Steven Butler-Steve Rolls Middleweight Showdown & Azael Villar-Jairo Noriega Light Flyweight Battle Headline International Cards This Week LIVE on ESPN+
(March 5, 2024) — Two action-packed international cards will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. this week on ESPN+.
The action begins Thursday at Casino de Montreal in Montreal, Canada, as two-time middleweight world title challenger Steven Butler takes on Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event.
Butler-Rolls and undercard battles will stream live beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Butler (33-4-1, 27 KOs), a 10-year pro, challenged Ryota Murata for the WBA middleweight world title in December 2019. Despite a setback in his return fight against Jose de Jesus Macias in 2021, he rallied with a four-fight win streak, including a second-round TKO over Mark DeLuca. The 28-year-old suffered a stoppage loss in a bid for the WBO strap against Janibek Alimkhanuly last May. He is coming off a ninth-round TKO against Mexican veteran Ivan Alvarez in November. Rolls (22-3, 12 KOs) gave stiff tests to unbeaten talents Edgar Berlanga and Austin Williams after losing his ‘0’ against former division kingpin Gennadiy Golovkin in June 2019.
In other streaming action from Montreal:
Osleys Iglesias (9-0, 8 KOs) vs. Marcelo Coceres (32-6-1, 18 KOs), 10 Rounds, Super Middleweights
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (6-1, 2 KOs) vs. Abril Vidal (10-1, 4 KOs), 10 Rounds, Vacant WBC Heavyweight World Title
Arthur Biyarslanov (13-0, 11 KOs) vs. Cristian Palma (33-13-2, 7 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Welterweights
Luis Santana (10-0, 4 KOs) vs. Emiliano Martin Garcia (19-9-1, 13 KOs), 8 Rounds, Lightweights
Mehmet Unal (8-0, 7 KOs) vs. Facundo Galovar (15-10-2, 9 KOs), 8 Rounds, Light Heavyweights
Villlar
Jhon Orobio (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Cristian Rodrigo Gonzalez (12-19-1, 6 KOs), 6 Rounds, Lightweights
Wilkens Mathieu (7-0, 4 KOs) vs. Patrik Fiala (8-4-2, 5 KOs), 6 Rounds, Super Middleweights
The fireworks continue on Friday as Panamanian light flyweight contender Azael Villar faces unbeaten Spaniard Jairo Noriega in the 12-round main event from Pharaoh’s Casino in Managua, Nicaragua.
Villar-Noriega and undercard contests will stream live starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Villar (20-2-4, 15 KOs) captured his first regional title in October 2021 with a decision over David Martinez. He then tallied two stoppage victories before losing to Japanese standout Ayumu Hanada in January 2023. The 29-year-old fought to a split draw last August against Gerardo Zapata and returns following a 10-round points verdict against Ricardo Astuvilca in December. Noriega (13-0, 3 KOs) risks his undefeated record in his first fight outside of Spain following an eight-round decision win versus Gerson Larios last June.
In other streaming action from Managua:
Eveling Ortega (6-5, 2 KOs) vs. Yanissa Castrellon (4-1), 8 Rounds, Light Flyweights
Harvin Aguirre (9-0, 6 KOs) vs. Josue Alvarado (4-1, 1 KO), 8 Rounds, Welterweights
Gerardo Sanchez (9-1, 5 KOs) vs. Edwin Cano (11-2-1, 2 KOs), 8 Rounds, Light Flyweights
Michael Carmona (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Tomas Villar (3-1), 6 Rounds, Minimumweights