“MAGIC” Mike Plania is in for the biggest fight of his young boxing career as he takes on World Boxing Organization No. 1 ranked bantamweight Joshua Greer Jr. in a 10-rounder on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 (US time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in Top Rank’s third closed-door boxing show this month since the resumption of boxing from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 23-year-old Plania, a native of Gen. Santos City, is closing in on a world title shot and a win over Greer Jr. should solidify his status as a title contender.
“This is the most important fight of his career. This is his key to world title fights. He can’t lose,” Plania’s manager and promoter JC Manangquil told SunStar Cebu.
Plania is training out of the Moro’s Boxing Gym in Miami, Florida under the watchful eye of Cuban trainer Moro Fernandez. He’s also training there alongside fellow Filipinos and Sanman Boxing Gym teammates Reymart Gaballo, John Vincent Moralde, Mark Bernaldez and James Bacon.
“His training camp was okay. Mike is 100 percent ready to fight. He’s weight is okay,” said Manangquil.
Plania, a former RP National Boxing Team member, won eight straight fights since suffering his first career defeat in the hands of former world champion Juan Carlos Payano by unanimous decision in his US debut in 2018. Plania is coming off a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Giovanni Gutierrez last Dec. 21, 2019 in Miami.
Plania is currently rated No. 11 in the World Boxing Association and No. 12 in the International Boxing Federation as a super bantamweight. He’ll move down in weight against Greer Jr.
Since a loss early in his career, Greer Jr. has won 19 straight contests, which earned him his lofty No. 1 spot in the WBO bantamweight rankings. In his three fights in 2019, he beat former world title contender Antonio Nieves, tough Russian Nikolai Potapov and veteran Filipino Giovanni Escaner.
Plania is 23-1 with 12 knockouts, while Greer Jr. is 22-1-1 with 12 knockouts. (EKA)
