Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Mike Alvarado Added To Lomachenko vs. Crolla Card
A number of Top Rank’s biggest prospects have been announced to fight on the undercard of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s next fight.
Undefeated junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. will face former world champion Mike Alvarado on the undercard of the April 12 Top Rank on ESPN+ card from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The fight will headline the undercard that will lead in to the two-fight main card.
Barboza has won all 20 pro bouts and is quickly becoming a rising contender at junior welterweight. Barboza is currently ranked No. 3 by the WBO at 140 pounds, the division where Maurice Hooker stands as the organization’s world champion. Alvarado previously held the WBO title before losing it to Ruslan Provodnikov in 2013. After losing three straight fights from 2013 to 2015, Alvarado would go on to win his last six bouts, five of which were won from inside the distance.
Other boxers that were announced by Top Rank to fight on April 12 include undefeated welterweight and current USBA champion Alexander Besputin, former amateur standout Janibek Alimkhanuly, former Olympic boxer Vijender Singh, heavyweight prospect Guido Vianello and unbeaten super featherweight Chris Zavala. A total of nine fights have been confirmed for the event. Below is the current card as it stands:
- Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Anthony Crolla: WBA and WBO Lightweight titles
- Gilberto Ramirez vs. Tommy Karpency
- Arnold Barboza vs. Mike Alvarado
- Alexander Besputin vs. Alfredo Blanco: USBA Welterweight title
- Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Cristian Olivas
- Vijender Singh vs. Calvin Metcalf
- Guido Vianello vs. Lawrence Gabriel
- Chris Zavala vs. Sergio Gonzales
- Elvis Rodriguez vs. Kevin Luna
The main card will also be streamed on ESPN+ with the main event being Lomachenko defending his WBA and WBO lightweight titles against mandatory challenger Anthony Crolla. The co-main event will feature WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez making his light heavyweight debut. Ramirez will face former world title challenger Tommy Karpency.
