NEW YORK, NY – April 5, 2024 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the full card for Most Valuable Prospects VI, the second installment of the Most Valuable Prospects 2024 series, taking place on Friday, April 26 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL available globally on DAZN subscription with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. Most Valuable Prospects VI, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, will feature thirteen undefeated rising stars and will feature ten fights total with a total combined record of 97-4-2 with 59 KOs. The event will be headlined by top-ranked super welterweight Yoenis Tellez (7-0, 6 KOs) vs. Joseph Jackson (19-0, 15 KOs) for the WBA Latin America Continental Championship. Cuban Olympian Danier Pero (6-0, 4 KOs) will make his second appearance on Most Valuable Prospects, appearing on the main card alongside co-main event Benigno Aguilar (11-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Alexander Rios (8-1, 3 KOs) in their hotly-anticipated Most Valuable Prospects rematch, and Jan Paul Rivera (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. David Perez (9-0, 2 KOs). Across the preliminary rounds will be a series of top prospect faceoffs, including former USA Junior Olympics national champion David Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. fellow undefeated heavyweight Henry Richard (4-0, 3 KOs) and 15x US national amateur champion Natalie Dove (1-0) vs. Cleveland’s 3x Golden Gloves champion Alyssia Lopez as Lopez makes her professional debut. Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, the 3x US national champion and high fashion model Alexis Chaparro will also make his professional debut on the card. Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects VI are available now on Ticketmaster.com. 

Heavyweight Danier Pero (6-0, 4 KOs), the 24-year-old 6’5” Cuban talent, will return to Most Valuable Prospects following his decisive second-round KO win over Joe Jones at Most Valuable Prospects V in February 2024. The Olympian comes to the ring from Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Camaguey, Cuba. Pero will challenge a to-be-announced opponent in a 6-round heavyweight battle. With his formidable size, Pero will present a difficult challenge on Friday, April 26th, as the heavy-hitter seeks to continue his undefeated streak. Pero and his opponent will face off on the main card of Most Valuable Prospects VI alongside lightweights and local favorites Aguilar vs. Rios and featherweights Rivera vs. Perez ahead of the main event showdown between world-class super welterweight Yoenis Tellez vs. Joseph Jackson for the WBA Latin America Continental Championship.

In the preliminary rounds, MVP will host a series of star young prospects as they battle for victory on Friday, April 26th. Joining the foray of must-watch bouts will be Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, Alexis Chaparro, who will make his professional debut on the card in a four-round middleweight fight. The 23-year-old Chaparro, born in Puerto Rico and raised in Ridgewood, New York, is a three-time national boxing champion who competed at both the 2020 and 2024 USA Boxing Olympic trials. The gifted athlete is also a high fashion model, having worked for Versace, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, and Polo Ralph Lauren, among others. Chaparro joins Serrano’s growing roster of Puerto Rican talents including the young undefeated sensation Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) and WBO junior flyweight world champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 KOs).

Adding to the well-decorated and exciting array of undefeated top prospects on Friday, April 26th will be a 6-round heavyweight battle between 24-year-old David Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Henry Richard (4-0, 3 KOs). Garcia, from Crescent City, FL is a 2016 Junior Olympics national champion, who will seek to hand Richard his first professional loss. Competing alongside them will be the highly-talented 22-year-old prospect Natalie Dove (1-0), the 15x US national amateur champion fighting out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dove will face off with Alyssia Lopez in an 4-round flyweight bout as the Cleveland native and 3x Golden Gloves champion Lopez makes her professional debut. Super featherweight DeMichael Harris (10-0-1, 9 KOs) will face a to-be-announced opponent in a 6-round fight as the Decatur, Georgia fighter looks to continue his undefeated streak after his three latest victories over opponents with winning records. Rounding out the card, the four-time US national champion and 20-year-old Texas native Xavier Bocanegra (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Carlos Andre Dos Santos Rocha (3-3, 2 KOs) of São Paulo, Brazil in a four-round featherweight fight, and Tampa, Florida’s Ariel Perez (2-0, 1 KO) will face Stephen Motley (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round light heavyweight bout. 

