Abie Han vs. Sergio Mora on ESPN Friday Night Fights
The last time El Paso’s Abraham Han was under the bright lights of ESPN he battled the hard-hitting Glen Tapia for seven rounds before finally succumbing to the New Jerseyan in their July 2013 fight.
“I made that fight bigger than what it was,” says the 30-year-old Han (23-1, 14KOs), about the first loss of his professional career, a bout he took on short notice. “I over-prepared… I overtrained and in the fight I was forcing to make openings that weren’t there.”
Abraham “Abie” Han working with Coach Louie Burke. PHOTO: Will Fox
It is a learning experience that Han and his team will take into the biggest fight of his career Friday night when he squares off against former world champion Sergio Mora (27-3-2, 9KOs) in the main event of ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights‘ card from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss..
“This is big for me, I have to make a statement in this fight,” says Han, the 15th world ranked IBF Middleweight. “Hopefully it lines me up with a title shot.”
The winner of the bout will not only claim the vacant USBA Middleweight title but is also expected to skyrocket up the International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Rankings to the number two spot.
The 14th rank IBF Middleweight, Mora, a former world champion and a formidable name since 2005 when he won the inaugural season of NBC’s boxing reality television series “The Contender”, was originally scheduled to face Jermain Taylor for the IBF Middleweight title. Those plans folded weeks ahead of the fight as the champion Taylor, would be arrested on felony gun charges and forced to withdraw from the title defense.
Han would be presented with the golden opportunity of facing Mora for a chance to burst through the world rankings and along the way get the biggest payday of his career, nearly $40,000.
With just three weeks notice going into the fight Han says he has not been overtrained and that the short notice call comes with the territory.
“When you’re the B-side you’re on everyone else’s schedule,” says Han. “You never know when you’re going to be called. You don’t get those opportunities to schedule big fights. All you have in your hands is giving 100% in the ring.”
The ESPN2 telecast Friday night airs live at 7pmMT/9PMET.
