Undefeated North American Boxing Organisation lightweight champion Sharif “The Lion” Bogere, will make his second defense when he takes on Mexican Manuel “Pirry” Leyva at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 19.
“I am looking forward to the fighting and I am in good shape for it,” Bogere said recently. “My focus is on this fight and my moment of fighting for a world title will come soon.”
The Las Vegas based Ugandan pugilist goes into this fight with his stakes in all the world boxing bodies very high after climbing up in his division. World Boxing Council most recent rankings place him at number 12 in the 135 pound division.
IBF rates him at number five while the WBO puts him at number three. He goes into this fight with a record of 22 wins and 14 KOS with three of his last six fights won within the distance.
Leyva goes into this major fight having lost four of his six fights and has a record of 21 wins 5 loses and 12 within the distance. Under his belt he has lost to reputable boxers like Joel Casamayor and Carlos Molina.
The hottest property in his division, who is promoted by boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya under his company Golden Boy Promotions is in line to land a world title shot later in the year as his stakes rise higher and higher with every fight that he wins. Bogere is eyeing history as he looks forward to become the sixth Ugandan fighter to be crowned a world champion. Uganda’s list of former world champions includes John “The Beast”Mugabi, Ayub Kalule,Cornelius Boza Edwards, Kassim “The Dream” Ouma and Jackson “Action” Asiku.