Junior middleweight Milan Prat is hoping to return towards WBA No.1-ranked contender Abass Baraou.
The bout is tentatively scheduled for March 22 in France and no venue or date confirmed on the time of this writing – with some concern in Europe that it could not occur in any respect after Baraou’s promoter, Wasserman, failed to substantiate the bout.
Prat, 25, stays hopeful the struggle will come off. Born in France, Prat moved to Houston to coach with Bobby Benton and Aaron Navarro. For his most up-to-date coaching camp, he returned to France, the place Prat stopped Evander Castillo within the fourth spherical final December.
“Milan got here down a couple of yr and a half in the past and skilled with us for one struggle, left and went again,” Benton mentioned. “He simply got here again for his final struggle. So we skilled him for his final struggle.”
Prat holds a report of 25-1 (19 KOs) and is driving a five-fight win streak after struggling his lone profession defeat to Slawa Spomer in 2023.
“He’s a hard-working child with an ideal angle,” Navarro mentioned. “He has heavy fingers. He is an efficient prospect that ought to transfer on to contender after this subsequent struggle.”
“I feel his dedication might be the most important a part of it,” Benton mentioned when requested what makes Prat an elite fighter. “He is positively targeted and locked in. He is obtained talent, too.”
Baraou, 30, has gained seven on the bounce, holding a report of 16-1 (9 KOs). His solely loss was a break up resolution to Jack Culcay in 2020. Baraou, who hails from Berlin, might be combating in France for the primary time in his skilled profession – if the struggle with Prat goes ahead.
“He needs to be a fighter,” Navarro mentioned. “No matter we inform him, no matter we give him, he is prepared.”
Lucas Ketelle took an unconventional path to boxing, finally discovering his stride in gyms and media. For the previous decade, he has hosted the “Lukie Boxing” podcast, filmed coaching camps for fighters like Arnold Barboza Jnr, Mikey Garcia and Caleb Plant, and labored with high professionals akin to Mike Bazzel. Ketelle can also be an writer of “Contained in the Ropes of Boxing,” a information for younger fighters, a author for ProBox TV, BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America. Discover him on X at @LukieBoxing.
