It may be a quiet weekend of boxing but there is a fight in Mexico that has gone under the radar and it promises action.

Former WBA featherweight titleholder Mauricio Lara (28-3-2, 21 knockouts) and former three-time world title challenger Miguel Roman (71-14, 51 KOs) will meet tonight in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

The scheduled 10-round junior lightweight fight has huge ramifications for both men's careers, and neither can afford a defeat.

"It will be a war," promised Roman. "I will give all my heart. If I lose, I will retire from boxing."

While the younger, Lara, hopes to use the fight to kickstart his once-promising career.

"I'm back and ready for the big-league fights after beating Roman," said Lara.

Roman has been a professional since 2003. During his career, he has held the Mexican bantamweight title and various WBC regional belts at different weights.

The 39-year-old has come up short against WBA featherweight titlist Jonathan Barros (UD 12) in 2011, WBC lightweight beltholder Antonio DeMarco (KO 5) in 2012 and WBC junior lightweight kingpin Miguel Berchelt (TKO 9) in 2018.

He has also shared the ring with several other former or future world champions including Cesar Soto (SD 10/UD 10), Takashi Miura (L KO 12), Orlando Salido (TKO 9) and O'Shaquie Foster (L KO 9) in November 2020. He is unbeaten in 10 fights since the Foster fight.

Lara has been a professional for a decade. He lost his debut but reeled off 11 wins before being stopped by Eliot Chavez (KO 1). "Bronco" got back to winning ways before he got his big break travelling to England where he stunned previously unbeaten Josh Warrington (TKO 9). The two rematched seven months later but an early cut saw the fight declared a second-round technical draw.

The Mexico City resident stayed busy and returned to England where he scored a come from behind knockout over Leigh Wood (KO 9) to claim the WBA 126-pound title in February 2023. The two met in a direct rematch just three months later, this time a lacklustre Lara missed weight, while Wood boxed expertly and regained his title by lopsided 12-round unanimous decision.

Lara, still only 27, has fought three times since and looked a shadow of his former self. Earlier this year, he was banned by UKAD for two years for taking a banned substance.

Questions/comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X @AnsonWainwr1ght.