A huge fight in boxing's 154-pound division is set to take place in Las Vegas.
WBA champion Erislandy Lara and IBF champion Jarrett Hurd will meet in a title unification fight at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on April 7. The fight will headline a Showtime Championship Boxing card, the second one to take place in Las Vegas in 2018.
In a press release sent to Fightful, Lara said he is happy to return to Showtime in another headliner, this time in a historic unification bout.
"I'm very excited and motivated for this fight and to once again be headlining on the best network in boxing on Showtime, is truly a pleasure. I look forward to adding another belt to my collection on April 7 and to proving that I'm the best 154-pound fighter out there. Everyone tune in because you don't want to miss this unification. It's going to be a legendary night and one for the history books," Lara said.
Both Lara and Hurd last fought on the same time Showtime Boxing card in separate fights in Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Lara retained his title, along with the IBO title, with a big unanimous decision victory over Terrell Gausha in the main event. On the opening bout of that card, Hurd defeated former world champion Austin Trout in a fight that ended up being a "Fight of the Year" contender in the 2017 Fightful Boxing awards. Both Lara and Hurd are ranked in the top 3 in Fightful's junior middleweight rankings.
Lara has held the WBA since 2014 when he first beat Ishe Smith while Hurd won the IBF title last year on the undercard of the Deontay Wilder vs. Gerald Washington WBC heavyweight title fight.