Canada’s Salih is Tucker’s new opponent in Wray & Nephew Contender
Canadian Tariq Ismail Salih is the new opponent for Jamaican boxer Fabian Tucker in tomorrow’s Wray and Nephew Contender.
Salih replaces countryman Jeff Tabrizi, who suffered an injury just several days ahead of the fight, forcing a postponement of last week’s action in the popular boxing series, which is carried live each Wednesday on TVJ.
Salih, who celebrates his 28th birthday today, made his professional boxing debut in April last year and scored a majority decision over fellow Canadian Dylan Rushton in a four-round clash at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.
Prior to his pro boxing debut, Salih had fought largely as a mixed martial artist.
Tabrizi was due to fight Jamaica’s Fabian Tucker in the final first-round bout of the Team Jamaica vs Team Canada Wray and Nephew Contender welterweight boxing series.
Team Jamaica leads the eight-fight preliminary series 4-3 following wins by Richard “Frog” Holmes, Nico Yeyo, Devon “Concrete” Moncriffe and Michael “Wasp” Gardner.
Team Canada’s three victories were scored by Waseem El Sinawi, Dave Leblond and Ricardo Salas.
Meanwhile, the draw for the second round and announcement of the top-ranked boxers will take place after the final bout of round one tomorrow.
In the first round of competition, the top four boxers on each team drew their opponents from among the bottom four seeded boxers from the opposing team and the fights were slated for five rounds maximum. In the second round, starting Wednesday, June 6, they will go at each other over seven rounds and the final will be fought over 10 rounds.
The winner will, in addition to the title of Wray & Nephew Contender Welterweight 2018 and belt, take home a purse of $2 million. The second-place boxer will collect $500,000, third $250,000 and fourth $200,000.