“Ahead of our groundbreaking marquee event in July featuring Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, we are thrilled to be returning to Orlando to present the most decorated Most Valuable Prospects card to date on Friday, April 26,” said MVP co-founders Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. “The vast majority of the young stars on this card boast undefeated records, championship amateur backgrounds, or both, with a staggering 97-4-2 professional record between them with 59 KOs. This end-to-end roster of some of the best up-and-coming fighters in boxing will be a must-watch event for fans. We look forward to each of these incredible matchups, and are proud to feature Amanda Serrano’s newest signee, Alexis Chaparro, as he makes his pro debut on Most Valuable Prospects VI. Thank you to DAZN, CELSIUS, BoxLab Promotions, and Caribe Royale for their ongoing partnership and commitment with MVP to elevate and amplify boxing’s young stars.”

“Caribe Royale and Boxlab Promotions are pleased to once again partner with Most Valuable Promotions on high quality, championship boxing cards to Central Florida and the entire world via DAZN,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “We continue to feature the hottest young fighters in the world on our shows and Prospects VI is no different. Tellez, Pero, and the entire card will allow fans to see the future of boxing in various weight classes. To see the continued development of these talented prospects as they advance their careers has been inspirational to everyone involved. We’re very excited for what we believe to be the best show yet and building momentum for the next event in July.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The sixth event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of Most Valuable Promotions and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

About Caribe Royale Orlando Resort

Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando. A TripAdvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels worldwide to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $140 million renovation that includes fully remodeling all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. Being privately-owned, Caribe Royale offers meeting planners faster approval cycles and more flexibility to create stand-out events. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow the all-suite convention hotel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(@cariberoyale), LinkedIn and Pinterest. #cariberoyaleorlando

NEW YORK, NY – March 6, 2024 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced that its Most Valuable Prospects series will return with its sixth installment on Friday, April 26th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL available globally on DAZN subscription. Most Valuable Prospects VI will be headlined by #10-ranked WBA super welterweight Yoenis Tellez (7-0, 6 KOs) vs. Joseph Jackson (19-0, 15 KOs) for the WBA Latin America Continental Championship and will be presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy. The co-main event will feature Benigno Aguilar (11-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Alexander Rios (8-1, 3 KOs) in a rematch of their undercard thriller on MVP’s historic Serrano vs. Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects III card. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 11th at 10am ET on Ticketmaster.com.

Making his second appearance on the Most Valuable Prospects series is the 23-year-old star prospect Yoenis Tellez (7-0, 6 KOs), who will take on the more experienced and fellow undefeated knockout machine Joseph Jackson in a highly-anticipated 10-round super welterweight headliner in defense of the WBA Continental Latin Americas title. Tellez, from Stafford, Texas by way of Santiago, Cuba, initially made a name for himself in the opening PPV bout of the Terrence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. welterweight championship unification showdown, in which Tellez took on the far more experienced Sergio Ramos and dealt Ramos a brutal 3rd round knockout, the seasoned Garcia’s third loss in 37 professional matches – and his first loss by TKO. Tellez spent most of his youth in Cuba as an amateur boxer, winning national youth titles in 2017 and 2018 before moving to Russia in 2020 to make his pro debut. Tellez eventually moved to Texas in 2022 to begin training with Ronnie Shields. In his most recent appearance in the ring on the Jake Paul vs. Andre August & Most Valuable Prospects IV main card, Tellez secured the WBA Continental Latin Americas title with his jaw-dropping knockout of Livan Navarro in the 10th round. He is promoted by BoxLab Promotions and Warrior’s Boxing. 

Joseph Jackson (19-0, 15 KOs), Tellez’s 35-year-old challenger for the WBA Continental Latin Americas title, comes to the ring by way of Greensboro, North Carolina off three straight knockout wins, adding to his already impressive undefeated resume. Jackson’s biggest win to date was over Derrick Colemon Jr., which resulted in a unanimous decision for Jackson as he handed Colemon his first and only loss to date on Showtime’s Shobox series in February 2020. 

