Edwards Faces Rodriguez In A Unification, Kevin Johnson Cosies Up To Putin
Sunny Edwards will face Jesse Rodriguez on December 16th, 2023, for a unification bout in the flyweight division.
Edwards’ IBF title will be on the line against Rodriguez’s WBO belt. Edwards arrives into the fight, looking to make a fifth defense of his title.
The Brit had initially won it with a win over Moruti Mthalane. The Brit’s last fight was a win over Andres Campos.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez came up to flyweight after vacating his WBC junior-bantamweight belt. Thereafter, he beat Cristian Gonzalez for the vacant WBO flyweight belt.
And once the contract was signed, Edwards was looking forward to making history.
Edwards’ Comments
“Thank you Eddie, Matchroom Boxing, and DAZN for believing in the event and working hard to get it over the line. This means more to me than you could know. Looking forward to flying the Great Britain flag in one of the biggest fights in flyweight history,” Edwards
Kevin Johnson’s Admiration For Putin
Meanwhile, boxer Kevin Johnson has confirmed that he now holds Russian citizenship and has changed his name to Kevin Vladimirovich.
Johnson expanded on the reasoning for the name change which was done to show his respect to the Russian president Vladimir Putin.
In the aftermath of his win over MMA fighter Vyacheslav Datsik in a crossover fight, Johnson made it clear that he wanted Russian citizenship in an attempt to live in the country.
With that being said, Johnson is set to face Mark Petrovsky on August 18th, 2023, in Moscow, Russia.
Johnson, though, is not the only fighter to do such a thing. Roy Jones Jr. did the same in 2015 when he was granted Russian citizenship.
Jones highlighted the country’s ‘community of boxers’ and the love he felt by the country as reasons for wanting Russian citizenship.
“When I was offered the opportunity to see the Russian citizenship they said 95% of the population knows me…After my arrival in Russia, I saw that there is a large community of boxers. I also felt appreciated in Russia.
“Maybe even a lot more than I was valued and appreciated in my own country,” Jones
And for Johnson, this move may open up other doors. You can stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in the world of boxing by visiting boxingblitz right here.
