By Jake Donovan

Julio Ceja saw his ring return delayed by three weeks, but now has a firm location and opponent to make up for his troubles.

The free-swinging bantamweight contender will face Christian Esquivel on November 22 in Toluca, Mexico. The bout is designed to establish a future challenger for current bantamweight king Shinsuke Yamanaka.

Ceja (27-1, 25KOs) has won three straight fights since suffering the lone setback of his career, a 12-round decision to Jamie McDonnell last May in Doncaster, England. McDonnell won a vacant title for his effort, one that was stripped from him before the Brit re-entered the title fray this past May.

A rematch was sought by Ceja at one point, but his team opted to move in a different direction. His last bout was sanctioned by the World Boxing Council (WBC), stopping Ranel Suco in 10 rounds this past April in Mexico City.

Esquivel (27-5, 20KOs) is coming off of a 4th round knockout loss to unbeaten Shohei Omoro this past May in Japan. The 28-year old also came up short in two previous trips to the Far East, suffering an 11th round knockout loss to Yamanake in their Nov. ’11 vacant bantamweight title fight, and stopped in seven rounds by Malcolm Tunacao in a Dec. ’12 title eliminator.  

On the undercard, Hugo Ruiz and Adrian Hernandez appear in separate bouts against opponents to be determined.

Ruiz – who was denied the bantamweight title in a controversial points loss to Koki Kameda in Dec. ’12 – now campaigns in the super bantamweight division. Plans beyond November 22 call for a hoped-for title eliminator with Andres Gutierrez to set up a desired crack at unbeaten Leo Santa Cruz.

Hernandez (29-3-1, 18KOs) fights for the first time since his 6th round knockout loss to precocious Naoya Inoue in April. The defeat ended his second tour as a junior flyweight titlist, though the 28-year old is confident that a third reign is in his future. The former champ has spent the past few months sparring with Pedro Guevara and reigning super flyweight titlist Carlos Cuadras.

The card will air live on Televisa.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as the Records Keeper for the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and a member of Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox