On Saturday, June 1, 2019, Olympic bronze medalist Joshua Buatsi (10-0,8 KOs) takes on Marco Antonio Periban (25-4-1,16 KOs) at the famous Madison Square Garden as a supporting under-card of Anthony Joshua versus Andy Ruiz Jr.
12 X 3 Mins WBA International Light-heavyweight Championship will see the graduate of Management Studies and Sports Science clash gloves with the experienced Mexican boxer Periban.
Marco Antonio Periban has 30 bouts in 155 rounds of boxing, with an appreciable KO ratio of 53 percent, as against the Ghanaian born British athlete Buatsi, with 10 bouts in 32 rounds of boxing, which translated to 80 percent.
The current British Light Heavyweight titlist, Joshua Buatsi, is fast becoming a pay-per-view star with his superb balance, fast brains and slick moves and is a deadly power puncher.
The 26 year old Buatsi is personally being managed by the current world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, and for many, it is an opportunity for Buatsi to fight an experienced boxer known in the United States boxing market, in the 34-year-old Periban, who is signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Company Golden Boy Promotions.
“To say I have boxed at Madison Square Garden this early in my career is an honour, the greats have boxed here. I can’t wait to put on a fantastic performance.” Buatsi expressed.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is very optimistic of Buatsi’s chances;
“It’s a great fight for Buatsi. A few people say he’s (Periban) been inactive and he’s a super middleweight. He (Periban) struggled at super middleweight for a long time. Even when he boxed James DeGale, he had three or four attempts to make the weight. That was a long time ago.
His last fight was a points defeat to Avni Yildirim, who probably now should be WBC world champion after the (Anthony) Dirrell fight. At super middleweight, he’s in excellent condition.” Eddie told the media.
On the night, Callum Smith will fight Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam, Chris Algieri vs. Tommy Coyle, Katie Taylor vs. Delfine Persoon, Josh Kelly against Ray Robinson, Austin Williams vs Quadeer Jenkins and finally the ultimate, Anthony Joshua versus Andy Ruiz Jr.