Duke Micah up to 4th in WBO ratings, next opponent confirmed for June 9

One of Ghanas brightest world championship prospects, Duke Micah has edged closer to getting a shot at the WBO world title held by Zolani Tete of South Africa after moving three places up to fourth in the latest bantamweight rankings for May released by the WBO.

Also ranked 14th by the WBC for whose vacant title he is a direct contender as the WBC international title holder, Micah is now only behind intercontinental champ, Juan Carlos Payanno of Dominican Republic, the USA's Daniel Lozano (number 2, Latino champ) and Jason Moloney of Australia ahead of him in contention for Tete's world title.

Meanwhike, former 2-time IBF bantamweight champion of the world, Joseph King Kong Agbeko is keeping up his quiet bid to win another world championship by rising to number nine now following his victory over Frank Kiwalabye of Uganda in the Ghana border town of Aflao at the end of March to annex the WBO Africa title.

Undefeated Micah (21-0, 18 KOs) whose opponent for his ring return at the King's Theatre in Brooklyn, New York on June 9 has now been confirmed as Thomas Snow (19-3, 12 KOs) of the USA, previously held the WBO Africa as well as the Commonwealth bantamweight titles before signing up to former world heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Entertainment's boxing stable.

The clash against Snow will be the second in the US and a first of the year for the 2012 Olympian who won a majority decision over tough Mexican, Jose Gonzalez on his US debut last November. Micah had 8 months earlier defeated another Mexican, Jonathan Aguilar in Accra to win the WBC international bantamweight belt he successfully defended against Gonzalez of course.

Currently rated number 14 by the WBC, Micah is seeking a second successive defence of the title after his initially scheduled April 21 fight against Yoan Boyeaux of France was cancelled at the last minute by the New York State Athletic Commission due to Boyeaux being too overweight.