Uzcategui Looking For New Opponent

Jose Uzcategui is now scrambling to find an opponent for his main event fight on September 28 after his original opponent can’t make the trip.

According to an ESPN report, Uzcategui, the IBF super middleweight champion, needs a new opponent for his fight after Ezequiel Maderna was unable to secure a visa from his native country if Argentina in time to travel for the fight. Uzcategui was supposed to fight Maderna in a 10-round non-title fight after Uzcategui’s planned fight with mandatory challenger Caleb Plant fell through after Plant suffered an injury several weeks ago.

In the report, Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti said Maderna “can’t get [a visa] and we can’t take the risk of him not getting it.”

The fight was set to headline a boxing card promoted by Top Rank at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. This would be Uzcategui’s first fight since being elevated from interim champion to full champion in the wake of James DeGale vacating his belt in lieu of fighting Uzcategui.

The September 28 card does have another world champion fighting as IBF champion Jerwin Ancajas is defending his title for the sixth time as he takes on Alejandro Santiago.

Original Report: ESPN