After months of believing it would be a year to forget, Duke Micah is poised to end 2019 with a bang.
The 2012 Ghana Olympian and current unbeaten junior bantamweight contender will enjoy his second fight under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner in a span of just more than three months when he returns to the ring Dec. 7 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. An opponent has yet to be named for the assignment, but confirmation of his serving on the card already leaves him with a better year than was the case in 2018.
“It feels good to move forward with my career,” Micah (23-0, 19KOs) told BoxingScene.com. “It doesn’t matter who I face (in December). Next year, I expect to fight for the world title. For now, I just want to keep busy.”
Micah’s bout will serve on the non-televised undercard to a Showtime event headlined by unbeaten middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo (29-0, 21KOs) in a title defense versus Dennis Hogan (28-2-1, 7KOs). A similar capacity was afforded his first fight with PBC following a 14-month forced hiatus while putting together a new team that includes trainer Andre Rozier and co-managers Michael Amoo-Bediako and Keith Connolly. His return to the ring was brief, stopping Mexico’s Luis Roy Suarez in the 2nd round of their Aug. 31 clash in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“After his impressive PBC debut, Duke is aiming make up for lost time,” Amoo-Bediako told BoxingScene.com. “It’s been a frustrating year for Duke having to sit on the side lines while his promotional situation had to be resolved. Now, that is all behind him and his future looks bright.”
Micah’s career was full of promise following his tour with the 2012 Ghana Olympic team which competed in London. A desire to take his game to the next level led to his relocating to Brooklyn, where he trains under Rozier. The move helped sharpen his skills, but unfortunately coming at a time when his career hit a wall.
Just two fights in two years made for his American journey before freeing himself from past promotional issues. With his next fight in December will come a rate of activity he hasn’t enjoyed in more than three years—just the type of momentum he needs heading into what is hoped to be a title run in the year ahead.
“As a team, we have been discussing a long term plan for Duke,” notes Amoo-Bediako. “We feel that he is capable of winning a world title at 115 before moving up to challenge the best at 118 so that’s the route we will be taking for the foreseeable future.”
–boxingscene.com
