Former Welterweight Champions To Headline August ESPN Card

One day before ESPN broadcasts Vasyl Lomachenko‘s upcoming junior lightweight title defense against Miguel Marriaga, the network will broadcast a Golden Boy Promotions card featuring veteran welterweights looking to make one last run at a world title.

Mauricio Herrera and Jesus Soto Karass will meet in the main event of a “Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN” card on August 4 in a 10-round fight.

Herrera, who’s 23-7 as a pro boxer, is 3-4 in his last seven fights. Herrera is a former interim WBA super lightweight champion and multi-time regional champion as a super lightweight and welterweight. When the fight was announced, Herrera said this bout could make or break any chances of another world title opportunity.

“This is life or death for me, because both Soto Karass and I potentially have our careers on the line in this make-or-break fight,” Herrera said. “In order to catapult myself back to title contention, I know the most important step will be preparing harder than ever to ensure the victory come fight night.”

Soto Karass agrees with Herrera, saying that this might be one of the last opportunities he’ll have of showcasing his skills on this type of stage. Soto Karass hasn’t won a fight since beating Andre Berto in 2013. Soto Karass is 0-3-1 in his last four fights, fighting the likes of Devon Alexander, Yoshihiro Kamegai and Keith Thurman.

“Mark my words: On Aug. 4 the fans will witness a comeback as they’ve never seen before in the ring,” Soto Karass said. “This could be one of my last chances to go all-out in the ring, and I want to be sure it happens in this fight. I know Herrera has accomplished a lot in his career, but this win means more to me and my legacy.”

Aside from the Soto Karass-Herrera main event, the card will also have Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, a former WBC United States light heavyweight titleholder, facing Todd Unthank-May in a 10-round bout.