Lightweight Albert Bell will face Keith Hunter on August 30 at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. The bout materialized after Hunter called out Bell via social media.
“I’m calling you out on my birthday today,” Hunter, a 33-year-old from Las Vegas, said in a video he took while jogging. “I found out that your opponent pulled out. We have previously discussed that we could lock in. Let’s get it!”
In just over one month, they will.
Bell, 27-0 (9 KOs), will fight for the second straight time at 135lbs; though tall for the division at 6ft, he fought at or near junior lightweight for most of his career. Bell is best known for his 2019 upset of then-undefeated Andy Vences via a unanimous decision.
The 32-year-old will return to his hometown at the same venue he fought at in April, where he defeated Josec Ruiz via a 10-round unanimous decision. Despite being undefeated, Bell has been awaiting a major opportunity or a title shot, and he opted to move to lightweight this year in hopes of luring a top-tier fighter into the ring with him.
Hunter, 16-2 (10 KOs), is the younger brother of heavyweight Michael Hunter. He is coming off a February knockout over David Reyes Cota. In 2023, Hunter was stopped by rising junior welterweight contender Rohan Polanco.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Bell told BoxingScene of Hunter’s callout. “You just might get it.”
Vick Green, Bell’s promoter, believes this is the next step toward the coveted title shot for his fighter. Green isn’t shy in stating that they have a plan for what is next, if victorious.
“It is a big deal for Albert to make the 135lbs championship weight limit and fight for the IBF International and WBA NABA titles,” Green told BoxingScene. “Once Albert wins, we are targeting the winner of Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz, if that IBF mandatory fight happens.”
