Today saw Matchroom hold its first press conference for the hotly anticipated super flyweight showdown between Juan Francisco Estrada and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez on June 29th. Though no official undercard bouts came to light, Ramla Ali was on hand to announce that she was in “final talks” to challenge WBC super bantamweight champion Yamileth Mercado.
Ali (9-1, 2 KO) was on the wrong end of one of the nastiest women’s knockouts in recent memory last June when unheralded Julissa Alejandra Guzman slept her in the eighth. The pair ran it back five months later, and to her credit, Ali did manage to eke out a trio of 6-4 scorecards to even the score.
My guess is that those bouts inspired the 34-year-old to shoot her shot while she’s got the chance.
Standing in the way of her storybook ending is Mercado (23-3, 5 KO), eight years her junior and BoxRec’s no. 1 at 122. “Yeimi’s” only unavenged loss of the last seven years was a failed featherweight title shot against Amanda Serrano and she boasts a wide decision win over Guzman in a 2021 title defense.