On Saturday, November 12, at Salle des Étoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco, WBA World super featherweight champion Jason Sosa (19-1-4, 15 KOs), from Camden, New Jersey, will defend his title against former BBBofC British super featherweight champion Stephen Smith (24-2, 14 KOs), from Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom, who is currently ranked #7 by the WBA.
The fight is Sosa’s first defense of the title he won in Beijing, China, in June with a dramatic come from behind 11th round TKO victory over reigning and defending champion Javier Fortuna.
Sosa drew with Nicholas Walters prior to stopping Fortuna.
“I fought Nicholas Walters, a world champion and one of the most feared at 126 lbs.,” said Sosa. “Then I fought Fortuna who had never been stopped and I ended up knocking him out, so I do believe I have fought better competition than Smith.”
Smith has not boxed anyone the caliber of Walters. In his last fight he fought undefeated Jose Pedraza for the IBF World super featherweight title and came up short, losing a 12-round unanimous decision. But despite that loss, Smith believes this is his time.
“I always knew Pedraza was a tough fight as I was fighting against a world champion so you don’t expect nothing easy. But Pedraza and Sosa have opposite styles. I’m really confident for this one though as I think I will win well.
“Sosa is strong and what you see is what you get with him,” continued Smith. “He not technically flawed but he doesn’t look that special in one certain area. He’s a good solid fighter and he looks heavy handed so I’ll have to keep my wits about me. I’ll have to use my boxing brain first and foremost.
“Sosa has shown in the past he can be hurt as he’s been knocked out (in the first round of a scheduled four-rounder by Tre’Sean Wiggins in 2010), so it’s not unforeseen for me to go out there and land on him early. Then we’ll see where we go from there.”
But Sosa has matured since then, having stopped 13 of his last 14 opponents.
“It could come down to a war,” Sosa told Sky Sports. “We’ll see how he comes out and then we will adjust and go from there. We try to stay pretty, not just box in your face.
“We want to go for the stoppage. We want to look impressive and sharp. It’s the first defense so we want to look very good.”
Also on the card, WBA World bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell defends his crown for the fifth time against Liborio Solis.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
