Luis Nery links up with trainer Freddie Roach, could return Nov. 23

Former bantamweight titleholder and current top contender Luis Nery has a new trainer, as ESPN reports he’s started work with the legendary Freddie Roach out in California, and could return to action on Nov. 23 as part of the Wilder-Ortiz II FOX pay-per-view card.

Nery (30-0, 24 KO) went to Japan and won the WBC bantamweight title in 2017, beating Shinsuke Yamanaka, but he failed a post-fight drug test, too, coming up positive for PEDs. The decision wasn’t overturned, and when Nery returned for a rematch about seven months later, he failed to make weight, the fight went on, and he beat Yamanaka again.

Nery went back home to Mexico for a pair of wins to close out 2018, and made his PBC debut earlier this year, smashing McJoe Arroyo over four rounds on the Spence-Garcia undercard, and returning in July to stop Juan Carlos Payano on the Pacquiao-Thurman undercard.

PBC clearly see him, at the moment, as a valuable piece of PPV shows, as he’s exciting and gets knockouts, and as a fan that’s appreciated, really. A spot on the Wilder-Ortiz card would fit nicely.