Ricardo Sandoval prepared for months to fight Oscar Collazo, a compact southpaw moving up to flyweight. With Collazo injured, Sandoval now has just over two weeks to adjust to Sergio Mendoza, a taller challenger with 23 knockouts who wants his WBA and WBC titles on October 10 in Chicago.
The change matters in the ring. Sandoval, listed at 5’6″, was preparing to face a much shorter fighter. Mendoza is listed at roughly 5’8″. The champion must adjust his distance and timing for an opponent who presents a different target and may make him work harder to get inside.
“I’m very excited to still be fighting in Chicago and to have the opportunity to defend my titles for the first time,” Sandoval said in the Golden Boy and Most Valuable Promotions announcement. Mendoza offered a more urgent message: “I’m going to leave my soul in the ring to become world champion.”
Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs) has lost the unification fight that gave this date its appeal, yet he still has two belts to defend. Mendoza (27-1, 23 KOs) gets a second world title chance only months after Thanongsak Simsri stopped him in the second round of their April fight in Japan. That defeat raises a question about Mendoza’s ability to withstand the champion’s offense. It also gives him reason to seize this opportunity quickly.
Sandoval’s danger is fighting as though Mendoza is an obstacle between him and a rescheduled Collazo bout. If he rushes forward looking to make a statement, he gives a taller puncher chances to catch him coming in. A measured start would let Sandoval test Mendoza’s power and find the distance he did not spend camp preparing for.
Their flyweight title fight is the DAZN co-feature to Floyd Schofield III against Lucas Bahdi for the WBA lightweight title at Wintrust Arena.
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