Next Friday, August 8, Argentina’s Mirco Cuello (15-0, 12 KOs) will step into the biggest fight of his career, squaring off against Mexico’s Sergio Ríos Jiménez (19-0, 7 KOs) for the WBA Interim Featherweight World Title. The bout will take place at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benghazi, Libya, as part of the WBA Future program—an initiative aimed at expanding professional boxing into new territories while showcasing rising stars on an international stage.

Cuello, 24, hailing from Arroyo Seco, enters the ring as the WBA’s No. 1-ranked featherweight after a nail-biting TKO victory over Christian Olivo in February. A Youth Olympic medalist at Buenos Aires 2018, the fighter from Santa Fe has built an impressive résumé with wins in Uruguay and the United States, and now seeks to claim global glory on African soil. This will be his seventh straight bout outside Argentina.

Ríos Jiménez, also unbeaten at 24, poses a serious threat. Known for his technical skill and respectable power, the Mexican contender rides a 19-fight win streak and is eager to make a statement in his first fight abroad.

The undercard packs additional title action, including Soufiane Oumiha vs. Francisco Fonseca for the WBA Gold Lightweight Title, Josué Agüero vs. Diego Alemán for the WBA Fedelatin Super Featherweight strap, and Mike Pérez vs. Fernely Feliz Jr. for the WBA Fedelatin Bridgerweight crown.

Bringing the WBA Future series to Libya marks a historic expansion of boxing’s global footprint. The World Boxing Association is staging a world-class event in North Africa with the mission of promoting peace, inclusion, and athletic development.

The WBA Future platform doesn’t just hunt for new talent—it turns boxing into an educational and social tool, reaffirming its role as an engine for positive change. With this groundbreaking card, Libya becomes the epicenter of the African boxing scene.