Erislandy Lara Wants Winners of Williams-Hurd, Harrison-Charlo

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Erislandy Lara Wants Winners of Williams-Hurd, Harrison-Charlo

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Erislandy Lara Wants Winners of Williams-Hurd, Harrison-Charlo

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Erislandy Lara doesn’t have any real thoughts on how any of the upcoming super welterweight title fights will play out. He’s even less concerned if he can’t land a fight with any of the winners. The former long-reigning 154-pound titlist—from Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Houston, Texas and Guantanamo, Cuba—reclaimed a secondary version of his old crown following a 2nd round stoppage of Ramon Alvarez in their vacant title fight Saturday evening in Minneapolis, Minn. It doesn’t quite put him on the level of unified titlist Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams (27-1-1, 16KOs) or singular title claimants Tony Harrison (28-2, 21KOs) or Jaime Munguia (33-0, 26KOs), but at the very least keeps him in the conversation. “Regaining this title was important to me,” Lara (26-3-3, 15KOs) told BoxingScene.com after Saturday’s win, his first in nearly two years. “I still feel I am the best in the (154-pound) division and am willing to prove it against anyone.” Munguia is next up among the lot to defend his portion of the divisional crown as the unbeaten Tijuana, Mexico native faces Patrick Allotey on Sept. 14 in Carson, Calif. Plans call for a rematch between Phildaelphia’s Williams and Acokeek, Md.-based Jarrett Hurd to take place Dec. 14 in Brooklyn, New York. Hurd became a unified titlist following a thrilling 12-round split decision win over Lara last April in a bout hailed by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) as the 2018 Fight of the Year. Williams-Hurd I is among the leaders for the 2019 Fight of the Year. Also brewing is a planned sequel between Detroit’s Harrison and Houston-bred Jermell Charlo, with Harrison claiming the title and Charlo’s previously spotless record with a disputed 12-round win last December. Fans remain divided on the outcome for the pair of rematches in the works, while Munguia-Allotey is viewed on paper as a mismatch. The view from Lara’s angle is the same for all three fights. “I don’t have any predictions on those fights, who will win or even caring who will win,” notes Lara. “I just say, may the best man win each one—and let the winners come fight me next. “I’d love to face the winners (of Williams-Hurd II and Harrison-Charlo II) next year.”