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Steve KimESPN
Heavyweight Carlos Takam will face Jerry Forrest in a 10-round heavyweight fight in the main event of a Top Rank on ESPN card on July 9 at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.
Takam replaces Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, who was scheduled to face Forrest before being pulled for failing a pre-fight drug test.
“[Takam] lives in Henderson [Nevada], and he’s been training for several months according to his promoter, Joe DeGuardia,” Carl Moretti, vice president of boxing operation for Top Rank, told ESPN. “So for a change we caught a bit of luck and was able to replace Miller versus Forrest.”
Takam (38-5-1, 28 KOs) is a seasoned veteran who has faced some of the best fighters in the division. He has losses to Anthony Joshua, Dereck Chisora, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin, but has wins against Tony Thompson and Michael Grant, among others.
Lou DiBella, Forrest’s promoter, is happy the fight was rescheduled quickly.
“It would’ve been a real, real hit to him to have this fight canceled,” DiBella told ESPN. “Really, I want to give props to Top Rank, too. Their immediate instinct was that this kid did nothing wrong, and he should stay on the card.
“It’s a real good crossroads fights. The winner of this fight is probably going to get a real big opportunity, and it’s a big step back for the loser, and for Takam it could be the end.”
The 39-year-old Takam is riding a three-fight winning streak, while Forrest (26-3, 20 KOs) has won 19 of his previous 20 bouts.
The co-feature will be a 10-round junior lightweight bout between Carlos Castro and Cesar Juarez.