Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez will bide his time as he awaits his first title shot.
The red-hot junior lightweight knockout artist is a late addition to the already announced August 31st DAZN show. Mexico’s Nunez will face Miguel Marriaga of Colombia in the main support for the Diego Pacheco-Maciej Sulecki super middleweight bout.
Both games will be broadcast live from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Nunez (27-1, 27 knockouts), No. 10 at 130 by The Ringis the current IBF mandatory challenger. Reigning titlist Anthony Cacace (22-1, 8 KOs), no. 5 on 130, was ordered to face Nunez. No agreement was reached, and a purse trial was called.
However, it has since been decided that Belfast’s Cacace will face former titleholder Josh Warrington instead. Their all-UK clash takes place at London’s Wembley Stadium on September 21.
Presumably Nunez would get a shot at the winner. He earned the opportunity in an eleventh round knockout of former titleholder Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (17-2-1, 14 KOs). Their February 16 IBF title clash took place in Rakhimov’s home country of Uzbekistan, Nunez’s first career fight away from Mexico.
He now gets the chance to fight in the US for the first time as he looks to extend his 17-fight knockout streak.
“I’m happy and motivated by our commitment at the door, against the former (three-time title challenger),” Nunez said. “In addition, we will make our debut in the United States. I know he is a strong fighter with a lot of experience, but this motivates me even more to arrive in the best condition.
“We will be ready to go out on August 31 with our hands up.”
Marriaga (31-7, 26 KOs) came up short in title bids against Nicholas Walters, Oscar Valdez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. There is no shame in defeats against any of that trio.
However, the 37-year-old Colombian has ended up in journeyman status with just two wins in the last five years. However, that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for abandoning Nunez’s title hopes.
“This is a great opportunity for me to put myself back in position among the elite of the division,” Marriaga said. “Sugar is a very good and strong fighter, but I feel great, and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got on August 31st.”
England’s Cheavon Clarke (9-0, 7 KOs) also makes his US debut. The 2020 Great Britain Olympian faces Efotober Apochi (12-2, 12 KOs) in a ten-round cruiserweight contest.
Additional attacks as previously reported by The Ring:
