September 5: Jamel Herring to Defend Junior Lightweight World Title Against Jonathan Oquendo From MGM Grand In Las Vegas
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 14 Aug 2020
Steven Nelson-DeAndre Ware super middleweight bout to serve as co-feature
LAS VEGAS (August 13, 2020) — WBO junior lightweight world champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring hopes the wait is finally over. Herring, a decorated U.S. Marine veteran from Coram, N.Y., will make his second world title defense Saturday, Sept. 5 against Puerto Rican challenger Jonathan Oquendo at the MGM Grand Conference Center. Herring and Oquendo were scheduled to fight July 2, then July 14, but Herring twice tested positive for COVID-19.
In the 10-round super middleweight co-feature, it’s a battle of the Midwest as Omaha’s unbeaten Steven “So Cold” Nelson takes on Toledo’s DeAndre Ware.
Herring-Oquendo and Nelson-Ware will stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET, with undercard action to stream on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
“Jamel has had a run of bad luck, but his fortunes will change for the better inside the ‘Bubble’ on September 5,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oquendo is a crafty veteran who understands this may be his last shot at a world title, and I expect him to give ‘The Fighting Marine’ one heck of a fight.”
Herring said, “This postponement is a blessing in disguise because I feel 10 times better than I did three weeks ago. I’m grateful to have another opportunity to get back in the ring. I’ve fully recovered from COVID-19 and I’m more than ready for anything Jonathan Oquendo brings on September 5. Our team has a great game plan and we are eager to carry it out.”
Oquendo said, “I am very happy with finally getting this opportunity to challenge Herring for his world title, as the fight has been canceled twice because of COVID-19. At one point, I thought that maybe the fight was not going to happen, but thanks to God, we are now ready for September 5.
“We are going to win. We are in a very positive mindset. We are going to leave everything in the ring. It’s now or never. It would be a great accomplishment to become world champion at 37. That’s what we are going to do."
Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) returns following the longest layoff of his career, nearly 10 months since he outpointed the previously unbeaten Lamont Roach Jr. at an outdoor ballpark in Fresno, Calif. Soon after his most recent positive COVID-19 test, he received a clean bill of health and resumed training camp in Omaha, Neb. Oquendo (31-6, 19 KOs) rebounded from a March 2019 decision defeat to Roach to shut out Charles Huerta last September. He is 5-1 since a December 2015 defeat to Jesus Cuellar for the WBA featherweight world title.
Nelson (16-0, 13 KOs), who trains alongside Herring and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford in Omaha, recently moved down from light heavyweight and is ranked No. 8 by the WBO at super middleweight. He last fought in January, knocking out then-unbeaten prospect Cem Kilic on ESPN. A talented artist who designs his fight night attire— he entered the ring as The Grinch with a Santa hat against Kilic — Nelson hopes to notch his fourth knockout in a row. Ware (13-2-2, 8 KOs), a Toledo firefighter when he’s not fighting in the ring, is two fights removed from a February 2019 decision win over the previously unbeaten Ronald Ellis.
Nelson said, “I’ve been training and staying ready in Omaha with my team. Now it’s time to clock in for overtime. No audience? I don’t need cheers to do my job. I’m focused on the task at hand, which is to defeat DeAndre Ware.”
Use the hashtag #HerringOquendo to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
PHILBOXING.COM MONDAY ROUNDUP: Tszyu Outclasses Spence in Sydney as "The Truth" Retires; Heavyweight Drama in Pattaya and Jeddah
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Mon, 27 Jul 2026'The Fight Is Signed': Hearn Declares Joshua vs. Fury Secured as Mind Games Begin with 'Landlord' Spoof
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Mon, 27 Jul 2026Chezka Centeno wins 3rd world title by ruling the Oneida WPA Women's World 8-Ball Championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 27 Jul 2026CARE conducts 6.5mile open water in Davao Gulf
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 27 Jul 2026Mise, Arellano rule Davao-Japan golfest
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 27 Jul 2026Berlanga, Hitchins Win in Zuffa Boxing New York Event
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Mon, 27 Jul 2026World champion Sanzhar Tashkenbay to headline International Boxing Day in Astana
Mon, 27 Jul 2026Cyrud "The Ferocious" Cabautan Defeats Michael "D' Power Fist" Diaz in Olympus Rising by TWC Amateur MMA Fight
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 27 Jul 2026USA Boxing Earns Four Wins at 2026 Capri Boxing Cup
Mon, 27 Jul 2026Tim Tszyu Dominates Spence in Wide UD Win as 'The Truth' Formally Retires
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 26 Jul 2026Joshua Survives Early Knockdowns to Stop Prenga, Clearing Path for Fury Mega-Fight
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Sun, 26 Jul 2026Weigh-In Results - All Set for the Main Event Between Steven Butler and Edgar Berlanga Tomorrow Night in New York City!
Sun, 26 Jul 2026Team USA Set for Capri Boxing Cup Against Italy on Saturday
Sun, 26 Jul 2026'The Comeback' Weigh-In results and confirmed Fight Night running order as AJ faces Prenga
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Errol Spence vs Tim Tszyu: Do or Die Down Under
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 25 Jul 2026