In the co-main feature on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects VI will be the thrilling 8-round lightweight rematch of Mexico vs. Puerto Rico between fan favorites Benigno Aguilar (11-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Alexander Rios (8-1, 3 KOs). Each fighter is making their third appearance on Most Valuable Prospects following top-performance moments in the series, including Rios’s first round knockout of Javier Ailla on Most Valuable Prospects II. In their last matchup on the historic card of Amanda Serrano vs. Danila Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects III in October 2023, the two each put their undefeated records on the line, with Aguilar fighting to a nail-biting split decision victory over Rios. Aguilar solidified his victory as he scored a major knockdown of Rios down in the fifth round as the two traded a thundering series of body and face shots across the bout. Rios most recently notched another win in March, and now seeks to settle the score against Aguilar. 

Also on the main card will be a 6-round battle between featherweights Jan Paul Rivera (8-0, 5 KOs) and David Perez (9-0, 2 KOs). Rivera, the 22-year-old prospect from Salinas, Puerto Rico, was a decorated member of the Puerto Rican national boxing team as an amateur, competing in over 200 bouts. His amateur accolades include winning two straight Puerto Rico Elite National Championships in 2020 and 2021, as well as the Puerto Rico Youth National Championships in 2018 and 2019. He also earned a silver medal at the AIBA Youth World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2018. Across his 8-fight professional career to date, Rivera has competed across the USA, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia, furthering his aspirations to become a global star in the sport. David Perez, the 26-year-old talent from Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently bested then-6-0 William Green in September 2023, and looks to take his first major step up in competition to test his undefeated record against Rivera on Friday, April 26.  

“Coming off MVP’s latest record-breaking event in Puerto Rico, we are excited to return to Orlando for our next Most Valuable Prospects event on Friday, April 26,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. “Continuing to shine the spotlight on boxing’s best young talents is a core tenant of MVP, and we look forward to welcoming back Yoenis Tellez, Benigno Aguilar, and Alexander Rios to the series’ sixth installment following their sensational performances on previous Most Valuable Prospects iterations over the last year. Thank you to DAZN, CELSIUS, Boxlab Promotions, and Caribe Royale for their ongoing partnership to make this series the best up-and-coming talent feature in boxing.”

“On behalf of Caribe Royale and Boxlab Promotions we’re excited to be partnering with MVP on another dynamic boxing card. The card is stacked with fast rising prospects in various weight classes,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “This is just another example of how the team has made Orlando the focal point for boxing in Florida. These action packed events give both Caribe Royale guests and locals another reason to visit Orlando’s only 4 diamond all suite resort.”

Additional bouts for Most Valuable Prospects VI will be announced in the coming weeks. 

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The sixth event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of Most Valuable Promotions and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

About Caribe Royale Orlando Resort

Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando. A TripAdvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels worldwide to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $140 million renovation that includes fully remodeling all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. Being privately-owned, Caribe Royale offers meeting planners faster approval cycles and more flexibility to create stand-out events. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow the all-suite convention hotel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(@cariberoyale), LinkedIn and Pinterest. #cariberoyaleorlando

Jake Paul scored a one-punch, first-round stoppage over Andre August in a scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout at The Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

Paul felt August with a jab and then uncorked a perfect right uppercut to the jaw that put August down and out on his back, and the fight was over at 2:32.

Paul, 199.4 lbs kf Cleveland is now 8-1 with five knockouts. August, 198.8 lbs of Houston is 10-2-1.

Jake Paul

On his first round KO of Andre August

“Man, I’m just really happy. You know, that’s that delayed gratification, working hard this whole entire year, and it just all paying off. You know, just the power of manifestation, that’s insane. Saying it all week, saying it in my meditation, visualizing it, and making it come into fruition, and it’s a real man. I’m trying to just take in and love it the whole entire moment, and look back on it, and have fun during this whole entire experience and that’s the biggest key for me right now and it’s going to be an amazing Christmas.”

“I think this [win] is the best one. Just the first round, calling it the whole entire week, not getting hit one time in the fight, and just setting him up for that. He kept on ducking low, ducking low, and I was like, okay, I’m going to throw the uppercut, but I got to make sure he keeps on ducking low, assessed him, set him up for it, and finished it through that day hard.”

On why he took the risk of facing Andre August

“[It was] a big risk big risk and people can be discredited or say what they want but they didn’t get in there with him he’s been doing it his whole life and you look at the guy he’s strong and he’s a risk, especially him not being a big name. Putting all the line against someone like him, everyone thought it was kind of crazy, everyone first thought, what, really? You’re going to do that? Why? Where? What’s going on? What’s the plan here? And it’s just one answer, to become world champion.”

