Jared Anderson won a 10-round unanimous decision over former cruiserweight world champion Ryad Merhy in a listless heavyweight bout at the American Bank center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The bout lacked action as it seemed that Merhy was happy staying out of close range and eating jabs and right hands all fight from Anderson.

Anderson landed 128 of 662 punches. Merhy was a putrid 34 of 144. Merhy threw the third lowest amount of punches in the history of Compubox for a 10-round bout.

Anderson, 250.9 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 17-0. Merhy, 235.6 lbs of Brussels, BEL is 32-3.

Anderson said, “Another day, another night in the office. I wanted to give the fans a better show, but what can you do when they show up to fight like him. It’s just another day in the office. We’re going to continue working.

“I stayed sharp for 10 rounds. That’s the biggest takeaway. I got to make some changes. I made some mistakes. I got hit with a few punches. I shouldn’t have gotten hit at all because he didn’t even come here to fight.

“I want all of the names. If I’m ranked with you and your name is near mine, then we can get it crackin’. We’re coming to knock everybody off.”

Ajagba Wins Split Decision over Vianello

Efe Ajagba won a 10-round split-decision over Guido Vianello in a heavyweight bput.

In round two, Vianello hurt Ajagba badly when he landed a hard right to the head. Ajagba got it together and took the middle rounds by boxing and showing off his skills. Vianello made a late push but it feel just short as Ajagba won by scores of 96-94 on two cards and a third card was 96-94 in favor of Vianello.

Ajagba landed 186 of 583. Vianello was 177 of 622.

Ajagba, 241.2 lbs of Ughello, NIG is 20-1. Vianello, 244.5 lbs of Rome, ITA is 12-2-1.

Conceicao Stops Guardado in 7

Former two-time world title challenger Robson Conceicao stopped Jose Guardado in a scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout.

In round nine, Conceicao dropped Guardado with a hard left to the body. Guardado was hurt badly and eat a barrage of punches until the fight was stopped when he was sent to the canvas for a second time at 2:27.

Conceicao, 131.6 lbs of Bahia, BRA is now 18-2-1 with nine knockouts. Guadardo, 131.5 lbs of Ensanada, MEX is 15-2-1.

Julian Delgado made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Juan Tamez in a middleweight fight.

Delgado, 159.3 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 and is 1-0. Raez, 159 lbs of Laredo, TX is 1-1.

Ruben Villa IV won a 10-round unanimous decision over Cristian Cruz in a featherweight bout.

Villa, 125.6 lbs of Salinas, CA won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 and is now 22-1. Cruz, 125.1 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 22-7-1.

John Rincon remained undefeated with a six-round majority decision over Yainel Alvarez in a welterweight bout.

Rincon, 143 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 9-0. Alvarez, 143.5 lbs of Ciego de Avila, CUB is now 3-4-2.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated with a fourth round stoppage over Ronal Ron in a scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Mason landed a perfect left that put Ron on the canvas. In round three, Mason dropped Ron with a hard body shot and then a left to the head. In round four, Mason landed a vicious barrage of head and body shots that forced referee Laurence Cole to stop the bout at 1:02.

Mason, 134.6 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 13-0 with 11 knockouts. Ron, 134.7 lbs of Guarico, VEN is 14-6.

Charly Suarez remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Louie Coria in a junior lightweight fight.

In round eight, Coria landed a left that put Suarez backed into the ropes that was ruled a knockdown. That was not enough as Suarez dominated with boxing ability through just about the whole fight.

Suarez, 131.8 lbs of San Isidro, PHL won by scores of 7-74 twice and 76-75 and is now 17-0. Coria, 131.7 lbs of Moreno Valley, CA is 15-7.

Alejandro Guerrero scored an upset by stopping previously undefeated Jalen Walker in round seven of an eight-round lightweight bout.

In round two, Guerrero dropped Walker with a straight left hand. In round four, Guerrero scored another knockdown when Guerrero landed a right to Walker’s body.

In round six, Walker was credited with a knockdown after he landed a combination that bent Guerrero over that was ruled a count. In round seven, Guerrero landed a hard uppercut that hurt Walker on the ropes and the towel was thrown in by Walker’s corner after a follow up flurry had Walker defenseless at 1:36.

Ali Feliz made a successful pro debut with a second round stoppage of Anthony Woodson III in a scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Feliz dropped Woodson with a hard left and right to the chin and the fight was stopped at

Feliz, 219.1 lbs of Danbury, CT is 1-0 with one knockout. Woodson, 280.2 lbs of Gary, IN 1-2.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (April 11, 2024) — Unbeaten heavyweight phenom Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) looks to overcome his biggest challenge to date against Belgian contender Ryad Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) this Saturday, April 13, in the 10-round main event at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Nigerian puncher Efe Ajagba (19-1, 14 KOs) and Italian standout Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) will clash in a battle of 2016 Olympians.

The eight-round televised opener features Brazilian three-time world title challenger Robson Conceição (17-2-1, 8 KOs) against Mexico’s Jose Guardado (15-1-1, 5 KOs).

Anderson-Merhy, Ajagba-Vianello and Conceição-Guardado will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT) will feature hometown heroes Julian Delgado and John Rincon. Delgado will make his pro debut in a four-round middleweight tilt against Juan C. Tamez (1-0), while Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) faces Yainiel Alvarez (3-3-2, 1 KO) in a six-rounder at welterweight. 

The undercard also features a gamut of Top Rank’s up and coming talent, including lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs), who puts his unbeaten record on the line against Ronal Ron (14-4, 11 KOs).

Newly-signed prospects Jalen Walker (12-0-1 10 KOs) and Ali Feliz will make their debuts under the Top Rank banner. Walker takes on Alejandro Guerrero (12-4, 9 KOs) in a eight-round junior lightweight fight, while Team USA heavyweight Feliz enters the paid ranks in a four-rounder versus Anthony Woodson III (1-1, 1 KO).

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Jared Anderson

“Expect the best version of me. Expect to see me shine. Expect to see me dominate and show why I belong here.”

“Merhy has a different level of experience. But, everything from my amateur pedigree and what I’ve always done to everyone, whether they have experience or not, will play a different role.”

“The challenge {with smaller fighters} is that you have to sometimes deal with their speed, which we trained for. But I don’t really see to many challenges with this. I don’t really see too many challenges. I’m used to fighting all types of different people. I’m used to training with all types of people. So, if you don’t prepare properly, then you won’t perform properly. So, just know that we came prepared for sure.”

Ryad Merhy

“I’m very happy to be here. What a great opportunity. Who would have ever thought that from a small country like Belgium I would be able to show my talent in America? I hope to represent my country.”

“I’m not looking for anything. They’re looking for me. I’m a cruiserweight who has moved up to the heavyweight division because I was called out. They keep calling me, and now I’m here.”

“Jared is a very talented fighter. He is a great prospect. But this Saturday I’m going to show that he still has a long way to go. I have gone 177 rounds as a pro, while Anderson has only gone 46.  So, we’ll see if that plays a big difference on Saturday.”

Efe Ajagba

“We know each other well. We’ve sparred each other. So, we know each other a lot. We have Olympic backgrounds, so that’s how it happened.”

I want to see what he brings to the table. We sparred. But that’s sparring. That’s different from an actual fight. He thinks that I’m going to fight like I how sparred. But it’s not going to be like that. This fight means a lot because it is a stepping stone.”

Guido Vianello

“We know each other. We are two aggressive fighters in the ring, I can’t wait to fight. I can’t wait to see what happens in there.”

“I expect a good fight. This is a great opportunity. I’m really happy. The happiness is the strongest power I have. So, let’s see who is the best and fight.”

“I have zero pressure because I always just think about me. I’m happy because Top Rank has a lot of heavyweights. This is good for us because we can make a lot of good fights.”

Robson Conceição

“For sure it was a tough fight with Emanuel Navarrete. It was a war. And I learned a lot from it. I also prepared a lot for this fight. And I think I will get another title shot soon.”

John Rincon

“I’m excited to be back in my hometown. I just gotta keep doing what I’m doing. The sky is the limit for me. I’m ready, and I’ll see you all on Saturday.” 

Ali Feliz

“This is huge. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. And there’s no better place to start it than Top Rank. I’m excited to start the journey.”

Saturday, April 13
 

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
 

Jared Anderson vs. Ryad Merhy, 10 rounds, Anderson’s WBO International and WBC USA Heavyweight Titles

Efe Ajagba vs. Guido Vianello, Ajagba’s WBC Silver Heavyweight Title

Robson Conceição vs. Jose Guardado, 8 rounds, junior lightweight
 

ESPN+ (5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT)
 

Julian Delgado vs. Juan C. Tamez, 4 rounds, middleweight

Ali Feliz vs. Anthony Woodson III, 4 rounds, heavyweight

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Anderson vs. Merhy and Ajagba vs. Vianello will be presented live Saturday, April 13, at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The event takes place at American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas.

In the 10-round heavyweight main event, unbeaten knockout artist Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson takes onBelgian contender Ryad Merhy.

Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) is coming off an impressive 2023, where he notched three victories with two knockouts. In April, he brought George Arias’ undefeated run to an end. Less than three months later, he celebrated his triumphant return to Toledo, squaring off against former world titleholder Charles Martin and earning a 10-round unanimous decision. Anderson then dispatched Andriy Rudenko in five rounds in August. 

Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) makes his U.S. debut following his best win yet, a December victory over hometown hero and Olympic gold medalist, Tony Yoka in Paris.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Nigerian puncher Efe Ajagba (19-1, 14 KOs) and Italian standout Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) will collide in a duel of 2016 Olympians.

The eight-round televised opener features three-time world title challenger Robson Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 KOs), as he looks to keep his junior lightweight world title hopes alive against the upset-minded Jose Guardado (15-1-1, 5 KOs).

Undercard action begins at 5:50 p.m. ET/ 2:50 p.m. PT exclusively on ESPN+.

Calling the action will be ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna. 

ESPN+: On Demand Shows, Archives & Premium Articles

• Top Rank: Real Time– All-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night. 
• Who Do U Fight 4?– Learn what drivesthe next generation of Top Rank stars. 
• State of Boxing– Post-show coverage of the biggest fights on ESPN and ESPN+. 
• Best of Boxing Spotlight – An archive of the all-time best Top Rank fights. 

