The WBA-ordered world flyweight title eliminator is now expected to take place in August. The bout will feature the division’s No. 1 contender Yankiel Rivera of Puerto Rico (7 wins, no losses, 3 KOs) and No. 2 Angelino Cordova of Venezuela (19 wins, 12 KOs, no losses, 1 draw, 1 no contest). The fight was mandated in February, with a negotiation deadline set for March 22 (March 23 Japan time).
Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who promotes Rivera, requested that the WBA sanction Rivera vs. Cordova as a fight for the interim world flyweight title, but the request was denied.
Although a bout between Rivera and Cordova was once reported to be finalized for a Matchroom Boxing event in March, an official agreement was never reached, and time passed without confirmation.
Puerto Rico’s highly regarded prospect Rivera signed a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing and made his professional debut in September 2022. He fought three times last year, most recently scoring a 4th-round TKO win over Angel Gonzalez of the U.S. (14 wins, 7 KOs, 1 loss) on December 7 (December 8 Japan time) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since then, he has been inactive.
It was recently revealed that Rivera has parted ways with Eddie Hearn. He has now signed a four-fight promotional deal with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), run by popular YouTuber and cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul (11 wins, 7 KOs, 1 loss).
Rivera hopes to return to the ring by mid-August and has stated that his next opponent will be Cordova. He expressed a strong desire to win and earn a shot at the world title held by Kenshiro Teraji.
On the other hand, Cordova challenged for the WBC World Flyweight Title held by Julio Cesar Martinez of Mexico (20 wins, 15 KOs, 4 losses, 3 no contests) on March 30 last year (March 31 Japan time) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He lost by majority decision with scores of 112-114, 112-114, and 113-113.
However, after the fight, it was revealed that Martinez had tested positive in a Nevada State Athletic Commission doping test for S5 diuretics and other masking agents. As a result, the bout was officially changed to a no contest, allowing Cordova to maintain his undefeated record.
While the upcoming fight with Rivera is expected to be a competitive one, there remains a possibility that it could be sanctioned as a bout for an interim world title, given the recent momentum behind such decisions.
It was surprising that the WBA did not sanction Rivera vs. Cordova as a fight for the interim world title. However, there may still be some developments in the future.
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