Carlos Cuadras will enter the ring at his heaviest weight in more than 16 years.

It was to be expected of the former WBC 115-pound titlist, who was a last-minute entry for Friday’s ESPN Knockout show in Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico. Cuadras (42-5-1, 28 knockouts) tipped the scales at 118.6 pounds, while countryman Daniel Ramirez (16-8, 9 KOs) was 118.8 pounds.

Their scheduled eight-round bantamweight contest will serve as the evening’s chief support. Former IBF 108-pound titlist Adrian Curiel tops the bill versus Damian Arce (6-2, 4 KOs). Curiel, The Ring No. 4 junior flyweight, was 109 pounds. Arce, a Cuban export now based in Mexico City, was 109.3 pounds.

Curiel returns to his optimal weight division after a one-fight stop at flyweight. It resulted in a technical decision defeat to England’s Sunny Edwards (21-2, 4 KOs), a former IBF titlist and The Ring No. 1-rated 112-pound fighter at the time of their June 29 meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

Friday will mark Curiel’s third fight of 2024. The year began with a tenth-round knockout defeat to Sive Nonthshinga (13-2, 10 KOs), No. 3 at 108 by The Ring, in their Feb. 16 title fight rematch. Curiel knocked out Nontshinga in the first round to win the IBF title last November 4 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Cuadras’ 2024 campaign was littered with injuries. A ruptured Achilles cost him an opportunity to defend his interim WBC 115-pound title versus Andrew Moloney in May. Subsequent surgery forced him to give up the secondary title and spend the rest of the year in physical rehabilitation.

The 55-week ring absence forced Cuadras out of The Ring rankings; he was previously No. 6 before he was removed due to inactivity. it prompted a rust-shaker at the higher weight. Cuadras has not weighed more than 118 pounds since his first year as a pro. He was 119 pounds for his May 2019 pro debut and gradually made his way to a full-time junior bantamweight barely one year later.

Cuadras won the full WBC 115-pound title in a May 2014 victory over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. He reigned for more than two years until his Sept. 2016 defeat to Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (52-4, 42 KOs). Cuadras, Sor Rungvisai and former two-division champ Juan Francisco Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs). The 36-year-old is 1-3 in bouts featuring ‘The Fab Four’ of the 115-pound division during his era.

A win will put Cuadras back in the mix for a desired rematch versus The Ring/WBC champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs). Cuadras dropped a 12-round decision to Rodriguez in their Feb. 2022 vacant WBC 115-pound title fight in Phoenix, Arizona.