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok

Anderson vs. Merhy (All Times ET)

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Feb. 28, 2024) — Undefeated heavyweight phenom Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson is angling for another big knockout. The fighting pride of Toledo, Ohio, steps up in class to face Belgian contender Ryad Merhy on Saturday, April 13, in the 10-round main event at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Nigerian puncher Efe Ajagba and Italian standout Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello will meet in a battle of 2016 Olympians.

The eight-round televised opener features three-time world title challenger Robson Conceicao, as he looks to keep his junior lightweight world title hopes alive against the upset-minded Jose Guardado.

Anderson-Merhy, Ajagba-Vianello and Conceição Guardado will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 5 at 10 a.m. CST via Ticketmaster.com.

“Jared Anderson is the most exciting young heavyweight in the world, and he’s stepping up against his toughest opponent to date. Corpus Christi is a great fight town, and I can’t wait for the fans there to have a front row seat for the future heavyweight champion,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Efe Ajagba is one of the division’s biggest punchers, but Guido Vianello is a skilled fighter who demanded a step up in competition. If you like heavyweights, this is a can’t-miss card.”

Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) had a banner 2023 that saw him go 3-0 with a pair of knockouts. In April, he ended the unbeaten run of George Arias, stopping the Dominican slickster in only three rounds. Less than three months later, Anderson made his triumphant Toledo homecoming and faced former world champion Charles Martin in front of more than 7,000 adoring fans. Anderson earned a clear 10-round decision over Martin and carried that momentum to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in August, where he stopped Andriy Rudenko in five rounds.

“This is going to be the start of a big year, and I can’t wait to show out in front of the fans in Corpus Christi and everyone watching on ESPN,” Anderson said. “Merhy is a solid fighter, but he has never faced a heavyweight like me. He’ll see that in person on April 13.”

Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) is an Ivory Coast native who was raised in Belgium, where most of his pro fights have taken place. He won a secondary cruiserweight world title in 2021 and then moved up in weight to pursue heavyweight glory. Merhy saw his seven-bout winning streak end when he dropped a 12-round decision to Kevin Lerena in Lerena’s home country of South Africa. Last December, he traveled to Paris for a bout with hometown hero and Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka. He upset Yoka by split decision to breathe new life into his heavyweight campaign.

“After ending 2023 with a great performance, I am looking for another great performance, this time on American soil against the ‘future heavyweight hope,’” Merhy said. “What I like about my current position is that I have nothing to prove. I accepted this fight because I don’t see Anderson as a big danger. It’s up to him to prove himself against a small heavyweight like me. I feel no pressure. See you on April 13, Jared.”

Ajagba (19-1, 14 KOs) reignited his career following his first defeat, an October 2021 decision against Frank Sanchez. He began his 2023 campaign in January with a 10-round decision over then-unbeaten Stephan Shaw and continued that momentum with a fourth-round disqualification victory over Zhan Kossobutskiy in August. Ajagba finished the year in grand fashion with November’s fourth-round stoppage over one-time amateur nemesis Joe Goodall.

“I remember Guido from the Rio Olympics, and he is a very skilled and powerful fighter,” Ajagba said. “My goal is to become heavyweight champion, and in order for me to accomplish my dream, I have to be at my best against Guido.” 

Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) suffered a stroke of bad luck on the Ajagba-Shaw undercard, losing via sixth-round TKO to Jonnie Rice due to a cut eye caused by a punch. He was leading on the cards when the fight was stopped. Vianello bounced back nine months later, shutting out veteran Curtis Harper over eight rounds. He then returned to his knockout ways in February, blasting out Moses Johnson in one round on the O’Shaquie Foster-Abraham Nova undercard in New York City.

Vianello said, “This is a big opportunity for me to fight one of the top heavyweights in the world, and I did not hesitate when it was offered. I am ready to step up to the plate, and I look forward a great fight on April 13.”

Conceição (17-2-1, 8 KOs), Brazil’s first-ever Olympic boxing gold medalist, turned pro in November 2016. He dropped decisions in world title contests to Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson, and in November 2023, he recovered from a pair of knockdowns to salvage a draw against three-weight world champion Emanuel Navarrete. Guardado (15-1-1, 5 KOs), from Ensenada, Mexico, has never fought outside of his home country and is coming off a second-round stoppage over Aramis Solis last November.

In scheduled undercard action, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+:

• Puerto Rican junior lightweight southpaw Henry Lebron (19-0, 10 KOs), who is ranked in the top 10 by the WBO and IBF, will face Filipino contender Charly Suarez (16-0, 9 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Lebron turned away unbeaten prospect William Foster III by majority decision last November to continue his climb up the rankings.
   
• Corpus Christi-born welterweight prospect John Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) looks to thrill the hometown fans in a six-rounder. Rincon fought at American Bank Center last September and tallied a six-round decision over Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera.
   
• One of the sport’s fastest-rising stars, lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs), returns in an eight-rounder against Ronal Ron (14-5, 11 KOs). Mason, a 19-year-old southpaw prodigy from Cleveland, Ohio, obliterated Benjamin Gurment with an overhand left in the second round on the Teofimo Lopez-Jamaine Ortiz undercard in Las Vegas.
   
• Featherweight contender Ruben Villa (21-1, 7 KOs) will fight Mexican veteran Cristian Cruz Chacon (22-6-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder

    •  Efe Ajagba 237.6 lbs vs. Joe Goodall 233.5 lbs
(Ajagba’s WBC Silver Heavyweight Title— 10 Rounds)
Judges: Tim Cheatham, Max DeLuca and Chris Flores
Referee: Tony Weeks

   •   Raymond Muratalla 134 lbs vs. Diego Torres Nunez 134.8 lbs
(Muratalla’s NABF & WBO Global Lightweight Titles — 10 Rounds)
Judges: Eric Cheek, Dave Moretti and David Sutherland
Referee: Celestino Ruiz

•    Christian Avalos 134.5 lbs vs. Estevan Partida 134.6 lbs 
 (Lightweight — 4 Rounds)

•    Henry Lebron 129.1 lbs vs. William Foster III 129.4 lbs 
 (Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Omar Rosario 140 lbs vs. Angel Rebollar 137.8 lbs 
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Lindolfo Delgado 140.1 lbs vs. Luis Hernandez 140.3 lbs 
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Brandon Moore 234.7 lbs vs. Robert Simms 238.5 lbs 
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Antonio Mireles 268.7 lbs vs. Skylar Lacy 252.7 lbs 
 (Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•    Charlie Sheehy 134.9 lbs vs. Jesus Vasquez Jr. 134.2 lbs 
 (Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

•    Gabriel Garcia 127.8 lbs vs. Joshua Montoya 127.6 lbs 
 (Junior Lightweight — 6 Rounds)
•   Javier Martinez 161.8 lbs vs. Isaiah Wise 160.8 lbs 
 (Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

LAKE TAHOE, Nevada (Nov. 2, 2023) — Nigerian contender Efe Ajagba (18-1, 13 KOs) is set to face upset-minded Australian Joe Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round heavyweight attraction this Saturday, Nov. 4 at Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Ajagba and Goodall fought as amateurs, with Goodall earning a decision in the semifinals of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Nearly 10 years later, the two are ready to settle the score in a fight that could propel the winner towards an eventual title opportunity.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) takes on unbeaten Mexican banger Diego Torres (18-0, 17 KOs).

Ajagba-Goodall and Muratalla-Torres headline a loaded bill streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed action includes the Top Rank debut of heavyweight Brandon Moore (12-0, 8 KOs), who takes on Robert Simms (12-3-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round fight, as well as a junior lightweight showdown between unbeaten standouts Henry Lebron (18-0, 10 KOs) and William Foster III (16-0, 10 KOs)

The undercard will also feature an all-Mexico junior welterweight showdown between rising unbeaten contender Lindolfo Delgado (18-0, 13 KOs) and Luis Hernandez (23-3, 20 KOs) and a home region appearance by Carson city-born lightweight Christian Avalos (0-1-2), who faces Estevan Partida (1-1-1) in a four-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Efe Ajagba

“The ‘Silent Roller’ is my nickname, so I’m going to come out as a beast in the fight. I’m silent outside, but in the ring, I’m a different guy.”

“This fight means a lot to me. For me, this fight is going to get me closer to a world title fight. So, after this fight, we’ll see where we go from there.”

“We sparred each other a long time ago. And I lost to him in the Commonwealth Games in 2014. So, that’s the guy I lost to. This fight will be a rematch for me. This fight means a lot to me because of that loss.”

“I’m going to come as beast in the ring. I’m going to come with everything, the training, the sparring, everything I did. I’ve been knocking people out in sparring. I’m going to put all of that in the fight.”

Joe Goodall

“This is a big clash Saturday night. Efe Ajagba is a tough fighter. I believe I’m up there with the top fighters in the world. It’s no secret that with the WBC Silver title on the line, the winner may get a world title shot. Being the winner of this means everything to me.”

“Without giving away too much, his only loss was to Frank Sanchez. I watched that fight. Frank’s movement was pretty good in that fight. I don’t want to say that I’ll copy him, but there are some things in that fight that I can implement. But once again, we’ve sparred before. We know each other well. So, it’s about executing the plan on fight night.”

Raymond Muratalla

“It’s a huge opportunity for me. Come Saturday night, I’m going to show out again, and it’s going to get me close to that title shot that I’ve been wanting.”

“It’s going to be another great performance. Every fight I’m learning and learning and working on my craft. Come Saturday night, it’s going to be another hell of a show, and it’s going to be a great night for me.”

“Hopefully, this gets me to a title fight. That’s what I want. That’s what I’ve been wanting. Hopefully, a victory on Saturday night gets me closer and closer.”

Diego Torres

“I feel very happy. I’m very motivated because this is my first fight on a card like this as a co-main event fighter. I’m very excited, and I’m very eager to step into the ring.”

“I want people to get to know Diego ‘Azabache’ Torres. This is my coming out party. I came to do an excellent job. We had a very good camp, and I’m very ready for the fight.”

“I took this fight because I know that Raymond is a very good fighter. I like challenges, and I want a career that people will remember. I’m a courageous person, and I’m ready. I like challenges. And to be a world champion, I have to face the best, and Raymond is one of the best. So, he is in my path to a world title shot.”

Brandon Moore 

“This is exciting because I’m with Top Rank now. It feels like I’m in the NBA right now. I get to walk around, and people ask me who I am. For the first time, I got to meet all the people behind the scenes. It’s really fun.”

