Mullings books Ghana date

Wray and Nephew 2014 Welterweight Contender champion, 34-year-old Sakima Mullings, is scheduled to fight Ghanian welterweight Fred Lawson at the Bukom Boxing Centre in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday, March 11, for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver International Welterweight title.

This will be the first time that Mullings will be fighting for an international title. He did, however, fight Clive Atwell of Guyana for the WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation super lightweight title in 2015. He lost by split decision.

Willie Yap, who is an adviser to Mullings, told The Gleaner yesterday that the WBC had been looking for a suitable opponent to go up against Lawson for the title, and he had recommended Mullings. After reviewing his 19-2 record, they approved the fight.

FIRST DEFEAT

Lawson, who is 27 years-old and lives in Chicago, has a 24-1 record with 20 knockouts. He has not, however, fought since November 7, 2015 when he suffered his first defeat at the hands of Keith Bizier in Miami.

In that fight, he was knocked down in the fifth round and eventually retired in round 10 of a fight scheduled for 12 rounds. It is suspected he sustained a broken jaw. He had to take some time out after that fight to recuperate.

Reports are that Lawson is a rugged fighter who likes to keep the action at close range. With 20 knockouts in his 24 victories, his record speaks for itself. Mullings also likes to keep the action close, and his 14 knockouts in 19 victories attest to his punching power.

His last fight was here in Jamaica on November 5, 2016, against fringe opponent Courtney McCleave, with whom he toyed for a few rounds before stopping him with body blows in the fourth round of a fight scheduled for six rounds.