Raymundo Beltran is getting ready to return to the ring, but in a new weight class.
According to a report from ESPN, Beltran will move up to junior welterweight for his next fight, set to take place on February 10. Beltran will face junior welterweight contender Hiroki Okada as part of the undercard for Jose Ramirez's next WBC junior welterweight title defense on February 10.
The 37-year-old Beltran has not fought since losing his WBO lightweight title to Jose Pedraza back in August in Beltran's first-ever world title defense. There had been rumors of him contemplating retirement, but now those rumors appear to be officially squashed.
Okada, a 29-year-old Japanese boxer, has won all 19 of his pro fights and is ranked in the top 10 by all four major governing bodies in the sport. Okada is ranked No. 2 by the WBO, No. 5 by the IBF, No. 3 by the WBA and No. 9 by the WBC.
Beltran would not be the first former lightweight champion to make the move up to 140 pounds. Former WBA champion Jorge Linares recently fought on a boxing card streamed on Facebook at junior welterweight, defeating Abner Cotto in the main event. Linares will remain at that weight for his next fight on the January 18 DAZN boxing card from Madison Square Garden.
The February 10 card will be shown on ESPN platforms and will be headlined by Ramirez's title defense against Jose Zepeda. The event will take place at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California.