“In 12 or 24 months, I want to be fighting the big fights. Top Rank has all the heavyweights. There are heavyweights on this card. So, I’ve got these next 12 or 24 months, and I see myself fighting for a world title. I’m going to be winning a world title, honestly.” 

Christian Avalos 

“I feel great. This is surreal for me. It’s really exciting. This is my fourth pro bout, and I’ve been wanting to fight in my hometown in front of my friends, family and supporters. It’s just up the road, so it’s nothing new to me. It’s just another day.”

Saturday, November 4

ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT)
 

Efe Ajagba vs. Joe Goodall, 10 rounds, Ajagba’s WBC Silver Heavyweight Title

Raymond Muratalla vs. Diego Torres, 10 rounds, Muratalla’s NABF & WBO Global Lightweight Titles 

Christian Avalos vs. Estevan Partida, 4 rounds, lightweight 

Javier Martinez vs. Isaiah Wise, 8 rounds, middleweight 

Top Rank presented by AutoZone: Ajagba vs. Goodall will be presented live this Saturday, November 4, at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+ from Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

In the 10-round main event, Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba hopes to take a giant leap towards a title opportunity when he faces Australian contender Joe Goodall.

Ajagba (18-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, is one of the division’s fiercest punchers. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder debuted in the paid ranks in July 2017 and notched six first-round knockouts in his first eight fights. The 29-year-old will make his third appearance of 2023, following a decision win over Stephan Shaw in January and a disqualification victory against Zhan Kossobutskiy in August.

Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs) made his pro debut in 2018. He stopped five of his first six opponents before fighting to a majority draw against Christian Ndzie Tsoye in August 2018. In his latest outing in July, he scored his most impressive victory yet, a sixth-round TKO against Stephan Shaw in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Raymond “Danger” Muratalla takes on unbeaten Mexican fighter Diego Torres.

Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) made his pro debut in 2016 in Mexico. The 26-year-old has stopped 12 of his last 13 opponents. Torres (18-0, 17 KOs) is a 26-year-old powerhouse who began his pro career in 2019 and unleashed a streak of 13 knockout victories.

Undercard action, also streaming on ESPN+, begins at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT and features the Top Rank debut of heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore, as well as an all-undefeated junior lightweight showdown between Henry Lebron and William Foster III.

Moore (12-0, 8 KOs) will take on Robert Simms (12-3-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round fight. Lebron (18-0, 10 KOs) and Foster (16-0, 10 KOs) will collide in a 10-rounder.

Calling the action will be Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna.

ESPN+: On Demand Shows, Archives & Premium Articles

• Top Rank: Real Time– All-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night. 
• Who Do U Fight 4?– Learn what drivesthe next generation of Top Rank stars. 
• State of Boxing– Post-show coverage of the biggest fights on ESPN and ESPN+. 
• Best of Boxing Spotlight – An archive of the all-time best Top Rank fights. 

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok

Ajagba vs. Goodall (All Times ET)

Jared Anderson remained undefeated with a fifth round stoppage over Andriy Rudenko in a heavyweight bout at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Anderson was dominant, especially with his jab and he beat down the body of Rudenko. In round five, Anderson started to open up and land power shots until the fight was stopped at 1:40.

Anderson, 239.6 lbs of Toledo, OH is 16-0 with 15 knockouts. Rudenko, 244.3 lbs of Dnipro, UKR is 35-7.

“I’m enjoying the ride, enjoying the fights, and just doing my job,” Anderson said. “I was sending a statement to myself. I’m fighting for myself, and I’m fighting for my family. As much as people want to hate on me for it, I’m a realist. I’m going to stay real and be real. And I’m going to say what’s on my mind. Ya’ll can take it how ya’ll want. This is a business. This is a sport. I’m just doing my job. Take it how you want. You can’t force me to be somebody ya’ll want me to be. I’m going to be myself. And I’m going to be that till the end.”

Efe Ajagba defeated Zhon Kossobutskiy via fourth round disqualification due to low blows.

In round three, Kossobutskiy was deducted a point for a low blow. Seconds later, he deducted another point for the same in fraction. In round four, Kossubutskiy landed a hard shot below the belt tat sent Ajjagba to the canvas and the fight was waved off at 33 seconds.

Ajgaba, 226.5 lbs of Ughleli, NIG is 18-1. Kossibsbutskiy, 234.4 of Atkalyk, KAZ is 19-1.

Bruce Carrington remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Angel Antonio Contreras in a featherweight bout.

Carrington, 126.7 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 9-0. Contreras, 126.8 lbs of Monterrey, MEX is 13-7-2.

Jeremiah Milton remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Craig Lewis in a heavyweight bout.

Milton, 254.4 lbs of Tulsa won by scores of 80-72 and 79-72 twice and is now 11-0. Lewis, 260.4 lbs of Detroit is 15-7-1

Sona Akole scored a six-round majority decision over previously undefeated Nico Ali Walsh in a middleweight bout.

Akole, 157.9 lbs of Saint Paul, MN won by scores of 58-56 twice and 57-57 and is now 8-1. Walsh, 159.1 lbs of Las Vegas, NV 8-1.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Cesar Villarrga in a lightweight bout.

Mason, 134.9 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 10-0. Villarraga, 134.7 lbs of Bogota, COL is 10-8-1.

Ablaikhan Zhussupov stopped Wiston Campos in round five of their six-round welterweight bout.

In round four, Zhussupov dropped Campos with a combination. Campos began to bleed from his nose. In round five, Zhussupov landed several hard jabs that was followed by a flush left. Zhusspupov continued to beat down Campos and the fight was stopped by the corner at 2:52.

Charly Suarez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Yohan Vazquez in a junior lightweight bout.

Suarez, 130.6 lbs of Davao del Norte PHL won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 and is now 16-0. Vazquez 129.6 lbs of Stroudberg, PA is 25-4.

TULSA, OK (Aug. 24, 2023) — Roughly 1,000 pounds of heavyweight muscle will roll into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa on Saturday evening for an action-packed doubleheader.

In the 10-round main event, Toledo native Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (15-0, 14 KOs) looks to notch his second victory in as many months against Andriy Rudenko (35-6, 21 KOs). Anderson thrilled his hometown crowd on July 1 with a 10-round decision over former world champion Charles Martin.

The 10-round co-feature will see Nigerian knockout artist Efe Ajagba (17-1, 13 KOs) seek to end the unbeaten run of southpaw puncher Zhan Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18 KOs).

Anderson-Rudenko, and Ajagba-Kossobutskiy will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (6:50 p.m. ET/3:50 p.m. PT) features Brooklyn-born featherweight phenom Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (8-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder, Tulsa-born heavyweight Jeremiah Milton (10-0, 7 KOs) taking on Craig Lewis (15-6-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder, and middleweight Nico Ali Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs) against Sona Akale (7-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Holden Productions, tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Jared Anderson
 
“It was easy to get back into things after my last fight. We never stop, really. We might have taken a week off, but then we went right back to it. We took our time by sharpening our skills before sparring. But everything was great. We’re ready to go to work.”

“My coaches have been training me like a little guy since I was eight years old. So, it kind of comes naturally to just move like I’m at a lighter weight. That’s what I do every time I step in there.”
 
“This Saturday you will see me sticking to my plan. I’ll be using my jab, my speed. I’m always willing to do whatever I need to do in order to win. And I will continue being who I am because I am great.”

Andriy Rudenko
 
“Today is Ukrainian Independence Day, and we are here thanks to our Ukrainian army, thanks to our Ukrainian soldiers who defend our country. It fills us with glory to represent the bravest country in the world.”
 
“I’m very happy to be in the United States. It’s been my dream to have a professional fight in the U.S. When I started my career, I dreamed of having a fight at the mecca of professional boxing, so I am very happy.”
 
“I know that my opponent is one of the best heavyweight prospects right now. I will show you what my plans are for stopping him this Saturday in the ring.”

Efe Ajagba
 
“I know this is a big fight. I made sure to prepare hard and get everything done in training camp. I know he is a good fighter, but I will do everything possible to win the fight.”
 
“I want to thank him for accepting the fight. I’ve been training hard for this fight because I know who he is. I will get things done on Saturday night.”

Zhan Kossobutskiy
 
“I have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. This is a great opportunity for me to debut on ESPN.”
 
“I’m very happy to have this fight. I have faced very strong opposition. It’s been a lot better for my career to have fought strong opposition. I believe the same is the case with my opponent for this Saturday.”

Nico Ali Walsh
 
“We were working on a lot of different things in this camp. Head movement was a big part of it. Defense was a big part of it. I’m no stranger to taking a punch. Everyone knows I can take a punch. But that’s not what is important to me. What is important is not taking the punch and still being able to come back. This camp has been completely different, and I can’t wait to show that improvement.”

Jeremiah Milton
 
“I’ve been staying busy and learning from each fight. I’ve been progressing and climbing up the rankings. I’ve been making an impact on the heavyweight division. It’s been amazing.”
 
“This is my city. We got all these heavyweights out here. So, it’s going to be nothing but knockouts. Tulsa loves knockouts. They love big performances. And that’s what they are in for.”
 

Saturday, August 26

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT)

Jared Anderson vs. Andriy Rudenko, 10 rounds, Heavyweight

Efe Ajagba vs. Zhan Kossobutskiy, 10 rounds, Heavyweight

ESPN+ (6:50 p.m. ET/3:50 p.m. PT)

Bruce Carrington vs. Angel Antonio Contreras, 8 rounds, Featherweights 

Jeremiah Milton vs. Craig Lewis, 8 rounds, Heavyweights

Nico Ali Walsh vs. Sona Akale, 6 rounds, Middleweights

Ablaikhan Zhussupov vs. Wiston Campos, 8/6 rounds, Welterweights
 
Charly Suarez vs. Yohan Vasquez, 10 rounds, Junior Lightweight

Top Rank YouTube (6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT)

Bakhodir Jalolov vs. Onoriode Ehwarieme, 8 rounds, Heavyweight

(Aug. 23, 2023) — Ukraine’s WBO/WBA/IBF heavyweight world champion, Oleksandr Usyk, will defend his collection of belts against England’s Daniel Dubois this Saturday, Aug. 26 at Tarczy?ski Arena Wroc?aw in Wroclaw, Poland.
 
