Junior welterweight and heavyweight co-feature will air live on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. CST
TULSA, Okla. – Two former world champions are set for an Oklahoma showdown, as Jose “Sniper” Pedraza will battle Richard “RC” Commey in the 10-round junior welterweight main event on Saturday, Aug. 27, at Hard Rock Live inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, the fighting pride of Toledo, Ohio, undefeated puncher Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson, returns to action against veteran Miljan Rovcanin.
The fight card’s first bell will ring at 5:30 p.m., with the headlining bout beginning at 9:30 p.m. Tickets start at $49.50 and are on sale now at tickets.hardrockcasinotulsa.
The Hard Rock main event will also air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 9:30 p.m. CST.
Pedraza (29-4, 14 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, is a two-weight world champion who has fought many of this generation’s top fighters since capturing the IBF junior lightweight crown in June 2015. He moved up to the junior welterweight ranks in 2019, rebounding from a loss to Jose Zepeda to author victories over Mikkel LesPierre, 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina and the previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez. Pedraza’s momentum was halted in March when he dropped a tightly contested decision to former unified world champion Jose Ramirez.
Commey (30-4, 27 KOs), one of Ghana’s most accomplished fighters, captured the IBF lightweight world title in February 2019 with a second-round stoppage over Isa Chaniev. Since losing his title to Teofimo Lopez that December, Commey knocked out Jackson Marinez in six rounds and lost a decision to pound-for-pound legend Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko. After 34 fights campaigning as a lightweight, Commey now moves up to 140 pounds in hopes of winning a second world title.
Anderson (11-0, 11 KOs) had a breakthrough in 2021, securing four devastating knockouts, culminating in December’s second-round blitzing of Oleksandr Teslenko. He suffered a hand injury in training, which postponed his 2022 debut. Anderson, a 6-foot 4-inch, 240-pound former U.S. amateur champion, hopes to continue his knockout momentum against Rovcanin (24-2, 16 KOs). The Serbian veteran has won five consecutive bouts since a stoppage loss to undefeated contender Agit Kabayel.
The undercard will be streamed on ESPN+ and is scheduled to include the return of heavyweight puncher Efe Ajagba (15-1, 12 KOs) in an eight-rounder against Hungary’s Jozsef Darmos (14-4-3, 10 KOs). Ajagba, a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, has not fought since last October’s defeat to Cuban star Frank Sanchez on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard. Injuries delayed Ajagba’s return, and he’s looking to reclaim his status as one of the division’s rising talents.
In other undercard action:
- Tokyo 2020 U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (4-0, 3 KOs), from Cleveland, Ohio, steps up in class against Harry Gigliotti (8-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round junior welterweight scrap. Johnson, at 23 years old, is one of the sport’s brightest young talents. He fought at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in January and shut out the previously undefeated Xavier Madrid.
- Tulsa native Trey Lippe Morrison (18-1, 17 KOs), who lost his undefeated record in his last bout, is scheduled to return in an eight-round heavyweight fight.
- Standout junior welterweight prospect Kelvin Davis (5-0, 4 KOs) steps up in a six-rounder against Sebastian Gabriel Chaves (5-4, 2 KOs).
- Frevian Gonzalez (5-1, 1 KO), who trains with Pedraza, will see action in a six-round lightweight bout against Gerardo Esquivel (3-2-1, 1 KO).
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is the flagship property of Cherokee Nation Entertainment. From signature restaurants and gaming to live entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa offers the best amenities in Oklahoma. Hotel reservations, nightlife and concert information are available online at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com
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