HBO Announces Tripleheader for July 15 in Los Angeles

The world famous Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles will serve as the host location for and stellar tripleheader on HBO’s Boxing After Dark. The action will occur on July 15 and will be anchored by what some are already calling a fight of the year candidate.

Miguel Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) is set to make the first defense of his WBC super featherweight championship when he takes on challenger Takashi Miura. Berchelt has been one of boxing’s hottest young studs as he’s scored 10 consecutive knockouts, his most recent being a title-winning 11th-round stoppage of Francisco Vargas in January. He’s not planning on losing his belt anytime soon.

“I took on this challenge, because I only want to fight the best,” Berchelt said. “I know that Miura is a true warrior and always leaves it all in the ring, but I am young and hungry and am confident that I will return to Mexico with the world championship belt still around my waist.”

Miura, who was one half of what was the 2015 fight of year – against Vargas – is back in action after the Japanese slugger knocked out Miguel Roman in the 12th in January as well. A former champion himself, Miura is out for blood and covets the chance to raise the title belt above his head once more.

“I have wanted to regain my championship belt from the moment I lost it in November of 2015,” Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs) said. “I know Berchelt is strong, and I know that we’ll go head to head for this world championship title that will prove to be a great fight.”

The co-feature will see WBA super featherweight champ Jezreel Corrales (21-0, 8 KOs) take on Robinson Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs), who is sky-high after scoring a shocking knockout of Yuriorkis Gamboa last week.

The action will go live on HBO beginning at 9:50 p.m. ET/6:50 p.m. PT. Opening the telecast will be a light heavyweight duel between Joe Smith Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) and Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs).