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Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington Campaigns to Be on Major Card

The WBC featherweight champion wants to fight in front of a hometown crowd in Brooklyn.
Tobias Linkin|
Bruce Carrington
Bruce Carrington | IMAGO/Newscom World

Top Rank and Matchroom officially announced the 154-pound unification bout between WBO and WBA champion Xander Zayas and Jaron “Boots” Ennis on March 30.

The fight is set to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 27. With Top Rank recently joining Matchroom and signing a broadcast deal with DAZN, Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington took to social media to advocate for himself to be a part of the card.

Carrington campaigns to be on Zayas vs Boots card

“It’s only right to have Brooklyn’s very own on this card. Let’s make it happen @trboxing @matchroomboxing @DAZN,” Carrington said.

Carrington, who proudly represents New York on media appearances, has fought in New York in nine of his 17 fights. Xayas and Carrington have fought on the same card three times, with all three cards taking place at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Neither fighter has fought in the Barclays Center before.

Carrington last fought on January 31 at Madison Square Garden against Carlos Castro for the vacant WBC featherweight title, stopping him in the ninth round.

Xayas fought on the same day against Abass Baraou in Puerto Rico, winning by split decision to unify the WBO and WBA 154-pound titles.

Who could Bruce Carrington fight on the card?

Bruce Carrington and Mateus Heita.
Bruce Carrington could be in a possible unification bout as the co-main event to Xander Zayas and Jaron Ennis. | Mikey Williams/Top Rank

A unification bout could be in the cards for Bruce Carrington if he joins the Xayas-Ennis card. Top Rank is one of the promoters of the fight, and three of the four champions at featherweight are promoted by Top Rank.

Angelo Leo is the IBF featherweight champion, but is set to defend his title against Ra’eese Aleem.

Rafael Espinoza, ranked number one at 126 pounds, doesn’t have a fight scheduled. He last defended his WBO title in November against Arnold Khegai. A fight between Espinoza and Carrington would be a candidate for fight of the year, with two action-packed fighters.

Brandon Figuero is the WBA featherweight super champion. While Figueroa is signed to PBC, he faced off with Carrington at T-Mobile Arena on February 20.

Carrington also sent a message to Figueroa following his KO win over Nick Ball in February.

“This is why I love fighters like him. If anyone would be down to fight me, I know it would be him. Let’s do it,” Carrington said.

Carrington could also choose to defend his title in a non-unification bout. However, the top two-ranked fighters by the WBC at featherweight are Nathaniel Collins and Cristobal Lorente, who are set to face each other on April 17.

Regardless of who "Shu Shu" ends up facing, fans will come to see their hometown star defend his title at the Barclays Center.

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Published
Tobias Linkin
TOBIAS LINKIN

Tobias Linkin is a boxing journalist for KO On SI based in Phoenix, Arizona. He's an experienced writer with years of experience covering a variety of topics. Linkin has covered Arizona State basketball, with his work featured on Reuters, and has already contributed to Heavy.com, where he covers the Miami Heat. His work has also been featured on Field Level Media, uSports, AZPreps365 and others. Linkin attended Arizona State University with a Bachelor's degree in Sports Journalism. He grew up in Austin, where he developed an unhealthy love for Tex-Mex food.

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