Rene Palacios Spots Bruce Carrington’s Mistakes Before WBC Title Fight July 4

The Mexican says he has studied Carrington’s mistakes and believes his victory over common opponent Sulaiman Segawa proves he can challenge for the WBC featherweight title

Bruce Carrington enters Saturday night’s WBC featherweight title defense as the clear favorite, but challenger Rene Palacios believes he’s once again being overlooked despite bringing a noteworthy result into the biggest fight of his career.

Palacios said he has become accustomed to entering fights with little fanfare.

“I feel happy and excited because the day is coming when I will fight for a world title,” Palacios said during Thursday’s final press conference. “I think I was underestimated in my last fight. And I’m being underestimated again. But I come ready and prepared for anything. Mentally, I’m coming in very strong. I had an impressive, spectacular, and perfect camp. I know July 4 is Independence Day here in the United States, and I respect that, but that night, Mexico will win.”

Palacios (19-0-1, 10 KOs) earned his title shot by defeating Sulaiman Segawa via split decision in January. The victory carries extra significance because Segawa also shared the ring with Carrington last September, pushing the unbeaten champion to a hard-fought majority decision that many observers felt could have gone the other way.

While styles do not always make fights, the common opponent offers an interesting comparison heading into Saturday’s championship bout. Palacios found a way to edge Segawa over 10 rounds, while Carrington was forced to settle for a disputed decision in a fight that exposed areas of his game still needing refinement.

Palacios also believes he has identified openings in Carrington’s style.

“Yes, of course,” he said when asked if he sees mistakes to exploit. “Like with anyone, I think there are things he can improve and things we’ve seen from him. We’ve seen his mistakes, but we have to follow the game plan, just like we did throughout camp. We’re ready.”

Carrington dismissed any suggestion that he is overlooking the unbeaten Mexican. Instead, he praised Palacios for accepting the opportunity after other potential opponents declined.

“He’s a good fighter. I like to challenge myself,” Carrington said. “There were a lot of guys who didn’t accept this fight, but Rene Palacios took it quickly, and I respect him for that. I see that he fights with his heart on his sleeve. His style is challenging, and I’m looking forward to it.”

At 29, Carrington is looking to build momentum after capturing the WBC title, while Palacios will attempt to pull off the biggest upset of his career. Their shared history with Segawa gives Saturday’s fight more intrigue beyond the championship at stake.

Share on Facebook

Post on X