Former Super Welterweight World Champion

Abass Baraou Signs Promotional Contract With Top Rank!

(August 11th) Former super welterweight world champion Abass Baraou has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank.

The Germany-born fighter of Togolese descent will return against Giovani Santillan on Friday, Sept. 11, in Oceanside, California.

“Abass Baraou’s recent performances speak for themselves,” said Top Rank President Todd duBoef. “He defied the odds by dominating Yoenis Tellez for the interim world title, was soon elevated to full champion, and came within a narrow split decision of unifying titles against Xander Zayas in January. Abass remains one of the division’s top fighters, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Top Rank as he pursues another championship reign.”

Baraou said, “Signing with Top Rank is a huge step in my career. I’ve always believed I belong on the biggest stage, and now I have the right team behind me to chase the biggest fights in boxing. Top Rank has a history of building champions, and I’m proud to join that legacy. I’m grateful for this opportunity, but this is only the beginning. My goal is clear: become world champion again.”

Baraou (17-2, 9 KOs) turned pro in 2018 following a standout amateur career that included gold at the 2017 European Championships and bronze at the World Championships. After a 2020 split decision loss to former world champion Jack Culcay, Baraou reeled off eight consecutive wins, highlighted by last August’s upset of the previously unbeaten Tellez for the WBA interim title. Baraou punctuated the unanimous points triumph with a knockdown in the closing seconds of the 12th stanza. He was then elevated to full champion the following month after Terence Crawford vacated the title. That set the stage for January’s unification showdown against WBO champion Xander Zayas, who edged Baraou via split decision.

About Top Rank

Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Top Rank has promoted some of the most memorable fights in the sport’s history, including 26 Ali events, Leonard vs. Hearns, Pryor vs. Arguello, Duran vs. Leonard, Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Staples Center, Wembley Arena, Araneta Coliseum, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, The “Fabulous” Forum, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.