Ghana’s former super bantamweight boxing champion, Isaac Zion Dogboe, is on a mission to pluck back the Golden Fleece.
Hungry and thirsty for glory, the ‘Royal Storm’ roars off his journey with a featherweight contest against Mexican-American opponent, Chris Avalos, tonight at the Bubble, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, USA.
Upshot of tonight’s bout would have a significant bearing on the future of the iron-willed Ghanaian boxer.
The last time Dogboe stepped foot into the ring was 14 months ago – specifically on May 11, 2019, in Tucson, United States.
It was not a pleasant story to behold.
On that fateful night, the nation’s Royal Storm was bludgeoned into submission – slumping by technical knockout (TKO) to Mexico’s Emmanuel Navarrete – effectively killing off his bid to reclaim the super bantamweight title from the Mexican, who on December 8, 2018, had ‘decisioned’ him on unanimous points.
The 25-year-old Dogboe (20-2, 14 KO) had looked poised to secure the ‘2018 Fighter of the Year’ laurel after imposing knockout victories over Cesar Juarez, Jessie Magdaleno, and Hidenori Otake. But like a bolt from the blue, the two straight devastating losses to Navarrete, surfaced.
That fatal defeat was enough to push Dogboe to the featherweight division. Much later, an ankle injury scrapped a designed divisional debut against Carl Frampton last year, but he now gets a far easier touch in the 30-year-old Avalos.
Avalos has lost his last two bouts against WBA super featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz and the lively Puerto Rican talent, Abimael Ortiz.
Many experts of the sport have tipped Dogboe to ‘clear’ Avalos off his way as he gets poised to work his fingers back into the rankings.
Indeed, Avalos’ record of 27 victories and seven losses in 34 fights does not inspire terror; and it is the reason Dogboe is odds on favourite to crush him in their eight-round featherweight bout tonight.
However, many expect Dogboe to execute the deal in the most compelling manner so as to announce vigorously his renewed mission to the world.
The Mexican-American will be storming into the fight with a reach advantage (170 cm) compared to Dogboe’s 163 cm. Navarette, the lad who beat Dogboe twice, holds a 182.9 cm reach. Calculatively, Avalos should be more comfortable for Dogboe to handle.
Top Rank released the full line-up for its showdown headlined by the Oscar Valdez vs Jayson Veldez. The former WBO featherweight titleholder and undefeated Valdez (27-0, 21 KOs) and ex-world title challenger Velez (29-6-1, 21 KOs) square off in a 10-round battle at junior lightweight. The contest headlines the Top Rank fight card.
Knockout machine Edgar Berlanga slots out with Eric Moon in their super middleweight bout, while Canada’s unbeaten ESPY award winner Kim Clavel opens the main card against Natalie Gonzalez of the USA in a flyweight contest.
BY JOHN VIGAH