Tony Yoka vs Carlos Takam Heavyweight Showdown on Saturday
Streaming action from Paris begins at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT / 7:30pm GMT
Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka (11-1, 9KO) will return in a 10-round main event this Saturday, March 11, against former world title challenger Carlos Takam (39-7-1, 28KO) at Zenith Paris in France. Cameroon-born Takam is also of French nationality and boxed over 30 times in the country known as ’The Hexagon’, but this will be his first fight back in France in almost eight years, and, at 42, he will be 12 years Yoka’s senior, but could also be the young Parisien’s hardest fight yet. This is one not to be missed!
How to Watch
U.S: Yoka-Takam will stream live in the U.S. on ESPN+ from 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT
UK: Sky Sports Action (Channel 408) from 7:30pm – 12am
Background
Yoka (11-1, 9 KOs) had a decorated amateur career that included wins over Joseph Parker, Filip Hrgović and Joe Joyce, the latter of whom he defeated to earn a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Yoka turned pro in 2017 and notched 11 victories before suffering a majority decision loss to Martin Bakole last May. The 30-year-old contender is eager to regain his upward momentum in the heavyweight rankings.
Takam (39-7-1, 28 KOs) is a Cameroonian-born contender who represented his homeland in the 2004 Olympics and challenged Anthony Joshua for the unified heavyweight crown in 2017. In his last fight, he ended Arslanbek Makhmudov’s knockout streak by forcing him to go 10 rounds for the first time.
Undercard
British light heavyweight Dan Azeez (18-0, 12 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in a 12-round battle against Frenchman Thomas Faure (21-4-1, 2 KOs) for the European title. The 33-year-old Azeez is inching closer to a world title shot and is coming off an eighth-round TKO win over former world champion Rocky Fielding last December.
Olympic gold medalist Lauren Price (2-0, 1 KO) makes her 2023 debut in an eight-round welterweight tilt against Naomi Mannes (6-1, 4 KOs). The Welsh standout is coming off a TKO win in October, while Mannes lost in a bid for the European title in November.
Undefeated middleweight Farrhad Saad (8-0-1) returns from a two-year layoff versus Britain’s Macaulay McGowan (17-3-1, 3 KOs).
About ESPN+
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