On walking out to Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

“We just always had these vibes going in camp, and sometimes we’re playing different music, and one day we were sitting in the backyard, and this pal’s like, it’s Christmas, oh my God, they’ll start playing the Christmas hits. And that first song came on and I was like, this is what I’m walking up to.”

On converting haters to fans with his first-round knockout against a 10-1 pro

“If I was walking on water in front of everybody’s eyes, they would say I couldn’t swim. When you take this path, and you’re in the top of a sport, and you got there in three and a half years with the jealousy and hate and insecure people, all the time, of course, they’re gonna critique and find any little thing that they can to try to bring me down. But what they don’t know is that it’s just making me bigger, just making me stronger, just making me more motivated to go ahead and become world champion. This is one step closer. This guy was 10-1 [and] boxing his whole life. [He was a] three-time Golden Glove champion and he [was finished in] two and a half minutes. And I was just getting woke up for it, so…. shhh. Be quiet, y’all. Be quiet. At some point, you gotta turn that hate and be like, okay, fine, I’m gonna just jump on the bandwagon. All aboard, yo. Like, y’all went from haters and all this shit, like, we welcome everybody. If you hated me before, it’s cool, you know, I forgive you. Come to the fun side. I know you wanna dance to the Christmas jingle I want. I know you’re at home, like, itching like, I can’t, I can’t help it, I wanna dance! So just kick it up! Jump off the bandwagon! Get used to it. Get used to this. I’m gonna be here forever in this sport. Like I said, I predicted all this from the start. I made it happen [with] manifestation of reality. So keep the criticisms coming, but it’s not gonna do anything.”

On his punching power

“My coaches always told me before my first rope, but mainly Shane Mosley, he was like, you got popped, you hit hard, you hit hard. And I didn’t know. [I thought] he was like, you know, just gassing me up or something. Then after I dropped, gave him the first round, I was like, oh shit, okay, maybe I do have his power… And just from that Ohio milk, there’s something different. That stuff is insane. My bone density is on point.”

On Franchón Crews-Dezurn’s WBC super middleweight title win vs. Shadasia Green

“Great job, Franchón. I wish that Shadasia would have gotten it, but… It was a good fight. It was a great fight. Congratulations.

On the biggest thing he’s learned from boxing

“I wish I could summarize that man. It’s been thousands of hours in the gym, but I think more so just believing in myself and my ability, having fun out there, and surrounding myself with the right student. When Thurman, Jalion, and Larry Wade came in, the whole attitude changed and pushed me so much harder than I’d ever been pushed before. And that was really the difference maker. And really my boxing career didn’t start until after I lost because they came in, corrected my basic fundamentals that I had skipped by due to other coaches skipping by it and they pushed me, did thousands of drills on my footwork every single day, getting my mind right, surrounding myself with amazing people, and that really is what elevated everything. So, I just owe it to everyone else, you know, and the people around me, pushing me and wanting the best way.”

On returning to the old Jake Paul

“Yeah, like, just having fun when I’m in that mode, enjoying the sport, you know, dancing around in the ring, making jokes all the time, you know, talking trash to my opponents while I’m hitting them in the face. Before, I was just trying to do things too much and just like making everything perfect, technique, technique, technique, do this, do this, do this, do this. And just everything, the vibe of the can’t change, the coaches, Larry tells me every day, just be you, just bring that old, crazy motherfucker back. And he showed me the video of me with my tongue out, after I KO’d Tyron [Woodley], playing with my cut on my head, and he’s like, this isn’t here anymore, like you need to bring this back. And I just really remember that every day now, like he’s right, I just gotta be fucking crazy and bring back all the problems and the madness and fight like a dog and have fun, and that’s the difference here. You see me in the walkout, dancing in the locker room, messing around with my brother, getting on his shoulders during the broadcast, all of these things is what makes me special, and I just lost that in previous fights.”

On how lesser known boxers can make a name for themselves

“We live in a different boxing world now, in a different digital age in general, and it’s the fighters’ responsibility now to promote themselves. And once they realize that, and realize instead of sitting around on the weekend and playing video games in between the training sessions, they gotta be on TikTok and making YouTube videos and getting out there and going on interviews and podcasts and getting any opportunity they can to grow their name. That’s why I would just encourage everybody else. The promoter is dying. It’s now the responsibility of the fighter. That’s the new boxing world. Just hustle, man. Just hustle.”

