Juan Urango fights for title tonight on ESPN2

On the surface, it can seem like a contradiction: a man who believes deeply in God and worships frequently feeds his family by beating up other men.

But junior welterweight Juan Urango sees nothing peculiar about the intermingling of his faith and his bloody vocation. “It’s in God’s hands,” Urango said when asked about his return to the ring after a 10-month absence because of a hand injury. “My strength in my religion created a miracle. It allowed my hand to be better now than ever before.

“I prayed and prayed and prayed. I got healed. Whatever happens is my destiny.”

The Colombian Urango, 25, fights Australian Naoufel Ben Rabah for the vacant IBF junior-welterweight title at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena. The 12-round fight will be shown live on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights (9 PM).

The IBF championship was vacated by Ricky Hatton, so Rabah (24-1, 13 KOs), the IBF’s No. 1 contender, faces the No. 4-ranked Urango(16-0-1, 13 KOs), who emerged as the leading available contender.

“He is deeply rooted in God and his Christian Pentecostal church, which I think is where he draws his strength from,” manager Luis Navarro said to the Florida Sun-Sentinel. “He goes to church and Bible study three days a week, which I find unique in a fighter.”

“I am an athlete who doesn’t smoke or drink and dedicates myself to boxing,” Urango said. “I believe in the name of Jesus, and with all my heart I will be world champion.”

(Email news tips to Michael Woods at Fightwrite@gmail.com)