This is the second title defense for pound-for-pound great Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs), who moved up to heavyweight in 2019 following a historic run to the undisputed cruiserweight championship. Usyk toppled reigning champion Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision in September 2021, then prevailed by split decision last August in their highly anticipated rematch. Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) has won four fights by stoppage since a 2020 TKO defeat to countryman Joe Joyce.
 
Usyk-Dubois will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ as a special one-fight broadcast starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Ring walks are expected shortly thereafter.
 
Usyk-Dubois kicks off a marathon fight day on the ESPN family of networks. The action then turns to Oklahoma for the undercard of the Jared Anderson-Andriy Rudenko heavyweight main event at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. ESPN+ will stream undercard bouts beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET/3:50 p.m. PT. A slew of undefeated prospects will be in action, including Brooklyn-born featherweight phenom Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (8-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder, Tulsa-born heavyweight Jeremiah Milton (10-0, 7 KOs) taking on Craig Lewis (15-6-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder, and middleweight Nico Ali Walsh (8-0-1, 5 KOs) against Sona Akale (7-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder.
 
The action moves to ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT for a heavyweight doubleheader, as Anderson (15-0, 14 KOs) returns less than two months removed from his triumphant Toledo homecoming to fight Rudenko (35-6, 21 KOs) in a 10-round clash. In the 10-round co-feature, top contender Efe Ajagba (17-1, 13 KOs) looks to topple unbeaten southpaw Zhan Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18 KOs).

TULSA, OK (July 20, 2023) — Heavy-hitting Nigerian contender Efe Ajagba will take on unbeaten Kazakh southpaw Zhan Kossobutskiy in the 10-round co-feature on Saturday, August 26 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Ajagba-Kossobutskiy will be the co-feature to the heavyweight showdown between Toledo-born phenom Jared Anderson and Andriy Rudenko.

Uzbek Olympic gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov will make his Top Rank debut in the eight-round televised opener against Nigeria’s Onoriode Ehwarieme.

Anderson-Rudenko, Ajagba-Kossobutskiy & Jalolov-Ehwarieme will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Holden Productions, tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

Ajagba (17-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, has solidified himself as one of the division’s fiercest punchers. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound slugger debuted as a pro in July 2017 and secured six first-round knockouts in his first eight bouts. He suffered his first defeat in October 2021 against Frank Sanchez. Following the loss, Ajagba had surgery on both his elbows, returning in August 2022 to stop Hungarian veteran Jozsef Darmos in the second round. The 29-year-old is coming off a 10-round decision win against previously unbeaten contender Stephan Shaw in January.

“This is a great test for me as I continue my quest to become Nigeria’s next heavyweight champion,” Ajagba said. “I am coming to Tulsa to score a devastating knockout and remind everyone what I’m capable of doing inside the ring.”

Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18 KOs) is a 34-year-old southpaw from Kostanay, Kazakhstan. He has only gone the distance once in his career, a six-round decision win over Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko in September 2018. In 2021, he went 3-0 with three knockouts. In 2022, he dispatched former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas in the fifth round and is coming off a third-round knockout over previously unbeaten contender Hussein Muhamed last November.

Kossobutskiy said, “I’m ready to make my debut in the United States against a very strong opponent. I want to show that I can beat the best in the heavyweight division, and to do that, you must overcome very tough challenges. I look forward to showing the world my abilities on August 26.”

Jalolov (12-0, 12 KOs) represented Uzbekistan at the 2016 Olympics before turning pro in May 2018 with a third-round TKO over Hugo Trujillo. He built an 8-0 record before returning to the amateur ranks in the summer of 2021 to capture an Olympic gold medal. Jalolov then tallied four knockout wins in the paid ranks before continuing his remarkable amateur run in May with a gold medal at the 2023 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 29-year-old wrecking ball returns to the pro ranks following his fourth-round TKO over Curtis Harper last November.

Ehwarieme (20-2, 19 KOs) debuted as a professional with a decision win over Junior Maletino Iakopo in December 2010. He defeated his next 16 opponents by knockout, all within five rounds. He suffered his first loss against Rodney Hernandez in June 2019, but returned in December to stop Ariel Esteban Bracamonte via first-round knockout. Ehwarieme suffered a fourth-round stoppage loss against Kossobutskiy in February 2021, and he is 2-0 with two knockouts since. The 35-year-old, who represented Nigeria at the 2008 Olympics, blasted out Jeff Holcomb in only one round in February 2022.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes some of the sports brightest up-and-coming talents.

Rising featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (8-0, 5 KOs), the latest fistic talent to come from Brownsville, Brooklyn, will fight an opponent to be named in an eight-rounder. Carrington will make his fourth 2023 appearance following an eighth-round TKO win over Luis Porozo in June.

Undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (8-0-1, 5 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, will face Sona Akale (7-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder. Ali Walsh will fight in Tulsa for the third time as a pro following an eight-round draw against Danny Rosenberger on the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko undercard.

19-year-old lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason (9-0, 8 KOs) will make his fourth appearance of 2023 in a six-round duel. Mason was considered one of the brightest U.S. amateur talents before signing with Top Rank in October 2021. The southpaw returns after a second-round TKO win over Alex de Oliveira on July 1.

In a 10-round junior lightweight tilt, Filipino Olympian Charly Suarez (15-0, 9 KOs) will put his unbeaten record on the line against hard-hitting Dominican Yohan Vasquez (25-3, 20 KOs). Suarez heads to Tulsa following a 12^th-round TKO win against then-unbeaten Australian Paul Fleming on enemy turf.

Kazakh Olympian Ablaikhan Zhussupov (3-0, 2 KOs) returns in a welterweight clash scheduled for eight rounds.

Efe Ajagba won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Stephan Shaw at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Ajagba landed 111 of 430 punches. Shaw was 78 of 341.

Ajagba, 235 1/4 lbs of Ugledi, NIG won by scores of 96-94 on all cards and is now 17-1. Shaw, 239/5 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 18-1.

“I went back to the corner and they told me to let my hands go, keep throwing punches, my jab. I controlled the fight, so that’s how I won the fight,” Ajagba said. “He tried to land the big shots. I watched him to see what he was going to do. He kept throwing the jab, using the jab more.”

Rice Stops Vianello Due To Cut

Jonnie Rice stopped previously undefeated Guido Vianello in round seven due to a cut over the left eye.

In round six, Vianello was cut on the left eyelid. The cut was worse as the fight moved to the seventh round and the fight was stopped.

Originally referee Benjy Esteves ruled it a headbutt, but replays clearly showed it was a right that caused the cut. After checking with the TV monitors, the fight was ruled a stoppage win for Ri

Rice, 274 1/4 lbs of Las Vegas, is 16-6-1 with 11 knockouts. Vianello, 239 lbs of Rome, Italy is 10-1-1.

“I did it again… another undefeated fighter,” Rice said. “I’m not here to call anyone out right now. I’m going to enjoy this victory and then see what’s next.”

Abraham Nova won a action-filled 10-round unanimous decision over Adam Lopez in a junior lightweight fight.

In round five, Nova dropped Lopez with a right that was followed by a left to the jaw that landed during an exchange.

At the beginning of round six, Nova landed a hard right hand that hurt Lopez. Lopez was grabbing onto Nova but fell to the canvas fo a knockdown.

In round 10, both guys brawled and landed some hard punches. Both were able to stay on their feet in the crowd pleasing affair.

Nova landed 111 of 462 punches; Lopez was 112 of 415.

Nova, 129 lbs of Albany, NY won by scores of 98-90 twice and 97-91 and is now 22-1. Lopez, 129 lbs of Glendale, CA is 16-4.

Haven Brady Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Ruben Cervera in a lightweight bout.

In round one, Brady was cut in his mouth.

Brady landed 108 of 397 punches. Cervera was 56 of 323.

Brady, 132 3/4 lbs of Albany, GA won by scores of 80-72, 79-3 and 78-4 and is now 9-0. Cervera, 130 1/4 lbs of Santa Maria, CA is 13-4.

Bryce Mills won a six-round unanimous decision over Margarito Hernandez in a welterweight contest.

In round one, Hernandez started bleeding from his left eye.

In round four, he was bleeding under his left eye.

Mills, 143 lbs of Syracuse, NY won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 11-1. Hernandez, 144 1/4 lbs of Yakima, WA is 3-4-1.

Brian Norman Jr. remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Rodrigo Coria in a welterweight bout.

In round eight, Norman dropped Coria with a left hook.

Norman, 149 lbs of Atlanta, GA won by scores of 79-2 and 77-74 twice and is now 23-0. Coria, 148 1/4 lbs of Cordoba, ARG is now 10-5.

Bruce Carrington remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Antonio Lopez in a featherweight bout.

Carrington, 128 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 6-0. Lopez, 127.5 lbs of Fort Worth, TX is 17-13-1.

Dante Benjamin Jr. stopped Emmanuel Austin in the opining round of their six-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Benjamin landed a left-right and left to the head that put Austin down. Benjamin finished off Austin as he landed a big flurry of power punches that was highlighted by a booming right hand, and referee Mark Nelson stopped the bout at 2:50

Benjamin, 174 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 5-0 with tree knockouts. Austin, 175 lbs of Panama City, FL is 6-1.

NEW YORK (January 14, 2023) — Tonight undefeated heavyweight Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw will headline a big night of action when he takes on hard-punching Efe Ajagba on ESPN that will highlight a night of action of Split-T Management fighters in Verona, New York and Milwaukee Wisconsin.

Shaw, who was originally slated to face Guido Vianello in the co-feature bout, moved into the prime spot after an injury.

Shaw, 30 of Saint Louis, Missouri is 18-0 with 13 knockouts. The 10 year-professional is regarded as one of the Heavyweights to watch.

Shaw has wins over Danny Kelly (9-2-1), Jonnie Rice (4-1-1), Joel Caudle (7-1-1), Donovan Dennis (12-3), Willie Jake Jr. (8-2-1), Gregory Corbin (15-2) and Lyubomyr Pinchuk (12-1-1). In his bout, Shaw won an eight-round unanimous decision over Rydell Booker (26-6-1) on November 22, 2022 in New York City.

