KJ CATARAJA will remain in Los Angeles to train at Freddie Roach’s famed Wild Card Gym for a possible upcoming fight in Mexico.

“I’m waiting for an upcoming fight in Mexico but it’s not yet confirmed,” the 28-year-old Cataraja told SunStar Cebu. “I’ll be staying here and will be training with Jonas’ (Sultan) team.”

Cataraja arrived in the United States this month along with World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight king Melvin Jerusalem and their coach, Michael Domingo.

Jerusalem is defending his belt on Saturday, May 27, 2023 (US time), against mandatory challenger Oscar Collazo at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. Cataraja will help out Domingo in Jerusalem’s corner.

After Jerusalem’s title defense, Cataraja will stay behind in the US and continue to train at the Wild Card Gym.

Cataraja will have his first sparring session in the US on Thursday (PH time), May 25.

“I’ll be having my first sparring here on Wednesday (US time). They are still looking for a sparring partner for me,” said Cataraja.

Cataraja has been one of the Philippines’ most promising fighters for years now. He won his biggest fight to date this year, after beating previously unbeaten world ranked fighter Edward Heno by a lopsided unanimous decision and bagged the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight belt.

Cataraja is also a former WBO Youth super flyweight champion, a title he won by beating current World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 32 ranked bantamweight Victor Reyes in 2018.

Cataraja is currently ranked No. 6 WBO, No. 12 International Boxing Federation and No. 23 WBC.

Cataraja, a former amateur standout, is 16-0 with 13 knockouts. (EKA)