Floyd Schofield is a long way from outgrowing the lightweight division.
The 22-year-old from Austin, Texas was a trim and fit 134.4 pounds, as was Rene Tellez Giron for their 12-round DAZN headliner. They battle atop a five-fight main card Saturday from Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
Schofield (17-0, 12 knockouts) consistently asked for the toughest challenges. He won one in his last fight, when Esteuri Suero made things as awkward as possible in their March 16 clash. Schofield won in the fifth round on the Vegas strip at The Cosmopolitan’s Chelsea Theatre.
Giron (20-3, 13 KOs) has won three straight since a heartbreaking points loss to Jose Matias Romero last June in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 25-year-old from Queretaro, Mexico, came to shock the world.
“This guy is a little overconfident, I have to humble him,” Giron insisted. “We know he’s the A-side, so we’re here to knock him out.”
Schofield had a lot to say about it.
“Like I said to my dad, ‘He’s trying to take food out of your son’s mouth,'” Schofield told DAZN’s Beto Duran. “I’m a little on edge this week.”
The co-feature saw Gabriela Fundora and Gabriela Alaniz enter well inside the flyweight limit for their historic match.
Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs), was a lean and physically average 111 pounds in the third defense of her IBF belt. ‘Sweet Poison’ will attempt to become the sport’s youngest active undisputed champion on Saturday.
To do so, she must dethrone Argentina’s Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs), The Ring/WBC/WBA/WBO champion. ‘La Chucky’ was considerably lighter at 110.4 pounds for the first defense of her unified championship reign.
Alaniz regained her WBO belt and won The Ring, WBC and WBA prizes in her April 27 decision victory over Marlen Esparza. Their match was a rematch of their unification match last July 8, where Esparza claimed a controversial majority decision.
Fundora is already entering her fourth title fight in just over a year.
The 22-year-old southpaw from Coachella, California dethroned Arely Mucino last October 21st in Inglewood, California. Two defenses followed, including a ten-round decision over Daniela Asenjo on August 10 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.
Fundora’s older brother is Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) and has the chance to cap off a banner year for her family. Fittingly, both career-best wins would have occurred in Vegas if so. Sebastian won the WBC and WBO titles in a split decision on March 30 over Tim Tszyu at the nearby T-Mobile Arena.
Saturday’s winner will become the first woman to claim undisputed status in the flyweight division.
DAZN Remaining Undercard, Saturday, 8pm ET/5pm PT.
Bektemir Melikuziev (14-1, 10 KOs), Shoimbek, Uzbekistan, 170 pounds
David Stevens (14-1, 10 KOs), Reading, Pennsylvania, 167.4 lbs
10 rounds, super middleweight
* Melikuziev is two pounds over the limit
Darius Fulghum (12-0, 10 KOs), Houston, Texas, 167 lbs
Christopher Pearson (17-4-1, 12 KOs), Selma, Texas, 166.4 lbs
10 rounds, super middleweight
Joel Iriarte (4-0, 4 KOs), Bakersfield, Calif., 146.4 lbs.
Xavier Madrid (5-5, 2 KOs), Albuquerque, New Mexico, 147 lbs
6 rounds, welterweight
Golden Boy YouTube Prelims, Saturday, 5pm ET/2pm PT.
Eric Tudor (11-1, 7 KOs), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 145.8 lbs
Harold Calderon (28-1, 19 KOs), Miami, Florida, 146.6 lbs
Asa Stevens (6-0, 2 KOs), Waianae, Hawaii, 125 lbs
Garen Diagan (10-4, 5 KOs), General Santos City, Philippines, (weight b/w)
6 rounds, featherweight
Dalis Kaleiopu (5-0, 4 KOs), Waianae, Hawaii, 130.8 lbs
Manuel Lerma (4-0, 0 KOs), Pharr, Texas, 131.8 lbs
6 rounds, junior lightweight
Jordan Fuentes (1-0, 0 KOs), Fresno, Calif., 119 lbs
Roberto Pena (4-4, KOs), McAllen, Texas, 119.8
4 rounds, bantamweight
