Maliek Montgomery faces late replacement Cesar Juarez on Friday's OTX card
Maliek Montgomery wants to prove that there is more to his skill than just being a puncher or being a bad partner for some of the best boxers.
He will have to do that against a former world title challenger.
Montgomery will face the late Cesar Juarez on Friday night at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The eight-round junior lightweight belt will precede the super middleweight fight between Lorenzo Simpson and Raiko Santana.
Both fights will make headlines OTX 8 Live card that will air live on DAZN (8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT).
The 28-year-old (17-0, 16 knockouts), who lives and trains in Las Vegas, Nevada, was scheduled to fight on May 3, but his fight with Eridson Garcia fell through. Manager Trifon Petrov was able to put Montgomery on the card on Friday, and believes he is ready to make a statement at Juarez's expense.
“Maliek was supposed to fight Ramiro Cesena, who unfortunately pulled out (of the fight),” Petrov told The Ring on Tuesday evening. “I want to thank Overtime (Boxing) for doing everything possible to find an opponent who will replace you immediately.
“Now we will face Cesar Juarez, who has won the world title and is always ready to fight. Maliek is hungry to show that he is ready to be selected for the big players in the division, so I expect him to defeat Juarez and win by knockout on Friday night.”
Montgomery last fought on June 3 of last year in La Vega, Dominican Republic, stopping Kenin Betancourt in the third round. Montgomery's last three fights took place in the Dominican Republic.
His most notable win came on the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card in September 2021, defeating Aleem Ju Mauphilav by unanimous decision. Despite knocking out his last six opponents, Montgomery aims to show that he can knock out opponents, too.
“I want to do my best, whether it's knocking out my opponents or knocking them out,” Montgomery told The Ring in a recent interview. “I'm not afraid to mess with you. If you're going to push me inside, I can fight smart and push you out inside. I can take you down after a jab. I can use different angles, my ring generalship is strong. I can be very smart in the ring.”
Montgomery moved from his hometown of Macon, Georgia to Las Vegas, considered one of the best cities in boxing to find the best game. Over the past few years, Montgomery has been able to give Gervonta 'Tank' Davis and Devin Haney, just to name a few.
After a few different sessions, Montgomery gained more confidence and became more aware of his worth as a fighter and what he was capable of.
“I reserved 'Tank' before his fight with Isaac Cruz and Devin before going back with (George) Kambosos,” said Montgomery, who is trained by his father, Maliek, Sr. “Being in the same ring with them and holding my own made me realize that I have to continue with the games. I want to fight in those big divisions. I want to show the world on Friday what I am and what I can fight in those big stages.”
Despite only fighting 10 rounds and limited opposition, Montgomery believes a statement win over Juarez could get him closer to a title shot.
Even though Juarez is behind in his career, he can be a decent measuring stick for where Montgomery is right now. Montgomery is confident that not only is he winning in impressive fashion, but he is among the top fighters at 130 pounds.
“I feel like I'm a competitor now,” Montgomery said. “After winning two or three times, I believe I can fight for one of those titles.
“This is not a part-time job for me. I am involved and committed to sports. I want to fight the best in the division. No one in particular. I can adjust or fight any style that is put in front of me.
“I have made changes and I am on the right track.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has handled boxing in Southern California and internationally since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. They can be reached at [email protected]
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