Cherneka Johnson will defend her undisputed bantamweight titles against Dina Thorslund on August 8 at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
The 10-round fight will headline MVPW-05 and air on ESPN, bringing together the current undisputed champion and the former unified champion who never lost her belts in the ring.
Thorslund (24-0, 9 KOs) had been set to face Shurretta Metcalf last year but withdrew after announcing she was pregnant with her second child. She later suffered a miscarriage, returned in January, and defeated Almudena Alvarez by wide unanimous decision.
Johnson (19-2, 8 KOs) stepped in after Thorslund’s exit and stopped Metcalf in the ninth round, adding the IBF, WBO and WBC titles to her WBA belt. She has since defended the undisputed crown with a decision win over Amanda Galle.
For Thorslund, the fight is about reclaiming the titles she feels she never lost. “I’m returning with a level of motivation I’ve never had before,” she said. “Part of it is sporting ambition, but for me, this is also deeply personal.”
Johnson sees it differently. She believes the timing has created the perfect fight to prove she is the true bantamweight queen. “This is the fight I always knew would bring out the best version of me,” Johnson said. “I plan to take my belts home, take her pound-for-pound ranking, and claim the bantamweight queen title.”
