Herring Set To Return In July

Following Bob Arum stating that Top Rank will be returning to action by the early summer, it was only a matter of time until big names were going to be announced for potential fights. It appears that Jamel Herring has answered the call.

According to ESPN, Herring (21-2) will be defending his WBO Junior-Lightweight Title on July 2. It is expected to be inside an MGM property in Nevada. All of this will depend on if the Nevada Commission opens the door for combat sports. The NAC has barred events from taking place in the state since about March.

“It’s fluid,” Top Rank Director of Boxing Operations Carl Moretti stated. “We’re on calls every day with stuff. So what we thought was happening on Tuesday is not, and what we thought was happening on Wednesday is now happening. So it just changes and changes.”

Herring turned professional in 2012. The 34-year-old ended up beating Masayuki Ito in May 2019 for the WBO Junior-Lightweight Title. His last bout was a unanimous decision win over Lamont Roach in November. Riding a five-fight win streak, Herring was rumored to face Carl Frampton in June, but travel restrictions due to the coronavirus halted those plans.

According to Boxing Scene, an opponent in mind for Herring is Jonathan Oquendo. The 36-year-old Oquendo (31-6) is coming off of a unanimous decision win over Charles Huerta in November. He is 5-1 in his last six fights.

With Frampton still on his mind, Herring is hoping to stay ready, no matter who he faces.

“It’s funny, I actually felt good for my first sparring session,” Herring stated to ESPN. “So that tells you that even though I haven’t been in a gym setting, the workouts I had been doing at home during my free time, they’ve been paying off.

“I just want to stay as busy as much as possible. I’m not getting young as it is. So why risk coming into big fights with the ring rust on you still.”