On KSI 

“He’s chasing views as a 30-year-old man, and I’m chasing legacy and belts. All kudos to him. I hope he makes his wildest dreams come true.”

On facing Logan in WWE

“Man, I’m trying to be on his team. I don’t want to go up against him. He’s the dog in WWE. I’m trying to be his team partner.”

Crews-Dezurn Decisions Green to win WBC and WBA Interim Super Middleweight Crown

Franchon Crews-Dezurn won the WBC and WBA Interim Super Middleweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Shadasa Green.

Crews-Dezurn landed 78 of 382. Green was 77 of 240.

Dezuen, who was the former undisputed champion and huge underdog won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 twice and is now 9-2, Greuen, 167.2 lbs of Paterson, NJ is 13-1.

On MVP

“First of all, shout out to MVP. MVP is a great platform for women’s boxing. Shadasia [Green] was a great competitor and I always look to fight against competition. I don’t want it easy, I wasn’t built for easy. And a couple months ago, I didn’t even know what was next, but I think my journey wasn’t over. I wanna thank Peter Kahn, my manager, who’s always fighting for me just as hard as I fight in the ring. I want to thank my coaches [and] my husband, my team.

On winning back her WBC title

“This has been a journey. You see everybody’s running at the top. You guys saw me at my lowest in the UK, but I still have my head held high, and I still have high hopes. I’m going to keep going. I’m going to keep going. And my journey isn’t over because my journey isn’t for me. It’s for the little girls, the big girls, the old girls, the young girls, to have somebody look up to you and to God. So this is a special night for me. I dedicate this to my mom, and my tribe, a couple other people who lost dear ones, so thank you. Thank you.”

“I’m here to entertain you guys. I’m here to fight for legacy. And you always need that one character that’s going to give you all some entertainment. So, that’s me. Right.”

“I stamped myself in history and you can never take [away] being a champ, but tonight is very special. I’m trying to let it set in. I feel amazing, I feel blessed and I’m grateful. I just love the smile on my team’s face.”

On being slated as the underdog vs. Green

“I’m an underdog. I’m a top dog with an underdog mentality. So it’s not anything new to me. And they don’t have to believe in me. I believe in myself and I must have a team that believes in me. And you need inspiration, there you go.”

On her next fight

“The goal has remained the same. I want to go back to the UK. They gave me so much love and it’s a great joy. [My goal is to] go to the UK and run it back with Savannah Marshall. All the way down the line, at least before my last fight, I want to run it with my good sister, Claressa [Shields]. But we’ll see what happens. Maybe I blow up a win, maybe I go down a win. The opportunities are limitless.”

“We’re gonna take DMV over to the UK, so we’re gonna have fun. Woo!”

“[My next fight will be] probably second quarter of 2024. Like, I’m happy to be active. To get two fights in six months is amazing. I think I’m going to get better and better, but probably first or second quarter of 2024.”

On Shadasia vs. Savannah’s punching power

“I would say Shadesia has sharp power, like she’s got sharp inside punches, but Savannah has like leverage, because she’s a very tall, heavy-handed woman. She’s been like that since the amateurs. But yeah, yeah, yeah. I have no disrespect. Savannah is the bigger puncher.”

On settling bad blood with Shadasia Green

“I approached her and you know. I apologized, you know, for what I did, she apologized for what she did. At the end of the day, we two young women pushed into something and her goal was to get her name out there for people to know who she is. She’s accomplished that, she has a great future, she’s a good fighter. I have no ill will towards her. I respect her [and everyone] I share the ring with. [Shadasia,] thank you for sharing the ring with me.

On 3-minute women’s rounds

“We gonna throw hands regardless, as long as we’re compensated. For me, I’ve been in this game a long time, and I get paid, if I have to fight three minutes, I’m gonna be paid for three minutes. If I have to fight 12 rounds, I’m gonna be paid for 12 rounds. Nobody wants to do a job, and do extra in their job, and not get paid for it. I’m in prize fighting at this point. Respectfully.”

