WITH Johnriel Casimero out of the picture, Jayson Mama and Donnie Nietes are left to carry the Philippine flag in Dubai Saturday night.
Mama vies for the IBF flyweight crown against reigning champion Sunny Edwards, while Nietes gets another stepping stone for a possible world title fight when he tangles with Norbelto Jimenez in an eliminator bout for the WBA super-flyweight championship.
The two hope to emerge victorious at the Coca-Cola Arena in a bid to make up for the sudden absence of Casimero, who fell ill on the eve of his supposed title defense of the WBO bantamweight belt against Englishman Paul Butler.
Both Mama and Edwards tipped the scale at 111.5 lbs. during the official weigh-in for the maiden fight card of Probellum Promotions.
Nietes, 43-1-5, with 23 KOs and a former four-division champion, came in at exactly 115 pounds, while Jimenez, a Dominican Republic native who sports a 30-9-5 record with 16 KOs, was at 114.6 pounds.
Jayson Mama finally faces Sunny Edwards
The 24-year-old Mama, fighting out of San Man Promotions, was supposed to challenge Edwards in his first title defense last September, but the bout was shelved at the last minute after the champion from United Kingdom went down with an ankle injury he suffered in a freak accident while walking his dog around.
It was the second time Mama, unbeaten in 16 fights (9 KOs), was denied of a shot at a world title.
Initially, he was slated to face then IBF champ Moruti Mthalane, but stepped aside and gave way to Edwards (16-0, 4 KOs), who went on and dethroned the legendary South African fighter via unanimous decision eight months ago.
Now, Mama seeks to acquire what the Fiipino believes belongs to him.
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