John Laryea vs Adrian Robledo. Career, Records and WBA Title Eliminator Preview
Boxing fans are eagerly counting down the days until John ‘Abaja’ Laryea’s WBA title eliminator bout against Adrian Robledo (13-1, 6 KOs).
The Bukom native will hope to keep his undefeated record intact as he prepares for his second fight outside of Ghana. In his first fight on foreign soil, Laryea defeated a Nicaraguan boxer, Alexander Mejia by way of a shutout unanimous decision.
Going by the nickname ‘Expensive Boxer’, John Laryea has shown a lot of quality and class in his performances.
After a successful debut in 2018, Laryea has gone on to become a household name in the Ghanaian and African boxing scene.
In 2021, he clinched the national featherweight title after stopping Kamarudeen Boyefio in the third round.
That same year he defeated Namibian veteran boxer Sebastianus Natanael by a fourth round TKO (doctor’s stoppage) to become the WBO Africa featherweight champion.
Sadly, he was stripped of the title after being inactive for over a year. On his return, he successfully reclaimed the title in a bout against fellow countryman Solomon Martey.
In 2025, Laryea faced Holy Dorgbetor, in a bout many will agree has been his toughest to date. Dorgbetor was a former national, UBO and IBF Africa champion and recognised as one of Africa’s top featherweights for years.
In their bout, John Laryea showed his grit and heart and remained in the fight even after suffering multiple knockdowns. The bout ended with Laryea’s hand being raised after the referee called off the fight on medical advice because Dorgbetor sustained a gum injury mid-fight.
Carrying that experience will be beneficial in his upcoming fight with Robledo, who has built a reputation for being a sharp puncher.
Like Laryea, Robledo is viewed as a prospect with the potential to be a featherweight world champion in the near future. He has held the WBO Latino title as well as the WBA Fedelatin title.
After suffering his first professional loss to Braian Arguello in 2024, Robledo redeemed himself in their rematch by securing a majority decision victory.
On paper, Laryea is the more powerful puncher, as seen by his 75% knockout rate. This gives him the ability to finish the fight at anytime.
Such ability can be noticed in his style of fighting, where he seeks to apply pressure and impose himself on his opponents.
Robledo may not have as many knockouts but should not be counted out since he typically adopts a boxer-puncher approach.
That approach allows him to box at range, throw good combinations, and still turn up the heat if necessary.
Robledo will have the home court advantage come fight night, while Laryea stands to spoil the party in Argentina.
Ghanaians fans will cheer on Laryea on August 15th as he flies over to Buenos Aires. The bout will be aired live on Argentinian TV channel TyC Sports.