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Mikiah Kreps is on the cusp of becoming an elite fighter at 122 pounds.
Kreps will take a step up in opposition when she squares off against Melissa Odessa Parker Friday night at the Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino in her hometown of Niagara Falls, New York. The eight-round bout will precede the main event bout between welterweights Arnold Gonzalez and Esneiker Correa.
Both fights will stream live on ESPN Knockout (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT) throughout Latin America.
The 27-year-old amateur standout has excelled early on as a pro. Co-manager Jerry Cazarez believes Kreps has excelled thus far and could be in line for a significant fight, should she win impressively against Parker.
“We are excited to see Mikiah fight at home and be the co-main event,” Cazarez told The Ring Tuesday night. “She’s in with a former world titleholder and this is the doorway to the big fights. She’s so close to becoming a world champion we always believed she’d be.”
Cazarez and former world junior lightweight titleholder Jamel Herring co-manage Kreps under the Fight to Fight Management banner.
“Jamel and I are excited to see her deliver after having such a great camp with coach Manny Robles,” said Cazarez.
Kreps (7-0, 3 knockouts) last fought on November 7, defeating Isis Vargas Perez by unanimous decision. In her previous fight on May 21 of last year, Kreps stopped Luz Martinez after the opening round in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Aside from her win over Martinez and her pro debut in October 2020, all of Kreps’ fights have taken place in New York State.
Prior to her pro debut, Kreps was an excellent amateur, including winning multiple national championships, maintaining a No. 1 ranking in her weight class, and winning the bronze medal at the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Kreps was also a 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials finalist.
Parker (6-2, 2 KOs), who is originally from Brooklyn, New York and now resides in Spring, Texas, lost by unanimous decision to Erika Cruz Hernandez in her last bout on September 15. In her previous fight on July 29, Parker lost a close majority decision to Shurretta Metcalf.
The 37-year-old won the vacant IBO world bantamweight title in June 2021, defeating Calista Silgado by unanimous decision. Parker would make one successful title defense almost a year later, defeating Mikenna Tansley by decision.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at santio89@yahoo.com
