Ardreal Holmes Jr. on weight for homecoming fight vs. Hugo Noriega

Ardreal Holmes Jr. is set for a homecoming in Flint, Michigan, as the junior middleweight made weight ahead of his Thursday fight on DAZN. Holmes will headline Salita Promotions’ “Big Time Boxing USA” card at the Dort Federal Event Center.

Holmes, the favorite, weighed in Wednesday at 153.4 pounds, while his opponent, Hugo Noriega, came in slightly lighter at 153.2 pounds.

Holmes (15-0, 6 KOs), now 30, expressed hopes earlier this week in an interview with BoxingScene that a victory will push him into the division’s top 10, setting him on a path for a title shot. His 34-year-old opponent, Noriega (10-2, 5 KOs), originally from Cuba, will aim to play the spoiler, coming off a win after going 1-2 in his previous three bouts.

In the co-feature, junior middleweight Joseph Hicks (10-0, 7 KOs) seeks to continue his rise in the division. Hicks, who weighed in at 155.8 pounds – the lowest weight of his career – is probably aiming to move closer to the 154-pound championship limit. His opponent, fellow 30-year-old Ronnie Austion (10-2, 7 KOs), also weighed in at 155.8 pounds. Austion, hailing from nearby Detroit, is a career welterweight who is moving up.

Weights from all fights on the card are as follows:

Junior middleweight – 10 rounds

Ardreal Holmes Jr. (153.4 pounds) vs. Hugo Noriega (153.2 pounds)

Junior middleweight – eight rounds

Joseph Hicks (155.8) vs. Ronnie Austion (155.8)

Middleweight – six rounds

Da’Velle Smith (164.8) vs. Esau Herrera De La Cruz (165.8)

Super welterweight – eight rounds

Leon Lawson III (156.0) vs. Luis Alberto Veron (154.6)

Middleweight – four rounds

Jaquan McElroy (159.0) vs. Lamar Bolden (159.2)

Heavyweight – six rounds

Deandre Savage (289.0) vs. Keshawn Jackson (249.8)

Heavyweight – four rounds

Darrion Lawson (204.2) vs. Isaiah Cobbs (221.2)

Middleweight – four rounds

Christopher Thompson (164.6) vs. Eric Hadley (165.4)

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.