Historic Weekend for the WBA – World Boxing Association

Four World Boxing Association world titles will be on the line this week, from Friday through Sunday, in what promises to be one of the most memorable weekends of the year for the sanctioning body. Among the standout matchups are Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez vs. Terence “Bud” Crawford and Naoya “Monster” Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev.

On September 12, at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, undefeated Puerto Rican Stephanie “La Medicina” Piñeiro (8-0, 2 KOs) will look to capture the WBA interim welterweight crown against Canada’s Marie Pier Houle (11-1-2, 3 KOs). Fighting at home after an extensive training camp, Piñeiro aims to make history in front of her people, while the more seasoned Houle plans to impose her aggressive pace.

The following night, September 13, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas takes center stage when Canelo Álvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) defends his undisputed super middleweight championship against the unbeaten Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs). Crawford is jumping up two weight divisions in pursuit of a world title in a fifth weight class, while Canelo looks to cement his reign at 168 pounds. It’s one of the most anticipated fights of the year.

On September 14, at the IG Arena in Nagoya, Japan, Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) puts his undisputed junior featherweight crown on the line against former unified champion Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs). Inoue, making his third defense as undisputed king at 122, will look to neutralize the crafty southpaw style of the hungry Uzbek, who is determined to reclaim his place among the elite.

That same night in Nagoya, veteran Yuni Takada (16-8-3, 6 KOs) meets unbeaten prospect Ryusie Matsumoto (6-0, 4 KOs) for the WBA world title at minimumweight. Takada brings the grit and experience, but Matsumoto, representing the new wave of Japanese boxing, carries real knockout power and the hunger of a fighter chasing his first world crown.