Casimero’s opponent hadn’t been secured as of Saturday night. The Filipino power puncher was supposed to battle Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) in a 118-pound title unification fight April 25 in Las Vegas, but that ESPN telecast was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A junior featherweight fight between former IBF/WBA 122-pound champion Daniel Roman and Juan Carlos Payano also was announced Saturday night as part of the September 26 undercard. Roman was already committed to this card, but he needed an opponent.

The Dominican Republic’s Payano hasn’t fought since former WBC bantamweight champ Luis Nery knocked him out in the ninth round of their fight nearly 13 months ago in Las Vegas.

Mexico’s Nery will meet countryman Aaron Alameda in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC 122-pound title on the Jermell Charlo-Rosario portion of the September 26 show. The WBC approved at its virtual convention Thursday for Nery and Alameda to fight for the WBC super featherweight belt because Rey Vargas is injured and has been relegated to champion in recess.

The Nery-Alameda match will be part of the Jermell Charlo-Rosario undercard at the same site as the Jermall Charlo-Derevyanchenko portion of the show.

Two undercard bouts previously announced as part of the September 26 show will be moved to Showtime/PBC undercards on undetermined dates later this year.

In one of those fights, San Antonio’s Mario Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will defend his WBA world 140-pound championship against Houston’s Ryan Karl (18-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-rounder. The other fight is a 12-round IBF lightweight elimination match in which Las Vegas’ Diego Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) will meet Mexico’s Isaac Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs).

Below is the breakdown of the two three-fight segments of the Showtime Pay-Per-View card September 26.

At site TBD

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Johnriel Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs) vs. Duke Micah, 12 rounds, for Casimero’s WBO bantamweight title.

Brandon Figueroa (20-0-1, 15 KOs), Weslaco, Texas vs. Damien Vazquez (15-1-1, 8 KOs), Las Vegas, 12 rounds, for Figueroa’s WBA world super bantamweight title.

Jermall Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs), Houston vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko, (13-2, 10 KOs), Kiev, Ukraine, 12 rounds, for Charlo’s WBC middleweight title.

Time TBD following intermission

Daniel Roman (27-3-1, 10 KOs), Los Angeles vs. Juan Carlos Payano (21-3, 9 KOs), La Vega, Dominican Republic, 10 or 12 rounds, junior featherweights.

Luis Nery (30-0, 24 KOs), Tijuana, Mexico vs. Aaron Alameda (25-0, 13 KOs), Nogales, Mexico, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBC super bantamweight title.

Jermell Charlo (33-1, 17 KOs), Houston vs. Jeison Rosario (20-1-1, 14 KOs), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 12 rounds, for Charlo’s WBC and Rosario’s IBF, IBO and WBA 154-pound titles.

Danny Roman Previews Showdown Against Juan C Payano Ahead of SHOWTIME PPV® Doubleheader

Former unified super bantamweight champion Danny Roman anticipates an action packed showdown as he previewed his upcoming WBC super bantamweight title eliminator bout against former world champion Juan Carlos Payano taking place Saturday, September 26 in part two of a first-of-its-kind SHOWTIME PPV doubleheader presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“Payano is one of the toughest and roughest fighters in the division,” said Roman. “His only losses are to elite fighters. This fight will be all action because Payano likes to mix it up, as do I. The fans will get to see two warriors going at it as I’m fully prepared for a grueling fight. This will be an explosive twelve-round battle, and that’s if it goes the distance, which I highly doubt.”

Roman and his longtime trainer Eddie Gonzalez have prepared for the Payano fight at the Fundamentals Gym in Los Angeles, studying their opponent and aiming to put on an impressive performance on September 26.

“It’s been a very productive training camp thus far,” said Roman. “We’ve been going strong, but smart, since early August. Coach Eddie has been studying Payano and we see some flaws in his game that we feel we can capitalize on. I’m in great shape and its full steam ahead for Payano showdown.”

The Los Angeles-native Roman will return to the ring for the first time since dropping a narrow split-decision, and his super bantamweight titles, to Murodjon Akhmadaliev in January. Roman knows that with a win in this title eliminator, he will be in a prime position to regain his status in the division.

“A victory will put me right back on the doorstep for a world title,” said Roman. “I feel that I’m still one of the best fighters at super bantamweight, but I must get past Payano. There are so many big fights at super bantamweight, because this division is one of the deepest in boxing. My mind is set on becoming a world champion again, and a victory against Payano will bring me closer to that goal.”

The September 26 doubleheader is stacked with champions and top talent in the 122-pound division, presenting an abundance of opportunities for Roman should he emerge victorious. The 30-year-old relishes the opportunities in front of him to fight for the top spot at super bantamweight.

“I’m excited about this next chapter of my career with PBC and fighting on SHOWTIME®,” said Roman. “I know there will be a lot of big fights that can be made, and I want to thank my promoter Thompson Boxing for always believing in me. At the end of the day, I’m an entertainer and I want to give the fans great fights.”

The unprecedented pay-per-view twin bill features six compelling fights in all, five of which are world title fights, on the same night for one price. Part one of the SHOWTIME PPV telecast begins live at a special time of 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT with the three-fight card topped by unbeaten WBC Champion Jermall Charlo facing top contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko. WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa will defend his title against 122-pound contender Damien Vázquez in the co-featured bout, while WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero faces off against unbeaten Duke Micah in the pay-per-view opener.

Following a 30-minute intermission, the second three-fight card, headlined by the historic unification matchup between WBC Super Welterweight Champion Jermell Charlo and IBF and WBA 154-pound champion Jeison Rosario, will begin. Unbeaten former champion Luis Nery will battle undefeated Aaron Alameda for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship in the co-feature, while former unified champion Román faces off against former champion Payano in a WBC Super Bantamweight title eliminator bout to open the second installment of the pay-per-view.

The event is presented by Premier Boxing Champions and promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. The Jermell Charlo vs. Jeison Rosario match is co-promoted with Sampson Boxing.

Fight Week!

Daniel could make it by UD, Payano is like a TJ Doheny match-up for him.