On Wednesday, November 25, at Hialeah Racing Park & Casino in Hialeah, Florida, WBA World super welterweight champion Erislandy Lara (21-2, 12 KOs), the quicksilver southpaw from Miami by way of Guantanamo, Cuba, will defend his title against former IBF World welterweight champion Jan Zaveck (35-3, 19 KOs), from Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt,, Germany, by way of Ptuj, Slovenia.
The fight will be televised live in the latest edition of PBC on ESPN starting at 9 PM/ET.
The bout will be 32-year-old Lara’s third defense of the title he won in 2014 by defeating Ishe Smith in San Antonio, Texas.
Lara is a defensive master with cat-like reflexes that few fighters are willing to fight. One exception was Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. When the two men fought in 2014, Canelo escaped with a controversial split decision victory.
Lara may not have won the fight, but he looked good losing.
Thirty-nine-year-old Zaveck is a fine fighter, but he is on the downside of his career. He has lost two of his last six fights, to Andre Berto in 2011 and Keith Thurman in 2013, and fought just once last year. He is, however, a credible challenger who never gives less than his all. Zaveck is also, like Canelo, one of the few men willing to fight the crafty Lara.
“I am aware that this will be one of the toughest fights of my career,” said Zaveck. “I respect Lara and I will prove that I am on the same level. I am aware that I am the underdog and that I am coming into Lara’s living room. I am coming to Miami to chase my dreams and surprise everybody.”
“Getting in the ring with a former world champion and an experienced fighter like Jan Zaveck is something I’m very much looking forward to,” said Lara. “On November 25, I will put on a show for all my fans and especially all my Cuban fans watching on ESPN.”
If, or perhaps when, Lara defeats Zaveck, he’d like a rematch with Canelo.
“First I would like to face the best fighters at 154 and clean out the division,” he said. “I want to see of Canelo will finally give me my rematch. If that’s not possible then of course I would like to face Triple G. The weight is the least of my concerns. I want to face the best.”
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.
