Khalid Yafai To Defend WBA Super Flyweight Title On May 26
A unique partnership between Top Rank Boxing and Matchroom Boxing could result in a super flyweight world title unification.
Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN that WBA super flyweight champion Khalid Yafai, promoted by Matchroom Boxing, will defend his world title against David Carmona on the May 26 Top Rank Boxing card that will be streamed live on ESPN+. That fight will serve as the co-main event to the Jerwin Ancajas vs. Jonas Sultan IBF super flyweight title fight. Moretti said that if Yafai and Ancajas retain their respective world titles, then the plan is to have the two of them fight in a unification bout later this year.
"I have made a deal with Eddie for the fight and it gives us a nice doubleheader," Moretti said. "They are both good fights, and if (Ancajas and Yafai) are successful, we'll look to match them later this year."
Yafai has held the WBA title since 2016 when he defeated Luis Concepcion by unanimous decision to win the then-vacant title. Yafai has made successful defenses against Suguru Muranaka and Sho Ishida last year. Yafai has had title unification aspirations last year when he told Fightful that he wanted to fight Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez only if he were to regain his WBC super flyweight title last year.
Carmona ended a three-fight losing streak in his last fight where he defeated Jesus Iribe in March to win the WBC Latino bantamweight title. Carmona previously challenged for a world title twice and has fought the likes of Carlos Cuadras, Naoya Inoue and Omar Narvaez.
