Light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera has an opponent for his Aug. 18 bout, “Irish” Seanie Monaghan, Main Events announced on Tuesday.
The scheduled 10-round fight will take place at the Sands Bethlehem Casino and Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and will headline a Golden Boy Fight Night card on Facebook Watch.
Last week, Golden Boy Promotions announced a deal under which the social media giant will live stream five fight cards for free, including the Aug. 18 show headlined by Barrera. Main Events is collaborating with Golden Boy on the series and this is its first show.
Barrera (21-2, 14 KOs), 36, a Cuban defector fighting out of Miami, will look to rebound from a 12th-round knockout loss while challenging 175-pound world titleholder Dmitry Bivol on March 3 in New York.
“As always, I’m willing to face the top guys in my division. This is another tough fighter,” Barrera said. “I look forward to Aug. 18, and I’ll give the fans a great show. They will see me start to climb my way back up to facing the very best light heavyweights in the world.”
Long Island, New York, native Monaghan (29-1, 17 KOs), 36, suffered his lone loss last July, when unbeaten contender Marcus Browne knocked him down in the first round and then knocked him out in the second round. Monaghan rebounded for an eight-round decision win over Evert Bravo in November.
“This fight is do or die for both of us,” Monaghan said. “I’ve been going back-and-forth with Barrera on Twitter for a couple of years now. This will finally be our chance to settle it in the ring, no more talking.”
Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said she is looking forward to bringing fights to Facebook.
“We have delivered the best in boxing entertainment to the fans for 40 years,” Duva said. “What better way to start our next 40 years in business by expanding access to our fan-friendly fights around the world with online streaming technology. Technology has changed a lot in this world, but one thing will never change about Main Events: our determination to make the best matches and feature amazing athletes in the ring. I know Sullivan Barrera and Seanie Monaghan will give everything they’ve got for their legacy, and for the fans.”
Golden Boy will kick off the series on Aug. 11 at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood, California, with secondary featherweight world titlist Jesus Rojas (26-1-2, 19 KOs), 31, of Puerto Rico, defending his belt for the first time when he faces Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (26-1, 14 KOs), 25, of South El Monte, California.
“I’m ready to come back after almost a year off,” Rojas said Tuesday. “I’ll defend my title for the first time on a very important Golden Boy card which will start a new association with Facebook. Diaz Jr. is tough, intelligent and fast, but I have the power and the experience to score a spectacular win against him.”
Diaz, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, lost a world title fight by unanimous decision to Gary Russell Jr. on May 19 and will get another crack at a belt in his next fight.
“I’ve always said that I’m going to be a world champion,” Diaz said. “I learned from my last fight, and now I know the adjustments I need to make in order to have a world title around my waist. I’m going to make a big statement in the 126-pound division. It’s also an honor to be the main event of the first-ever Golden Boy show with Facebook. It shows the faith my promoter has in me to be a leading name in the new era of boxing.”