KOBE (Kyodo) Hozumi Hasegawa will attempt to defend his WBC bantamweight belt for the ninth time against fourth-ranked American Nestor Rocha on July 14 at Kobe World Memorial Hall, his gym said Monday.
The match will be part of a world double-header, with Hasegawa's second-ranked compatriot Katsunari Takayama set to challenge WBA minimumweight champion Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua.
Hasegawa stopped South African Vusi Malinga with a technical knockout in the first round to retain his belt in March.