Ajagba is known as one of the hardest punches in the heavyweight division. The Houston native by way of Nigeria is 16-1 with 13 knockouts. The 28 year-old has impressive wins over Tyrell Anthony Herndon (6-1), Luke Lyons (5-0), Nick Jones (7-0), Amir Mansour (23-3-1), Michael Wallisch (19-1), Ali Eren Demirezen (11-0), Iago Kiladze (26-4-1). In his last bout, Ajagba stopped Jozsef Demos in two rounds on August 27, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

At Friday’s weigh-in, Shaw weighed 239.5 lbs. Ajagba was 235 1/4 lbs.

Shaw is co-promoted by Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment.

The fight will be broadcast live on ESPN at 10 PM ET

Also on the card in Verona, will be Split-T’s Abraham Nova taking on Adam Lopez in a 10-round super featherweight bout.

Nova of nearby Albany, New York is 21-1 with 15 knockouts. The 28 year-old Nova won his first 21 bouts. In his last bout, he suffered his first loss as he dropped his fight to Robeisy Ramirez on June 18, 2022 in New York.

Lopez of Glendale, California is 16-3 with six knockouts. Lopez is a former NABF Junior Featherweight and Featherweight champion, and is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over William Encarnacion (19-2) on May 21, 2022 in Las Vegas.

Nova, who is promoted by Top Rank, Murphy’s Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotions weighed 129 lbs. Lopez was 129 lbs as well.

Undefeated junior lightweight Haven Brady Jr. will see action in an eight-round bout against Ruben Cervera.

Brady, 21 years-old of Albany, Georgia is 8-0 with four knockouts. Brady fought four times in 2022 and he finished off the year by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over undefeated Eric Mondragon on October 29 in New York City.

Cervera of Santa Marta, Colombia has a record of 13-3 with 11 knockouts. The 25 year-old Cervera is coming off a decision loss to Carlos Balderas on May 21 in Las Vegas.

Brady was 132 3/4 lbs. Cervera was 130 1/4.

Also on the card is undefeated light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr taking on Emmanuel Austin in a six-round bout.

Benjamin of Cleveland completed his rookie year with a record of 4-0 with two knockouts. He is coming off a unanimous decision over Leandro Silva on August 27, 2022 in Tulsa.

Austin of New Orleans is 6-0 with six-knockouts. The 29 year-old is coming off a first round stoppage over Juan Carlos Pitalua on May 4, 2022.

Benjamin weighed 174 lbs. Austin was 175 lbs.

Nova, Brady and Benjamin’s fights will be streamed live on ESPN+ beginning at 5:30 PM ET.

Brady and Benjamin are Promoted by Top Rank.

In Milwaukee, three more Split-T fighters will be in action. In the main event, Milwaukee’s Rolando Vargas takes on Derrick Murray in a eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Vargas (8-1, 7 KOs) has won three in a row and is coming off a win over Charles Garner (6-1) on October 29th in Milwaukee.

Murray of Saint Louis is 17-6-1 with six knockouts.. He has wins over two undefeated fighters and in his last bout, Murray stopped former world champion DeMarcus Corley on October 29th in Jackson, Tennessee.

The co-feature will see the return of former IBF Junior Welterweight champion Mary McGee. McGee takes on Dahianna Santana in a six-round bout.

McGee of Gary, Indiana is 27-5 with 15 knockouts, McGee won the IBF Junior Welterweight title with a 10th round stoppage over Ana Laura Esteche on December 6, 2019. She defended her crown once with a ninth round stoppage of Deanha Hobb (8-1). In her last bout, McGee lost a 10-round decision to WBC champion Chantelle Cameron on October 30, 2021 in London.

Santana of New York of 40-13 with 15 knockouts. Santana is a former WBA Interim World Featherweight champion. She won the belt by defeating Francis Elena Bravo on June 28, 2014. Santana challenged for the world title on three more occasions. Santana is on a four-fight winning streak as in her last bout she won a unanimous decision over Mima Elizabeth La Hoz on July 10, 2022 In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

McGee is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

Finally Javier Zamarron will look to make it two for two when he takes on debuting Sean Williams in a four-round featherweight bout.

Zammaron of Sheboygan, Wisconsin won his pro debut when he stopped Ahmond Rayshan Oates in the opening round on October 29, 2022 in Milwaukee.

VERONA, N.Y. (Jan. 12, 2023) — The Top Rank on ESPN 2023 schedule kicks off with a heavyweight doubleheader Saturday at Turning Stone Resort Casino.

In the 10-round main event, thunderous puncher Efe Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) looks upend the unbeaten run of St. Louis native Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs).

The 10-round co-feature sees 2016 Italian Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs) stepping up against noted spoiler Jonnie Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs). Ajagba-Shaw and Vianello-Rice will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m ET/7 p.m. PT. 

The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:3-0 p.m. PT — features a 50/50 junior lightweight bout between contenders Abraham “El Super” Nova (21-1, 15 KOs) and Adam “BluNose” Lopez (16-3, 6 KOs), upstate New York-born junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (10-1, 4 KOs), and Brooklyn-born featherweight sensation Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (5-0, 3 KOs).

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Efe Ajagba

“I have the name ‘The Silent Roller’ because I don’t talk much. Since I came back from my surgery, I’ve tried to do everything to fight more. That’s why I only had one fight last year. I’ve been trying to get more fights.”

“I’ve made adjustments for Saturday night. We’ll see how it goes. I’m ready for him. I wanted to fight Oscar Rivas before. But that changed. But now Shaw has the opportunity to fight me.”
 
“It means a lot to me to represent my country. I just want to be like them [Samuel Peter and Henry Akinwande]. Ever since I started boxing, I’ve tried to be like them.”
 
“I’m ready to put on a show. I’m going to put more pressure. I can’t wait. I’m so excited to be here.”

Stephan Shaw

“I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity. To have that pedigree behind me—that carries me. That’s my foundation, and I go off that. St. Louis has a rich history of boxing. And I feel like right now I’m the pride of St. Louis. I’m looking to continue that legacy of having great world champions represent St. Louis, Missouri.”
 
“I’ve got God on my side. God makes all the situations that I have faced in my entire career and He has made it work. I have faced adversity that the average man wouldn’t be able to deal with. Coming from St. Louis, beating the odds and being on this stage to have my moment. I feel great. I’m excited.”
 
“I’m a third-generation fighter. I’m looking to become a world champion. Saturday night, I’m going to make my mark.”

Guido Vianello

“I was happy to fight in my country, but I’m happy to fight here as well because America is my second home. My last opponent was very tough. I got him with a lot of punches. It was incredible because I have my gladiator style and he had a wild style. So, it was good for the Italian people.”
 
“Jonnie has a lot of experience, more than me. But I’m ready. I’ve been training very hard. I’ve been training very hard for four years since I moved to the USA. I train all the time to fight in a war, so I’m ready for this.”

Jonnie Rice

“This means the world to me right now. It’s another chance to beat another undefeated fighter. And that’s what’s on my mind. I’m going to go in there and beat him.”
 
“A big reason I moved to Las Vegas is to constantly be in the mindset of boxing, constantly be in the mindset of the grind. I’ve had the great chance to work with a lot of heavyweight warriors who came through Vegas and kept me rejuvenated and constantly inspired. I really don’t think that ring rust will play a part.”

Abraham Nova

“Every fight is a must-win fight. There’s not a fight that I take for granted. This is a good opportunity for me to showcase my skills and move up in the rankings.”
 
“I took a lot of things from the defeat {to Robeisy Ramirez}. But the main thing I learned is that I have to be more healthy as a fighter and do the right things as a fighter. I just need to be more healthy. It was a good opportunity, and a win here will put me in a better position for bigger fights.”

Adam Lopez

“This is a big fight for me. I’m moving up to the next weight class. I fought at 130 before when I fought Oscar [Valdez], but now I’m officially a 130-pounder. I feel like I’ve grown into it. It’s definitely a big fight. Nova and I are kind of in the same spot with our careers. He needs it, and I need it. I’m excited for it. It’s definitely, in my eyes, a Fight of the Year candidate type of fight.”
 
Bryce Mills

“I’m blessed. It’s been three and a half years since I’ve fought at home. It’s a great opportunity. I’m really excited. There’s nothing like that hometown support and that hometown energy when you’re in the ring. It adds a different level of intensity and enthusiasm to the fight.” 

Saturday, January 14

 ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

 
Efe Ajagba vs. Stephan Shaw, 10 rounds, Heavyweight

Guido Vianello vs. Jonnie Rice, 10 rounds, Heavyweight

ESPN+ (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)

Abraham Nova vs. Adam Lopez, 10 rounds, Junior Lightweight

Dante Benjamin Jr. vs. Emmanueal Austin, 6 rounds, Light Heavyweight

VERONA, N.Y. (Jan. 3, 2023) — Rising featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, the latest fistic prodigy from Brownsville, Brooklyn, hopes to open his 2023 campaign with a flourish.
 
Carrington will fight Juan Antonio Lopez in a six-round showdown Saturday, Jan. 14, at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Carrington-Lopez and the rest of the undercard will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+. The ESPN-televised heavyweight doubleheader (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) is headlined by a crossroads battle between Efe “The Silent Roller” Ajagba and Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw, and 2016 Italian Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello stepping up against Jonnie Rice in the co-feature.

Carrington (5-0, 3 KOs), the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials champion, flourished in his first full year as a pro. He went 4-0 with a pair of knockouts, including highlight-reel finishes over Steven Brown and Yeuri Andujar. Carrington was scheduled to fight December 10 at Madison Square Garden, but his opponent had a medical issue that scrapped the bout. He makes his 2023 debut against Lopez (17-12-1, 7 KOs), an 11-year pro from Dallas, Texas, who has tested many of the sport’s top featherweight and junior lightweight prospects.
 
Carrington said, “I had an exciting 2022, but it’s time to step on the gas even more in 2023 and take over the featherweight division. I can’t wait to put my hands on somebody because I couldn’t fight on December 10. This is going to be a huge year, and it starts on January 14.”
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets priced from $49 to $89 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.com.

# # #

 
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the January 14th event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing legends including Oscar De Lay Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Mike Tyson, Laila Ali and many others, have all taken part in boxing events at Turning Stone over the years.
 
Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, annually the biggest and most star-studded weekend in all of boxing. This year’s International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend will take place from June 8 – 11.
 
Turning Stone features world-class amenities including The Lounge with Caesars Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book in partnership with Caesars Entertainment, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.

