This Saturday’s Shakur Stevenson-Toka Kahn Clary undercard has received a final dose of talent in super lightweight prospect Elvis Rodriguez, who takes on Larry Fryers in a six-rounder.
“I am grateful for the opportunities that Top Rank has given me and the effort of my team to keep me fit and ready,” Rodriguez said. “I would like to be recognized as Prospect of the Year. It would be a great recognition of my talent, effort, sacrifice and discipline. I believe that I would be the first Dominican boxer named Prospect of the Year. Representing the Dominican flag is a source of pride for me. I feel committed to bringing a world title to my country.”
Rodriguez (10-0-1, 10 KO), who’s fought five times already in 2020, was originally slated to open the Terence Crawford-Kell Brook main card last month, only to withdraw when he proved unable to find an opponent. The 30-year-old Fryers (11-3, 4 KO) is, well, an opponent; the Yonkers-based Irishman has lost two straight and gives up both height and reach to the Dominican slugger. He’s definitely a step back from Cameron Krael, whom Rodriguez demolished in October.
The fight joins an ESPN+ lineup that also features Clay Collard and Robeisy Ramirez in separate bouts. The main card opens with Edgar Berlanga vs. Ulises Sierra and continues with Felix Verdejo vs. Masayoshi Nakatani.
