2021 Olympic silver medalist, heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr., who hails from Tulare, California will step up in competition for his next fight.
Torrez will take on crafty veteran Curtis Harper on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida on Top Rank Inc card.
The bout which will be headlined by Robeisy Ramirez’s WBO featherweight world title defense against Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza and undefeated junior middleweight sensation Xander Zayas versus Spain’s Jorge Fortea, will now see Torrez get the most meaningful fight of his career. Torrez Jr has been matched carefully despite a deep amateur pedigree which might be due to a viral knockout loss to Bakhodir Jalolov, which Torrez was unable to compete at the Olympic Trials in 2019 after being knocked out cold. This bout will also signal the first eight-round fight Torrez will be competing in.
“Curtis Harper is a tough, experienced heavyweight, and I look forward to the challenge,” Torrez said. “He has been in with some of the division’s best fighters, and we felt the time was right to step up and take on someone of his caliber.”
“I had a little set-back from a training injury, but we’re healing and mending, as soon I am [cleared], I will be [back in the ring],” Torrez Jr told ProBox TV earlier this year. “For those of you who are iffy about my style - I get it. I am a shorter guy, and just by the look, it is a little hard [to see him fighting the massive heavyweights of the world]. What I have to say to that is - just keep watching, and hopefully one day I will prove this to you, that’s all I am [doing]. I am not going to talk or boast myself in any means, but I want to show you what I can do in the ring.”
Torrez, who is 24-years-old, and currently 7-0, with 7 KOs, has only gone a total of eleven rounds as a pro. With a hard-charging style similar to Tommy Morrison, Torrez Jr is here for a good time not a long time in the ring as he has recorded four first-round knockouts already. Harper, 35-years-old, with a record of 14-10, 9 KOs has spent his career challenging the top fighters in the division Chris Arreola, Brandon Moore, and Guido Vianello. Last year Harper also defeated Christian Thun on ProBox TV, before that, Harper was best known for leaving the ring the minute the bell sounded against Efe Ajagba, which was one of the most confusing moments in boxing history.