VERONA, N.Y. (Dec. 27, 2022) — The matchups have changed, but a high-octane heavyweight doubleheader will still go down Saturday, Jan. 14, at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
 
In the 10-round main event, Efe “The Silent Roller” Ajagba will now take on St. Louis native Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw. Oscar Rivas was originally slated to fight Ajagba but had to withdraw with an eye injury.
 
Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello, who was scheduled to fight Shaw in the co-feature, will now face the upset-minded Jonnie Rice in a 10-rounder.
 
Ajagba-Shaw and Vianello-Rice will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ and includes a 10-round junior lightweight tilt between Adam “BluNose” Lopez and Abraham “El Super” Nova.
 
“Stephan Shaw stepped up and has a tough task against one of the division’s biggest punchers in Efe Ajagba,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We’re pleased that Guido will remain on the card against a formidable opponent in ­Jonnie Rice. This will be a fantastic heavyweight doubleheader at Turning Stone.”  
 
Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs) went 3-0 with two stoppages in 2022, including a shutout eight-round decision over Rydell Booker in November. Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) is one of the heavyweight division’s hardest punchers and is coming off a second-round stoppage over Jozsef Darmos in August.
 
Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian from Rome, has won three fights since a 2020 draw to Kingsley Ibeh. Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) has faced a host of heavyweight hopefuls, including Ajagba and Shaw. Following back-to-back losses in 2020, Rice re-energized his career with a fifth-round TKO over then-unbeaten prospect Michael Coffie in July 2021. He repeated the deed on New Year’s Day, outlasting Coffie via a 10-round unanimous decision.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets priced from $49 to $89 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.com.

# # #

About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the January 14th event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing legends including Oscar De Lay Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Mike Tyson, Laila Ali and many others, have all taken part in boxing events at Turning Stone over the years.
 
Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, annually the biggest and most star-studded weekend in all of boxing. This year’s International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend will take place from June 8 – 11.
 
Turning Stone features world-class amenities including The Lounge with Caesars Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book in partnership with Caesars Entertainment, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.

Heavyweight Oscar Rivas had to withdraw from his January 14th bout with Efe Ajagba due to an eye injury according to promoter Yvon Michel’s Twitter account.

Rivas and Ajagba were set to face off at The Turning Stone Resort Casino on ESPN+.

VERONA, N.Y. (Nov. 30, 2022) — The Top Rank on ESPN 2023 slate kicks off with a high-powered heavyweight doubleheader Saturday, Jan. 14, at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
 
The 10-round main event is a battle of big-punching Olympians, as Efe “The Silent Roller” Ajagba looks to author a signature win over Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas. In the 10-round co-feature, 2016 Italian Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello takes a seismic step up in class against fellow unbeaten Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw.
 
Ajagba-Rivas and Vianello-Shaw will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ and includes a 10-round junior lightweight tilt between Adam “BluNose” Lopez and Abraham “El Super” Nova.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), tickets priced from $49 to $89 go on sale Friday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. ET, with pre-sale for TS Rewards Members on Thursday, Dec. 1, and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.com.
 
“The heavyweight division is loaded with talent, and we have two 50/50 matchups that will see a pair of contenders emerge at Turning Stone,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, quickly established himself as one of the division’s heaviest hitters following his pro debut in July 2017. He tallied six first-round knockouts in his first eight bouts, using his 6’6 frame and sledgehammer right hand to dispose of his opposition. Last April, Ajagba utilized his right hand to blast out Brian Howard in a Knockout of the Year contender. Following an October 2021 decision defeat to Frank Sanchez, Ajagba had surgery on both his elbows, returning in August to stop Hungarian veteran Jozsef Darmos in the second round.

“I am injury-free and ready to show the world what I can accomplish when I am 100 percent,” Ajagba said. “I respect Oscar Rivas for accepting the challenge. We will give the fans a great show, but I will be victorious on January 14^th.”
 
Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) is a 2008 Colombian Olympian who moved to Montreal in 2009 to start his professional career. He notched his signature professional victory at Turning Stone in January 2019, knocking out former world title challenger Bryant Jennings in the 12th round. His only blemish came six months later when he traveled to England and dropped a unanimous decision to Dillian Whyte after knocking Whyte down in the ninth round. Since the Whyte defeat, Rivas has fought twice, knocking out Sylvera Louis in three rounds and outlasting Ryan Rozicki by unanimous decision in an all-Canadian showdown while winning the WBC Bridgerweight title. After multiple prospective bouts fell through, Rivas will enter the Ajagba match coming off a nearly 15-month layoff.
 
Rivas said, “I’m extremely happy to be back in the ring in Verona where I had a lot of success not too long ago. I’m proud of my WBC Bridgerweight title and will be defending it soon, but this opportunity Top Rank gave us at heavyweight was too good to pass up. I also have a lot of respect for Ajagba, and while I agree with him that it will be spectacular for the fans, my skills and my experience will be the difference.”
 
Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs), the fighting pride of Rome, turned pro with great fanfare in December 2018 and won his first seven bouts by stoppage in three rounds or less. His momentum stalled following a 2020 draw against Kingsley Ibeh and an injury-plagued 2021 that saw him fight once. Vianello came back in July and knocked out Rafael Rios in four rounds. Three months later, he returned home to Rome and had thrilled the local fans with a dominating eight-round decision over Jay McFarlane.
 
Vianello said, “Stephan Shaw is a good, undefeated fighter, but I fight better when presented with top opposition. I look forward to fighting on ESPN as part of a great heavyweight doubleheader.”
 
Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs), from St. Louis, Missouri, is one of America’s most talented big men, a 6’4, 235-pound boxer-puncher who has knocked out three of his last four foes. He made his Top Rank debut in January, becoming only the third man to knock out Philadelphia’s iron-chinned Joey Dawejko. Shaw tallied three knockdowns in just 2:35 to wipe out Bernardo Marquez in July and then preserved his date against Vianello with an eight-round shutout over Rydell Booker on Nov. 22 in New York City. Shaw will receive his nationally televised big break a decade removed from winning U.S. National and National PAL gold medals as an amateur.
 
“I’m excited. This is my time to shine. This is my moment,” Shaw said.  “I’m ready to go out and there and have some fun. I won’t be under the radar after beating Guido. He’s a good boxer, but I am superior. I will prove that on January 14^th.”
 
Nova (21-1, 15 KOs), born in Puerto Rico and raised in Albany, New York, is returning to the junior lightweight ranks after briefly testing the featherweight waters. Last January at Turning Stone, Nova knocked out late replacement William Encarnacion in the eighth round. That knockout led to an ESPN-televised co-feature in June against southpaw Cuban dynamo Robeisy Ramirez at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. After four competitive rounds, Ramirez knocked Nova out with a left hand in the fifth. Nova returns to the friendly Turning Stone confines against Lopez (16-3, 6 KOs), a native of Glendale, California, who is making his junior lightweight debut. Lopez last fought in May against Encarnacion, surviving knockdowns in the first and third rounds to eke out an eight-round unanimous decision.
 
In other undercard action:

• Junior featherweight Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (8-0, 3 KOs), the 19-year phenom who went 5-0 with three stoppages in 2022, will fight in his first scheduled eight-rounder.
   
• Rising junior lightweight Haven Brady Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs), who won four fights in 2022, makes his 2023 debut in an eight-rounder against an opponent to be named.
   
• Junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (10-1, 4 KOs), the local favorite from Liverpool, New York, aims to increase his winning streak to five against Margarito Hernandez (3-3-1) in a six-rounder.
   
• Cleveland-born light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr. (4-0, 2 KOs) fights in his first scheduled six-rounder against fellow unbeaten Emmanueal Austin (6-0, 6 KOs).

#  #  # 

About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the January 14th event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing legends including Oscar De Lay Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Mike Tyson, Laila Ali and many others, have all taken part in boxing events at Turning Stone over the years.
 
Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, annually the biggest and most star-studded weekend in all of boxing. This year’s International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend will take place from June 8 – 11.
 
Turning Stone features world-class amenities including The Lounge with Caesars Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book in partnership with Caesars Entertainment, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.

In a battle of former world champions, Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey battled to a 10-round split draw in a junior welterweight bout at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Th fight was entertaining with each guy landing some great flurries. Over the first half of the fight, Commey was getting through with some great power shots. He seemed to have built up a small lead as the second half of the fight commenced.

In round six, Commey was cut around his left head from an accidental headbutt. That seemed to slow him down a little bit as Pedraza was able to stage a furious rally in rounds nine and 10. It looked like Pedraza may have eked the fight out as Pedraza won a scorecard 97-93; Commey 96-94 and 95-95.

Pedraza landed 165 of 496 punches; Commey was 149 of 684.

Pedraza, 139.8 lbs of Cidra, PR is now 29-4-1. Commey, 138.8 lbs of Accra, GHA is 30-4-1.

“Even though my eye was inflamed, we understood that it was done because he has a good right hand. The entire night, the whole point was to neutralize that right hand. Despite the fact that it was inflamed, I was able to do that,” Pedraza said. “I’ve never turned down a fight, and I’m not going to start now. Whatever Top Rank wants for me. If they demand a rematch, I’m ready to give Richard Commey a rematch because he deserves it and I have the utmost respect for him. Ultimately, my goal is to win a world title once again. Whatever I have to do, that’s what I’m willing to do.”

Commey said, “It is a draw. Obviously, I have to go back home and see my people. I love my people, and I gotta go back there, do what I gotta do.”

Anderson Stops Ravcanin in 2

Heavyweight Jared Anderson remained perfect stopped Mijan Ravcanin in round two of an eight-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Anderson landed a blistering right that sent Ravcanin down for the 10-count at 3:00.

Anderson, 241.4 lbs of Toledo, OH is 12-0 with 12 knockouts. Ravcanin, 230.6 lbs of Belgrade, SER is 24-3.

“I was very calm. I was very patient. Actually {trainer Darrie Riley} was more nervous than I was as usual, though. I felt very relaxed, pretty much the most relaxed I’ve ever been,” Anderson said. “I heard my coach tell me to switch {to southpaw}. I listened to him as always, so that was really the reason I switched.”

Torrez Destroys Canedo

Olympic Silver medal winner Richard Torrez Jr. annihilated Marco Antonio Canedo in the opening round of their six-round heavyweight bout.

In the opening seconds, Torrez dropped Candedo with a left hand.  He then landed a big left and right and sent Canedo down on his face and was motionless at 44 seconds.

