Bout set for Oct. 13, but fighter not so sure
Maldonado Jr. without contract for key battle
Albuquerque boxer Fidel Maldonado Jr. can take the next step toward a lightweight world title shot with a victory over Ismael Barroso on Oct. 13.
But first, Maldonado said, he has to agree to the fight.
“I haven’t signed a contract or even received one,” he told the Journal on Thursday via social media.
Golden Boy Promotions, the Oscar De La Hoya-led firm to which Maldonado is contracted, made the announcement Thursday, as first reported by espn.com. The fight would take place at Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, Calif., and will be televised live on ESPN Deportes.
The fight has been discussed, Maldonado said, but “We haven’t talked about purses or anything.”
Maldonado (24-3-1, 19 knockouts) positioned himself for the Barroso fight with an upset, split-decison victory over Pablo César Cano on June 17.
Barroso (19-1-2, 18 KOs), of Venezuela, is a former WBA interim lightweight champion. He lost to England’s Anthony Crolla for the WBA title in May 2016 and has not fought since.
Crolla lost the title to Venezuela’s Jose Linares, who’s scheduled to defend against England’s Luke Campbell in September.
JONES UPDATE: Albuquerque resident Jon Jones suffered a debilitating arm injury just days before his July 29 light heavyweight title fight against Daniel Cormier, Jones’ striking coach said on Australia’s Submission Radio.
Despite the injury, Jones (23-1) defeated Cormier (19-2) by third-round TKO to reclaim the title he’d lost because of outof-the-cage problems.
“A couple of nights before the fight, (Jones) couldn’t lift his arm,” said Mike Winkeljohn, who trains Jones at Albuquerque’s Jackson-Wink MMA. “He had hurt it wrestling.”
Winkeljohn said he told no one outside of Jackson-Wink about the injury.
“I wanted to keep that out of it,” Winkeljohn said, “and hopefully so that way if it got reinjured in the fight, the adrenaline would take over.
“Jon is who he is. He’s as tough as they come . ... Nobody beats Jon Jones but himself. Once he decides he wants to win a fight, he’s going to win.”
Withdrawal from the fight was never considered, Winkeljohn said.
NICCO TO TUF: Flyweight MMA fighter Nicco Montaño, who trains in Albuquerque at FIT-NHB, has been chosen to participate in The Ultimate Fighter 26. Montaño (3-2) is one of 26 women selected.
TUF 26 is scheduled to have its premier Aug. 30 on Fox Sports 1. The inaugural UFC women’s flyweight title will be contested Dec. 1 in Las Vegas, Nev.
ESQUIBEL OUT: Albuquerque strawweight Jodie Esquibel (6-2), who trains at Jackson-Wink, has withdrawn from her scheduled Aug. 31 fight against Livia Renato Souza because of an injury.
The Souza-Esquibel fight had been made with the Invicta FC strawweight title at stake. Instead, Souza (10-1) is matched against fellow Brazilian Janaisa Morandin (9-0), in a non-title fight.