MARLEN ESPARZA AND NAOKO FUJIOKA SQUARE OFF APRIL 9

LIVE, SATURDAY, APRIL 9, FROM SAN ANTONIO’S ALAMODOME EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN

SAN ANTONIO, TX (March 23, 2022) – The Alamodome on April 9 shall be an evening filled with thrilling motion as standard fighters make their grand return to the ring for the primary time in 2022.

Houston’s Marlen Esparza (11-1, 1 KOs) will tackle Tokyo’s Naoko Fujioka (19-2-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round combat for 3 world titles, the inaugural Ring Journal Flyweight World Championship, the first-ever within the girls’s flyweight division, and the WBC and WBA Flyweight World Championships. The historic three-title showdown shall be featured as a part of the undercard for Ryan Garcia vs. Emmanuel Tagoe in San Antonio, Texas, reside, worldwide on DAZN.

Additionally, a part of the DAZN reside stream, “King” Gabriel Rosado (26-14-1, 15 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA, will face-off towards Shane Mosley Jr. (17-4, 10 KOs) of Pomona, CA in a 10-round combat for the WBA Continental Americas Tremendous Middleweight title.

“I’m coaching onerous and excited for my return to San Antonio,” stated Marlen Esparza. “We’re each champions, and we get to combat for the first-ever Ring Journal Ladies’s Flyweight World Championship. Fireworks are what you’ll be able to count on on April 9.”

“I’m grateful to Goldenboy and all people making this combat occur,” stated Naoko Fujioka. “I consider that my final victory towards Sulem Urbina opened the door for this larger alternative to combat Marlen Esparza and unify world titles. I’ve by no means been extra excited. I’m able to go to her yard and win!”

“I’m excited to get again and begin the brand new yr with a bang,” stated Gabriel Rosado. “I’m again at 168, the place I really feel extra snug. I gained’t take Shane Mosley Jr. frivolously, this can be a huge step-up combat for him, and I count on him to be at his greatest. I’m trying ahead to creating a run on the tremendous middleweight division, and Shane Jr. is in my approach. I respect his father, who is without doubt one of the greatest to do it. So this combat is nothing private, it’s strictly enterprise, and I plan to get the job finished and placed on a present for the followers in San Antonio, Texas! Get your popcorn prepared, the ‘King’ is again!!!”

“I’m excited for the chance to combat on such an incredible card, and I can’t wait to get again within the ring,” stated Shane Mosley, Jr. “That is going to be my first combat in 2022, and I’m prepared to indicate followers an thrilling present on April 9.”

“We’re excited and proud to placed on a fan-friendly undercard for the anticipated matchup between Ryan Garcia and Emmanuel Tagoe,” stated Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “We all the time need to maintain the followers in thoughts after we put collectively fights, and I do know they are going to be glad to witness historical past within the making when #1 world-ranked Marlen Esparza faces #2 Naoko Fujioka for the inaugural Ring Journal Flyweight World Championship. Each fierce fighters may even put their WBC and WBA Flyweight World Championships on the road for the respect of being topped the unified feminine flyweight world champion. Additionally on the reside stream, thrilling warriors, Gabriel Rosado and Shane Mosley, Jr. will face off in a fan-friendly bout. It is a main take a look at for each fighters as they each transfer as much as tremendous middleweight in a bid to forge a brand new path within the sport. I’m so excited for this occasion; I can guarantee followers that San Antonio would be the place to be on April 9.”

2012 Bronze Olympic medal winner and present WBC Flyweight World Champion Marlen Esparza is looking for to make historical past once more as she fights to be the primary lady topped because the Ring Journal Flyweight World Champion. Esparza is not going to solely be defending her world championship, however she may even be looking for to unify the division when she faces WBA Flyweight World Champion Naoko Fujioka on April 9. Esparza is coming off a choice victory over former two-time world champion Anabel Ortiz in December 2021.

Historical past shall be made on April 9, when WBA Flyweight World Champion Naoko Fujioka fights for the unification of the flyweight division and the inaugural girls’s Ring Journal Flyweight World Championship. Fujioka is a five-division world champion, the primary in Japan, and has confronted robust opposition in her rise within the sport, beating the likes of Isabel Millan, Irma Sanchez, and Yosaka Valle. She was seen in July 2021, defeating Sulem Urbina, efficiently defending her WBA Flyweight World Championship for the third time.

“King” Gabriel Rosado of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a world-class warrior with an thrilling type that has gained him the admiration of boxing followers worldwide. He was final seen within the ring in among the best performances of his profession, going through the undefeated Jamie Munguia on the Honda Middle final November. Though the choice was not in his favor, he obtained huge approval for his efficiency. Earlier in 2021, Rosado scored a sensational knock-out victory over beforehand undefeated fighter Bektemir “The Bully” Melikuziev, a victory that proved Rosado nonetheless was a power to be reckoned with within the sport. Now transferring as much as tremendous weight, a weight class extra snug for the boricua fighter, Rosado is able to climb the ranks within the division when he faces Shane Mosley Jr. on April 9.

Second-generation fighter, Shane Mosley, Jr. of Pomona, CA, is seeking to get within the ring and rating a victory after a controversial loss through majority resolution to Jason Quigley in Could 2021. The 31-year-old is prepared to go away all of it within the ring on April 9 and is in search of a recent begin preventing for the primary time at tremendous middleweight. A victory towards Rosado, an skilled warrior, and world title contender, would set up Mosley, Jr. as a real rival within the tremendous middleweight division.