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Junior Fa to face Newfel Ouatah on Saturday

Heavyweight contender Junior Fa. Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp/TrappFotos
Fighters Network
01
Mar

Junior Fa is an unbeaten heavyweight for whom, according to promoter Lou DiBella, the best is yet to come.

Fa returns to action on Saturday night, when he squares off against Newfel Ouatah in a 10-round bout at the Voinovich Center in Columbus, Ohio.

The 29-year-old Fa (16-0, 9 knockouts), who resides in Otahuhu, New Zealand, stopped Rogelio Omar Rossi in the opening round of his most recent fight on December 15.

Prior to Saturday night, Fa has fought three times in the United States, twice on Showtime’s “ShoBox” series. In his most recent stateside bout, Fa won a hard-fought eight-round majority decision over Craig Lewis on March 9.



Heavyweight contender Junior Fa (right) vs. Craig Lewis . Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp/TrappFotos

Heavyweight contender Junior Fa (right) vs. Craig Lewis . Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp/TrappFotos

Fa has earned a No. 8 ranking from the WBO.

“I think Junior can challenge any of the top heavyweights in boxing today,” DiBella told RingTV.com on Friday morning. “Junior has had so-so performances over the last two or three fights. He has been dealing with anemia during that time and, after treatment, he feels a lot better and stronger.

“Saturday night is an important fight because an impressive win would put him in the heavyweight picture. I’m very high on him and what he can accomplish in the division.”

Ouatah (16-2, 9 KOs) will be fighting for the second time outside France. In his most recent bout on December 22, the 33-year-old Ouatah stopped Tamaz Zadishvili in the third round.

Ouatah’s most notable fight of his pro career was in December of 2017, when he was stopped after the eighth round by former WBC title challenger Johann Duhaupas.

Three unbeaten DiBella heavyweights are also fighting on the card.

George Arias (12-0, 7 KOs), who is originally from the Dominican Republic and now resides in the Bronx, New York, will face Michigan’s Robert Simms (8-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

Stephan Shaw (10-0, 7 KOs). of St. Louis. will square off against Donovan Dennis (12-3, 10 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Dennis is returning to the ring for first time in over three years.

Hemi Ahio (12-0, 8 KOs) of New Zealand will make his United States debut when he faces Ed Fountain (12-4, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

 

 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV.com since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper, BoxingScene.com and FightNights.com. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @FSalazarBoxing.

 

 

 

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