Arnold Barboza Jr. (27-0) may not be getting the title fight he has pushed for, but he is very thankful for his upcoming fight against former two-division champion Jose Pedraza (29-4-1).

The fight takes place in Glendale, Arizona on February 3rd at the Desert Diamond Arena. The showdown will be televised by ESPN along with the main event pitting Emanuel Navarrete against Liam Wilson for the vacant WBO super featherweight title. 

“Man, this is the toughest fight to date for me.  I have nothing but respect for Pedraza. I’m excited to showcase what I can do and I’m coming to make a statement on February 3rd,” Barboza told BoxingScene.com. 

A victory will push Barboza higher in the rankings. Currently, he is ranked in the top 15 by the WBC, WBO and the IBF.  

He is confident a victory will lead him to a title shot but insists he isn’t looking past Pedraza. 

“I believe so but we are not worried about that right now. The main thing is taking care of business come February 3rd. After that everything will take care of itself, Barboza stated. 

The 31-year-old Southern California native doesn’t mind training through the holidays either when the stakes are this high.  

“It is not hard at all.  I don’t mind, especially knowing the magnitude of the fight. Sacrifice comes with the sport and the fans can expect to see another exciting fight,” said Barboza. 

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