Mikiah Kreps is on the verge of a world title bout. A win against a formidable opponent and former world title challenger could greatly enhance her chances.
Kreps will be up against Mayerlin Rivas on Friday night at the Seneca Niagara Hotel and Casino in Kreps’ hometown of Niagara Falls, New York. This 10-round fight will be the main event of an All-Star Boxing card airing live on ESPN Knockout (8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. Mexico City time).
Promoter Tuto Zabala, Jr. has been impressed with Kreps’ journey towards becoming a contender in the competitive junior featherweight division.
“Mikiah holds the No. 4 spot in the WBA rankings and No. 5 in the WBO rankings,” Zabala mentioned to The Ring on Wednesday. “This will be her fourth appearance on the Seneca Fight Nights series on ESPN Knockout.”
“Her opponents have posed increasing challenges with each fight. Now, she faces a former two-weight world titleholder in Mayerlin. Lou DiBella and I are working together to guide her path to a world title. This fight is tough, but we believe she will triumph and eventually compete for a world title at the Seneca Resort and Casino in Niagara Falls, New York.”
Manager Jerry Cazarez shares this sentiment, as he co-manages Kreps alongside former WBO world lightweight titleholder Jamel Herring.
“This is a crucial fight for her against a former world champion,” Cazarez expressed on Wednesday. “A win here sets her up for the next step. She’s prepared and I expect her to dominate.”
Kreps (8-0, 3 knockouts) last fought on May 10, securing a unanimous decision victory over Melissa Oddessa Parker. In her previous bout on November 7, Kreps defeated Isis Vargas Perez in a competitive eight-round decision.
The 28-year-old enjoyed a successful amateur career, winning the 2018 Elite National Championships, a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, and holding the top spot in the USA Boxing amateur rankings.
Rivas (17-5-3, 11 KOs) presents a significant challenge for Kreps. Rivas claimed the WBA world junior featherweight title in February 2020 by defeating Laura Ledezma via unanimous decision. Rivas also secured a knockout victory over Karina Fernandez in 2022 and fought to a draw against Nazarena Romero before falling to Erika Hernandez Cruz by majority decision on November 18.
The 36-year-old Rivas, based in Caracas, Venezuela, previously held a world title at 118 pounds as well.
Francisco A. Salazar has been contributing to The Ring since October 2013, covering boxing in Southern California and beyond since 2000. Francisco also reports on boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be contacted at [email protected]
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