12.35 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
29 March 2024

Easter can't lose crown as Fortuna too heavy

Photo: AFP

Published
By AFP

Dominican southpaw Javier Fortuna missed out on his chance to capture the International Boxing Federation lightweight title Friday after weighing in over the 135-pound (61.2kg) limit.

Unbeaten champion Robert Easter Jnr tipped the scales half a pound under the maximum but intended title challenger Fortuna could not make weight in two tries, coming in at 136.4 pounds.

As a result, Fortuna cannot claim the crown with a victory Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and US fighter Easter is not at risk of losing the title.

Easter, 26, has made two successful title defenses - unanimous decisions over Luis Cruz last February and Denis Shafikov in June - to stand 20-0 with 14 knockouts. Fortuna is 33-1-1 with 23 knockouts.

The fight tops the undercard for Saturday's all-American main event pitting unbeaten IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence against former world champion Lamont Peterson.