Nunes vs. Shevchenko elevated to main event
Illness puts women’s bantamweight title fight back in spotlight
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes thought she was being punished for pulling outofatitledefenseagainstvalentina Shevchenko in July when Saturday’s rebooking of the fight was not scheduled as the main event of UFC 215.
If the slight was meant as disciplinary action, Nunes was allowed out ofthepenaltyboxearly.
Flyweight title challenger Ray Borg became ill this week and pulled out of his bout against longtime champ Demetrious Johnson less than 48 hours before they were to headline the card in Edmonton, Alberta.
That leaves Nunes and Shevchenko in the main event, a similar position for them at UFC 213 until Nunes withdrew from the bout hours before it.
“I feel they punished me for sure because I was not able to compete, butattheendofthedayiwantto fight,”nunessaidlastweekbeforethe lineup change. “The only thing that I want is to step in that cage and get my hand raised. If it’s the main event or the first fight of the night, I fight the same. I’m going to keep my belt, walk away, go home, drink some beer and then celebrate with all my friends and my girlfriend.”
Nunes said she thinks her mission will be more attainable Saturday than it would have been in July at T-mobile Arenawhensheinsistsshewasn’t healthy despite being cleared to fight.
“When I came back home I went to the specialist and I’ve been good since then,” she said. “In fact, it’s the best I’ve felt for a long time. The specialist did a really good job taking care of this, and right now I have all the medication that I need and I’m 100 percent ready for this fight.”
Nunes indicated she was suffering from sinusitis and didn’t want to fight at less than 100 percent against a tough challenger whom she controlled for two rounds before tiring and holding on for a decision against last year.
“I think I made the right decision,” she said. “I’ve never pulled out of a fight in my career, but now is not the time to waste, you know? I’m going to step in at 100 percent, and I will get the job done.”
Shevchenko has gotten over the disappointment and is ready for the rematch.
“Of course I was upset,” she said. “But I knew that the day will come. It will be the same fight, the same opponent, and it will be the same preparation.”
Nunes wants to be clear she didn’t back down from the challenge.
“This is the fight I want,” she said. “I want to fight Valentina. I said, ‘Please reschedule this fight, and then let’s make this happen.’ And (the UFC ) listened to me. (People are talking) like I was scared or something like that. No, I’m the one who wanted this fight.”
A flyweight contender bout between Henry Cejudo and Wilson Reis was moved to the pay-per-view card, which begins at 7 p.m. Four preliminary fights will air on Fox Sports 1 at 5.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@ reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter. made the team last year,” said Rojas, who turned 19 last month. “But at the same time, I’m kinda glad it didn’t happen. I needed a little more experience. I was just a kid and needed more time to go against grown men.”
Rojas, a Chaparral High graduate, got a jump start on the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo by taking the bronze medal in the light welterweight division during the AIBA World Championships last week in Hamburg, Germany.
“It’s really nerve-wracking. I’m not going to lie,” Rojas said. “Knowing that you’re facing the best in the world, and you have to qualify for world, it’s not like everyone gets to go. It was great to have the U.S. bring back so many medals.”
Rojas, one of six boxers who represented the U.S., won his first three bouts of the tournament, winning 14 out of 15 rounds before falling in the semifinals. Rojas is the first American to take home a medal in the 141-pound division in the world championships since 2009.
Rojas learned to box from his father, Freudis Rojas-londres, a former pro from Cuba. Londres introduced his son to boxing when he was 10 by tricking him into going to Johnny Tocco’s Boxing Gym.
“I thought he was taking to me to the grocery store for candy,” Rojas said. “At first I didn’t like it, but I didn’t want to hurt my dad’s feelings, so I kept going and eventually fell in love with boxing.”
Card of the year
Boxing fans have been drooling
since this action-filled all-super flyweight card was made official.
The top five fighters from the 115-pound division will battle Saturday during an HBO tripleheader at the Stubhub Center in Carson, California.
The anticipated rematch between WBC titlist Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez will headline the card. Sor Rungvisai handed former pound-for-pound king, Gonzalez, his first career loss after a controversial majority decision in March in a bout that is in the mix for fight of the year.
Japanese phenom Naoya Inoue makes his U.S. debut to defend his WBO belt against Antonio Nieves for the co-main event. The all-mexican encounter between Carlos Cuadras and Juan Francisco Estrada is the first of three televised bouts that air on HBO starting at 7:15 p.m.
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Gmanzano24 on Twitter.