No matter who emerges victorious in Moruti Mthalane’s April 30th IBF flyweight title defense against Sunny Edwards, his next mandatory will be decided when former title challenger Jay Harris meets 22-year-old Ricardo Sandoval atop a May 14th MTK Fight Night in Bolton.
Harris (18-1, 9 KO) demolished Paddy Barnes to set up a February 2020 clash with WBC champ Julio Car Martinez. The Welshman turned in an admirably gutsy performance in defeat, surviving “Rey’s” infamous power and a body shot knockdown to take him the distance. He was last seen cruising past Marcel Braithwaite on another MTK card this past October.
Sandoval (18-1, 13 KO) currently rides a 13-fight winning streak dating back to 2017 and has knocked out his last five foes, though the only vaguely recognizable name among them is Filipino journeyman and most recent victim Raymond Tabugon. He sits at #5 in the IBF rankings, two slots above Harris.
MTK Global Promoter Lee Eaton said: “We’re proud to announce the date for our next MTK Fight Night, featuring this sensational clash between Jay Harris and Ricardo Sandoval.
“Jay showed in 2020 that he is one of the best flyweights in the world, and now faces a tough test against Ricardo Sandoval. It’s great to be working with Golden Boy Promotions to get this fight on, and I’m convinced it’s going to be fireworks from the first bell to the last.
“We have a massive card full of big names to announce too, so keep your eyes peeled for that as it’s going to be another event that cannot be missed.”