Takashi gets his big title lifeline boost

WORLD super-featherweight boxing champions Miguel Berchelt and Jezreel Corrales will defend their crowns in a July 15 fight card offering Japan’s Takashi Miura a chance to regain his crown.

Mexico’s Berchelt, 31-1 with 28 knockouts, will defend the World Boxing Council (WBC) title against mandatory challenger Miura, 31-3 with two drawn and 24 knockouts.

And unbeaten Panamanian southpaw Corrales, 21-0 with eight knockouts, defends his World Boxing Association title in his US debut against Mexico’s Robinson Castellanos, 24-12 with 14 knockouts, at the Los Angeles Forum.

Miura, stopped by Francisco Vargas in November 2015 to surrender the WBC crown, comes off a January knockout of Mexico’s Miguel Roman on the undercard of the bout in which Berchelt stopped Vargas in the 11th round to lift the title.

“I took on this challenge because I only want to fight the best,” said Berchelt.

“Miura is a true warrior and always leaves it all in the ring, but I am young and hungry and am confident I’ll return to Mexico with the world championship belt still around my waist.”

Berchelt, on a 10-fight knockout streak since suffering the only loss of his career three years ago, offers Miura the chance to reclaim the crown he held for more than two years.

“I have wanted to regain my championship belt,” said Miura. “I know Berchelt is strong and I know that we’ll go head-to-head for this world championship title. That will prove to be a great fight.”

Corrales, 25, claimed the WBA crown by knocking out Japan’s Takashi Uchiyama in Tokyo in April of last year and defended the title with a split-decision win in a rematch at Tokyo last December.

“I’m excited to make my US debut and defend my world title,” said Corrales.

Castellanos, 35, who earned his first world title chance after upsetting twotime world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa said: “This is the biggest fight of my career, and I am not going to let the opportunity slip away.” — AFP