Torrez, 225.4 lbs of Tulare, CA is 3-0 with three knockouts.  Canedo, 215.8 lbs of Mexico is 4-3.

“I am happy with the result, but my thoughts right now are with Canedo,” Torrez said. “He’s a tough man, and I have the utmost respect for him. It happens to the best of us.”

Tiger Johnson stopped Harry Gigliotti in round five of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Johnson opened up a cut under the left eye of Gigliotti with a hard right hand. Johnson battered and bloodied Gigliotti, and in round five, Johnson landed a hard combination that was punctuated by a left hook that made Gigliotti turn and the fight was stopped at 2:17.

Johnson, 141.8 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 5-0 with four knockoouts. Gigliotti, 140.6 lbs of Lowell, MA is 8-4.

Efe Ajagba stopped Jozsef Darmos in round two of their eight-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Ajagba dropped Darmos with a right to the body. Seconds later, it was a right to the temple that put Darmos to a knee and the fight was stopped at 1:15.

Ajagba, 232.2 lbs of Ugetlli, UGA is 16-1 with 13 knockouts. Darmos, 239.2 lbs of Hungary is 14-5-1.

Jeremiah Milton remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over Nick Jones in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Milton landed a huge right that dumped Jones on the canvas, and the fight was stopped at 2:49.

Milton, 245.6 lbs of Tulsa, OK is 6-0 with five knockouts. Jones, 217.2 lbs of Jackson, MS is 9-5.

Kelvin Davis remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Sebastian Gabriel Chaves in a junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Davis landed a big left-right combination that put Chaves on the deck. Chaves began to bleed from his nose.

Davis, 141 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 60-52 on all cards and is now 6-0. Chaves, 142.6 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 5-5.

Frevian Gonzalez won a six-round unanimous decision over Gerardo Esquivel in a junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Gonzalez scored a knockdown from a left hook.

In round six, Esquivel began to bleed from the nose.

Gonzalez, 135.8 lbs of Cidra, PR won by scores of 59-54 twice and 58-55 and is now 6-1. Esquivel, 135.6 lbs of Tacoma, WA is 3-3-1.

In a battle of undefeated 18 year-olds, prized prospect Abdullah Mason pounded out a four-round unanimous decision over Angel Rebollar in a lightweight contest.

In the opening seconds, Mason dropped Rebollar with a right hook to the head. In round two, Rebollar started to bleed from his nose. In round three, Mason began to bleed from his nose.

Mason, 135.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 40-35 twice and 39-36 and is now 4-0. Rebollar, 133.6 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 5-1.

Dante Benjamin Jr. remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Leandro Silva in a light heavyweight bout.

Benjamin, 174.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Silva, 175 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 3-7.

TULSA, OK (July 14, 2022) — Two former world champions are set for an Oklahoma showdown, as Jose “Sniper” Pedraza will battle Richard “RC” Commey in the 10-round junior welterweight main event Saturday, Aug. 27, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, the fighting pride of Toledo, Ohio, undefeated puncher Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson, returns to action against veteran Miljan Rovcanin.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, Pedraza-Commey and Anderson-Rovcanin will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. 

Tickets starting at $49 are on sale now at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

“The junior welterweight division is talent-rich, and the winner of Pedraza-Commey is in line for a massive fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We are thrilled to see Jared Anderson back in action. He is the world’s best young heavyweight, and fans will have another opportunity to see a future superstar.”

Pedraza (29-4, 14 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, is a two-weight world champion who has fought many of this generation’s top fighters since capturing the IBF junior lightweight crown in June 2015. He moved up to the junior welterweight ranks in 2019, rebounding from a loss to Jose Zepeda to author victories over Mikkel LesPierre, 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina, and the previously unbeaten Julian Rodriguez. Pedraza’s momentum was halted in March when he dropped a tightly contested decision to former unified world champion Jose Ramirez.

Pedraza said, “August 27 will definitely be a high-stakes battle between two world-class fighters. We are both coming to get back on the winning path. That’s the perfect recipe for a great fight. I know that a convincing victory against an opponent of Commey’s caliber will put me back in contention to capture that coveted world title opportunity. Despite what happened in my last fight, I still have my sights set on being crowned world champion at 140 pounds. I’m still chasing my goal of becoming a three-division world champion.”

Commey (30-4, 27 KOs), one of Ghana’s most accomplished fighters, captured the IBF lightweight world title in February 2019 with a second-round stoppage over Isa Chaniev. Since losing his title to Teofimo Lopez that December, Commey knocked out Jackson Marinez in six rounds and lost a decision to pound-for-pound legend Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko. After 34 fights campaigning as a lightweight, Commey now moves up to 140 pounds in hopes of winning a second world title.

“I am grateful to DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank to be fighting on ESPN as I begin my quest to become a two-weight world champion,” Commey said. “Pedraza is a gentleman and a great champion, and I will have to be at my best to earn the victory.”

Anderson (11-0, 11 KOs) had a breakthrough 2021, securing four devastating knockouts culminating in December’s second-round blitzing of Oleksandr Teslenko. He suffered a hand injury in training, which postponed his 2022 debut. Anderson, a 6’4, 240-pound former U.S. amateur champion, hopes to continue his knockout momentum against Rovcanin (24-2, 16 KOs). The Serbian veteran has won five consecutive bouts since a stoppage loss to undefeated contender Agit Kabayel.

Anderson said, “I am 100 percent healthy and more than ready to get back in the ring. I’m creating a legacy for my last name and growing as a fighter with every fight. Tune in on August 27 because ‘The Real Big Baby’ is back!”

The undercard — streaming exclusively on ESPN+ — is scheduled to include the return of heavyweight puncher Efe Ajagba (15-1, 12 KOs) in an eight-rounder against Hungary’s Jozsef Darmos (14-4-3, 10 KOs). Ajagba, a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, has not fought since last October’s defeat to Cuban star Frank Sanchez on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard. Injuries delayed Ajagba’s return, and he’s looking to reclaim his status as one of the division’s rising talents.

In other undercard action:

• Tokyo 2020 U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (4-0, 3 KOs), from Cleveland, Ohio, steps up in class against Harry Gigliotti (8-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round junior welterweight scrap. Johnson, at 23 years old, is one of the sport’s brightest young talents. He fought at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in January and shut out the previously undefeated Xavier Madrid.
   
• Tulsa native Trey Lippe Morrison (18-1, 17 KOs), who lost his undefeated record in his last bout, is scheduled to return in an eight-round heavyweight fight.
   
• Standout junior welterweight prospect Kelvin Davis (5-0, 4 KOs) steps up in a six-rounder against Sebastian Gabriel Chaves (5-4, 2 KOs).
   
• Frevian Gonzalez (5-1, 1 KO), who trains with Pedraza, will see action in a six-round lightweight bout against Gerardo Esquivel (3-2-1, 1 KO).

LAS VEGAS – It was wild. Wildly chaotic. Wildly sloppy. It careened from reckless to dangerous, from crazy to classic.

Wildly wonderful.

In the end, the wild victory belonged to Tyson Fury, who scored a knockdown in the third round, got up twice in the fourth, scored another knockdown in the tenth and finished exhausted Deontay Wilder in the eleventh.

The end, the closing blow, at 1:10 of the eleventh Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena was appropriate for a heavyweight title fight that included just about everything.

Amid the chaos, it was clean and crisp. It was a right hand that traveled through midair looking like an orbiting projectile.

It landed, ground zero, on the side of Wilder’s face. He was out. Unconscious, he fell along the ropes and onto the canvas, a wild man in name only.

For Wilder, there was some cruel irony that the end would come at the end of Fury’s right hand. The right was his defining weapon. It’s how he climbed to the top of the division. In the end, it his rival’s right that brought him down, toppled him and perhaps his career.

“I hope he goes down in history as a great fighter,’’ Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) said during an interview in the middle of the ring moments after the fourth. “I hope.’’

Fury won’t have to hope about his place in history.

“Like the great John Wayne said: Iron and steel, baby,’’ Fury said.

Wayne, iron and steel endure. So, too will the memory of this, Fury’s defining triumph.

“I have never seen a heavyweight fight like this,’’ said Fury co-promoter Bob Arum, who promoted the great Muhammad Ali. “Two tremendous warriors.’’

Fury might not be the most refined heavyweight. He’s not Ali. But he ranks as one of the smartest ever in the fabled division. At 6-foot-9 and jiggly, nobody would pick him out of a lineup as a world heavyweight champ. He doesn’t look the part.

Even against Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs), his midsection shook like Jello. But it shook because he was bouncing on his toes, resilient as ever after knockdowns that might have been the end of any other heavyweight.

At times, it looked as if it might be enough for Wilder to win the third fight in a turbulent trilogy with Fury. He hurt Fury in the fourth, knocking him down for the first time within those three minutes with the deadly punch.

But Fury got up, looking composed as he sat down on a stool with Wilder’s likeness emblazoned on top of it. Fury sat there, looking as though he knew he would eventually flush Wilder away in defeat.

He could see the doubt, then fatigue in Wilder’s eyes. With patience and then power, he would finish him. And he did.

“Don’t ever doubt me,’’ said Fury, who retained his lineal and World Boxing Council titles. “When the chips are down, I will always deliver.’’

There was no post-fight reaction from Wilder. He was taken to the emergency room at a Las Vegas hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition.

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Frank Sanchez wins unanimous decision

There was controversy. When is a knockdown really a knockdown? Who knows? There appeared to be no answer in a strange seventh round of a heavyweight bout between Frankie Sanchez and Efe Ajagba. 

In the end, it didn’t matter. Sanchez made sure of it. He had all of the other answers. Foot speed and accuracy were enough for Sanchez (19-0, 13 KOs) to score a unanimous decision over Ajagba (15-1, 12 KOs) in the final fight before the third step in the Fury-Wilder trilogy.

In the seventh, a long right from Sanchez appeared to put Ajagba onto one knee. The Cuban heavyweight quickly followed with a left uppercut that put the Nigerian on his butt. But there was no count, no point reduction, no nothing from referee Mike Ortega.

It was as if it didn’t happen. Truth is, it had no impact on the result. There’s no doubt about Sanchez’ victory.

Helenius wins sixth-round TKO

There were low blows. There was confusion. In the end, there was only Robert Helenius.

