By Harry Hogg: Super featherweight champion Miguel Berchelt will defend his WBC title against late replacement Maxwell Awuku on Saturday night at the Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico.
Berchelt (32-1, 28 KOs), 26, has been left frustrated since winning the belt back in January of last year with an 11-round knockout against Francisco Vargas. A comfortable victory over journeyman Takashi Miura has followed in the summer. But a niggling injury to his right hand has kept the Mexican out of action for the rest of the year.
(Photo credit: World Boxing Council)
To make matters worse, both Cristian Mijares and Carlo Magali have pulled out over recent weeks as potential opponents for Saturday’s bout.
However, a late replacement has been found in Maxwell Awuku.
Awuku (44-3-1, 30 KOs), very much an unknown southpaw from Ghana, has won his last four fights all by way of knockout. However, he has not beaten anyone of any real quality.
The two occasions that the Ghanaian has stepped up in level, he was well beaten on both outings. The first coming almost eight years ago at the York Hall in London, where Awuku was outclassed by a young Liam Walsh.
And more recently against Daud Yordan in 2015, losing wide on the scorecards.
Awuku has yet to be knocked out in his career despite the 3 defeats. However, it would be a surprise if that record was to continue past Saturday night.
Berchelt should be fresh and eager to make a statement after what has been a frustrating past six months.
The 26-year-old Mexican should prove far too much for the Ghanaian and will get the KO victory to remain on course to face mandatory challenger Mickey Roman, who recently stopped Orlando Salido late last year.
Prediction: Berchelt wins by KO.
This will be defense No.2 for the 26-year-old Berchelt since winning the WBC super flyweight title in beating Francisco Vargas last year in January.
Twitter: @HazHogg