A brand new starting awaits Ra’eese Aleem.
The longtime junior featherweight contender will transfer up in weight and on a brand new platform. Aleem is ready to face Derlyn Hernandez-Gerarldo this Friday on the Scope Area in Norfolk, Virginia. Their scheduled ten-round featherweight bout might be a part of an ESPN+ preliminary undercard stream, Carl Moretti, Prime Rank’s Vice President of Boxing Operations, confirmed to The Ring.
“This can be a showcase struggle for him that may stream reside on ESPN+ on the undercard of the Davis-Lemos struggle,” Moretti informed The Ring. “We are going to check out him and go from there.”
The principle occasion of the Prime Rank card might be a light-weight conflict between Keyshawn Davis and Gustavo Lemos (ESPN+, 6:20 p.m. ET/ 3:20 p.m. PT).
The 34-year-old Aleem is raring to get again into the ring and make a reputation for himself.
“A win (Friday evening) would imply completely every part to me after being off for a 12 months and a half,” Aleem informed The Ring Monday morning. “This can be a should win (for me). And 126 kilos is the brand new division (I might be combating in).
Aleem (20-1, 12 knockouts), who now lives and trains in Las Vegas, Nevada, has not fought since dropping by cut up resolution to Sam Goodman on June 18 of final 12 months. The Goodman-Aleem struggle was a conflict of junior featherweights rated within the prime 10 by The Ring.
In his earlier struggle in September 2022, Aleem defeated once-beaten contender Mike Plania by unanimous resolution. Aleem additionally has victories over Eduardo Baez, Vic Pasillas, and Marcus Bates. All three opponents had a mixed report of 47-2-3, previous to going through Aleem.
Aleem fought beneath the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) for a number of months, additionally combating on Showtime and FOX programming.
Friday is basically an audition.
“I’m nonetheless a promotional free agent. I’m not signed with anyone.”
Hernandez-Gerarldo (12-2-1, 10 KOs) stopped by former world title challenger Christopher Diaz within the second spherical of his final bout on July 13. The 31-year-old Dominican—based mostly in San Juan, Puerto Rico—had received his earlier 5 bouts since a knockout loss to Miguel Vasquez in August 2021.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has lined boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He may be reached at [email protected]