Helenius (31-3, 20 KOs), a Swede who sparred with Deontay Wilder at his Alabama training camp for Saturday night’s third fight with Tyson Fury, emerged from it all with a victory over Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki (20-2, 15 KOs). Officially, it was a TKO at 38 seconds of the sixth round. Initially, it looked to be a disqualification of Kownacki for throwing a low blow.

A low blow from Kownacki in the third sent Helenius to the canvas in evident pain. Helenius had been dominating most of the fight, which started with him landing a big right onto Kownacki’s left eye. By the third round, it looked as if the eye was swollen shut.

Jared Anderson rolls on, scoring second-round TKO

He is being hyped as the heavyweight of the future. That future got a little closer Saturday night in the first fight on an all heavyweight pay-per-view card featuring Fury-Wilder.

Jared Anderson (10-0, 10 KOs), of Toledo OH,  rocked and rolled all over Russian Vladimir Tereshkin (22-1-1, 12 KOs), leaving him dazed, defenseless and defeated within just two rounds.

Anderson fired a succession of punches, a blend of power and speed, all while moving forward. Tereshkin never had a chance. Referee Kenny Bayless ended it, a TKO, with the Russian standing motionless and helpless at 2:51 of the second round. 

Berlanga survives knockdown, wins decision.

Edgar Berlanga‘s apparent ride to a world title suddenly took a couple of unexpected turns. Both took him to places he’s never been. Never heard. 

First, there was the canvas. He was knocked flat on his back. 

Then, there were boos. 

In the end, Berlanga escaped with his unbeaten record (18-0, 16 KOs) intact. He won a  decision, unanimous on the cards but not so unanimous in a crowd gathering for the Fury-Wilder heavyweight collision. He beat a tireless Argentine, Marcelo Coceres (30-3-1, 16 KOs), whose ceaseless movement confused him throughout 10 rounds. Then, there was Cocere’s right hand. That nearly stopped him.

The right put Berlanga down in the ninth of 10 rounds. He got up, surprised and perhaps embarrassed. But he was never able to really elude the right or catch Cocere’s with a clean shot of feared power. But he did enough, at least in the judges’ eye’s. All three scored it 96-93

Julian Williams loses split decision

Julian Williams started fast. Faded late.

In the end, he fell, losing a split decision to bloodied, yet resilient Vladimir Hernandez in a junior-middleweight bout, the fourth fight on the card featuring Fury-Wilder.

Williams (27-3-1, 16 KOs) , a former 154-pound champion, was in control early. He cut Hernandez (13-4, 6 KOs)badly. Blood streamed from a nasty wound at one corner of Hernandez’ eye. The Mexican looked beaten. But he wasn’t. He began rocking Williams with precise shots midway through the 10-rounder. At times in the final two rounds, Williams looked exhausted. Hernandez saw the fatigue. So did a small crowd. So, too did, two of the judges. On two cards, it was 96-94 and 97-93 for Hernandez. On the third, it was 96-94 for Williams.

Robeisy Ramirez wins a yawner

It was a unanimous decision. A unanimous bore, too.

Featherweight Robeisy Ramirez (8-1, 4 KOs) put on a performance that made Guillermo Ringondeaux look exciting. Still, it was enough for a 99-91, 97-93, 99-91 decision over Olrando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs on the Fury-Wilder undercard..

Ramirez is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, including a victory over Shakur Stevenson in the gold-medal bout at the 2016 Rio Games. He must have put Stevenson to sleep with his slick, no-risk tactics. No wonder nobody watches Olympic boxing any more.

Featherweight prospect scores shutout in debut

Bruce Carrington, a potential featherweight prospect from Brooklyn, scored a shutout in his debut.

He won, beating Cesar Cantu (3-2, 1 KO) in a professional introduction that was a unanimous success on the scorecards and to the handful of fans seated at T-Mobile a few hours before the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder heavyweight title fight. He won, 40-36, on all three cards.

Carrington’s combination of power and hand-speed repeatedly rocked Cantu, a tough Texas who somehow stayed on his feet throughout the four rounds.  

First Bell: Heavyweight Viktor Faust wins third-round TKO

LAS VEGAS — It started early. It ended early.

A heavyweight card featuring Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder began with a heavyweight matinee
Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. 

Unbeaten Ukrainian Viktor Faust (8-0, 6 KOs) flashed his power quickly, knocking Mike Marshall  (6-2-1, 4 KOs) off balance and forcing him to slip in the second round of a scheduled eight. A round later, Faust finished the job, scoring a crushing knockdown of Marshall, of Danbury, CT, down. Marshall was dazed and done, a TKO loser at 1:49 of the third.

LAS VEGAS (June 29, 2021) — Four big heavyweight fights in one historic night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Three can’t-miss heavyweight showdowns have been added to the televised PPV undercard of the highly anticipated third fight between WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.

In the 10-round co-main event, 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba will take on fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sánchez. The PPV telecast also includes the 12-round rematch between Finland’s Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Polish star Adam “Babyface” Kownacki, who was stopped by Helenius in the fourth round of their first bout in March 2020.

The eight-round PPV opener will see Toledo-born Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson step up in class against undefeated Russian contender Vladimir Tereshkin.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Ajagba (15-0, 12 KOs) turned pro in July 2017 and soon established himself as one of the division’s fiercest one-punch knockout artists. He showed his mettle when he rose off the deck to knock out Iago Kiladze in December 2019, and three months later, he broke down and stopped former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the ninth round. He last fought in April in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and knocked out Brian Howard with a single right hand in the third round.

“I am honored to be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III pay-per-view as the co-main event,” said Ajagba. “I have been patiently waiting for this opportunity to showcase my skills. My fans — and critics — can expect to see more jabs, head movement, footwork and power in both hands against Frank Sánchez. July 24 is going to be a special night for ‘The One and Only’ Efe Ajagba.”

An amateur standout from his native Cuba, Sánchez (18-0, 13 KOs) now trains in San Diego with coach Eddy Reynoso. The 28-year-old has stayed busy on his rise up the heavyweight rankings, scoring three victories in 2020 as he earned a unanimous decision over Joey Dawejko and stopped Brian Howard and Julian Fernandez. Sanchez most recently won a technical decision over Nagy Aguilera in May and will look for an important victory over the fellow unbeaten Ajagba that could catapult him up the heavyweight division.

“I am excited to make my case as the top heavyweight title contender on the best pay-per-view card of the year,” said Sánchez. “I look forward to fighting Efe Ajagba and coming out victorious. Boxing fans want to see the best fight the best. People say Efe Ajagba is avoided, and that’s exactly why I chose to fight him. Fans can expect a great fight between two undefeated heavyweights July 24.”

In just his second stateside outing, Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs) shocked the crowd at Barclays Center by handing Kownacki the first loss of his career via a fourth-round TKO. Born in Sweden and fighting out of Mariehamn, Finland, Helenius established himself as one of Europe’s top heavyweights and knocked out Erkan Teper in September 2018 to move up the rankings. Prior to dropping his U.S. debut to Gerald Washington in 2019, the 37-year-old had won six of his last seven fights, with his lone blemish coming against Dillian Whyte.

“I’m looking forward to repeating my first performance against Kownacki on July 24,” said Helenius. “Boxing fans can expect another incredible fight with my hand raised in victory once again. All of Finland will be behind me when I show the world why I am most deserving of a world title fight. My only goal is to be world champion and unfortunately for Adam he stands in my way.”

Kownacki (20-1, 15 KOs) will be seeking revenge for the first loss of his career when he rematches Helenius on July 24. The 31-year-old Kownacki, who was born in Lomza, Poland and moved to Brooklyn when he was seven, is noted for his tenacity and had been progressing towards a world title shot with knockouts in five of his last seven fights prior to the March 2020 defeat to Helenius. Kownacki owns victories over former world champion Charles Martin and former title challengers Gerald Washington and Chris Arreola. His August 2019 battle against Arreola set CompuBox records for heavyweights in combined power punches thrown and landed.

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring,” said Kownacki. “The pandemic made things hard for everyone, but things are getting back to normal. Being a part of an all-heavyweight pay-per-view like this feels great, and it’s a great thing for fans of our sport. This pay-per-view will be action-packed from top to bottom. I can’t wait to get my revenge against Robert Helenius. It’s been a long year waiting for the rematch, but I’ll be getting a victory on July 24. I feel like things will get back to normal and I will prove that I am one of the top heavyweights in the world.”

Anderson (9-0, 9 KOs) has not tasted the final bell as a professional, a dominant run that began with a first-round stoppage in his pro debut less than two years ago. He has five first-round knockouts and became the breakout star of the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, where he went 5-0. After closing out his Bubble run with a sixth-round knockout over Kingsley Ibeh, Anderson returned April 10 with a second-round blitzing of Jeremiah Karpency. Anderson was Fury’s primary sparring partner for the Wilder rematch and will serve in the same capacity for the trilogy bout. Tereshkin (22-0-1, 12 KOs) a 6’6 southpaw, is a 14-year professional who has won 14 consecutive fights since the lone draw on his ledger.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing,  @TGBPromotions, @TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing.

Follow all the action as Joe Smith Jr. takes on Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight title.  The action kicks off at 10 PM ET with a Heavyweight fight featuring Efe Ajagba and Brian Howard.

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Round 1: Right from Vlasov…Another right

Round 2 Good right from Smith..Smith cut over his right eye…Right from Vlasov..3 body shots from Smith

Round 3 Left to body from Smith…Right from Valsov..Combination

Round 4 Right from Vlasov..Left hook from Smith

Round 5 Right from Smith…Right from Vlasov..Good right

Round 6 Good body shot from Vlasov..Body shot from Smith…Right from Vlasov…Blood from Mouth of Vlasov…Right from Smith..

Round 7 Hard right hurts Vlasov..2 rights to the body..another body shot..Hard right..Left from Vlasov

Round 8 Hard combination from Smith..Right to body by Vlasov

Round 9 Series of headshots from Vlasov

Round 10 Right from Vlasov..Lead right..Right from Smith

Round 11 Good body shot from Smith…Short right from Vlasov..Body shot from Smith

Round 12 Right from Smith..Combination from Vlasov

114-114; 115-113 115-112 FOR SMITH

Round 1  Big right from Ajgaba
Round 2 Jab and right from Ajagba
Round 3 HOWARD LANDS A HUGE RIGHT…DOWN GOES HOWARD…FIGHT OVER