On what her mom could say if she could have been there tonight

“Go on, get it baby. I love you.”

Tellez Stops Navarro in 10th

Yoenis Tellez scored a vicious 10th and final round stoppage of Livan Navarro in a welterweight bout.

In round three, Tellez dropped Navarro with a hard right hand.

In round 10, Tellez landed a booming left hook that froze Navarro and he plummeted to the deck and the fight was stopped.

Tellez, 153.1 lbs of Santiago, CUB is 7-0 with six knockouts. Navarro, 153.8 lbs of Havana, CUB is 15-2.

Lorenzo Medina Stops Temple in 6th

Lorenzo Medina scored a shocking sixth and final round stoppage over Joshua Temple in a heavyweight bout.

In round two, Temple landed a right to the head that put Medina on the canvas.

In round six, Medina landed a left hook that rocked Temple. Temple was hurt, and Medina jumped on Temple and landed a huge flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 29 seconds.

Medina, 244.4 lbs of Hialeah, FL is 9-0 with eight knockouts. Temple, 221.8 lbs of St. Louis is 12-3.

Elijah Flores remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Javier Mayoral in a welterweight bout.

Flores, 149 lbs of Bronx, NY won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice and is now 7-0. Mayoral, 148 lbs of New Orleans is 6-4-1.

Alexander Gueche stopped Clayton Ward in round three of their four-round bantamweight bout.

In round four, Gueche landed a big right drove Ward to the ropes. Ward was hurt and could have received an eight-count, but the referee did not ruled that and two big shots later the fight was stopped at 2:05.

Gueche, 116 1/2 lbs of Long Beach, CA is 3-0 with three knockouts. Ward, 116 1/2 lbs of Cypress, TX is 1-1.

Zachary Randolph won a six-round majority decision over Michael Manna in a cruiserweight bout.

In round five, Manna was swelling under both eyes.

Randolph, 186 3/4 lbs of Fairmont, WV won by scores of 60-54, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 10-3-1. Manna, 191 lbs of Pittsburgh is 7-6.

NEW YORK, NY – November 28, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the broadcast team and main card additions for the Jake Paul vs. Andre August and Most Valuable Prospects IV event taking place on Friday, December 15 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL live on DAZN as a part of its subscription package. Paul vs. August, presented by CELSIUS Essential Energy Drink, will feature famed voices in combat sports including Ariel Helwani, Todd Grisham and Dan Canobbio as the night’s commentators and ringside analysts, with YouTube boxing commentator Wade Plemons serving as host. The Most Valuable Prospects IV main card will feature two additional action-packed bouts between light middleweights Yoenis Tellez (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Livan Navarro (15-1, 9 KOs) for the WBA Continental Latin Americas title and heavyweights Lorenzo Medina (8-0, 7 KOs) vs. Joshua Temple (12-2, 10 KOs).

Tellez vs. Navarro and Medina vs. Temple will precede MVP’s 10-round special championship feature of Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green vs. Franchón Crews-Dezurn for the WBC super middleweight title and headliners Jake “The Problem Child” Paul vs. professional boxer Andre August in an 8-round cruiserweight fight. Tickets for Paul vs. August, Green vs. Crews-Dezurn and Most Valuable Prospects IV are available now at https://www.ticketmaster.com/most-valuable-promotions-jake-paul-vs-orlando-florida-12-15-2023/event/22005F67C7631182 starting at just $75.

Lorenzo Medina vs. Joshua Temple will kick off the Most Valuable Prospects IV main card with a 6-round heavyweight bout on Friday, December 15th. Medina, the 19-year-old heavy hitter and Most Valuable Prospects fan favorite, returns to Most Valuable Prospects IV from Hialeah, Florida to continue testing his 8-fight undefeated professional record against the more experienced Temple. The St. Louis, Missouri native Temple, a twelve-time national amateur champion, comes to the ring off a five-fight win streak ready to test his early-round knockout power on Medina.

Following the bout will be the highly-anticipated 10-round light middleweight Cuban battle between star prospect Yoenis Tellez vs. Livan Navarro for the WBA Continental Latin Americas title. Tellez (6-0, 5 KOs), from Stafford, Texas by way of Santiago, Cuba, made a name for himself in the opening PPV bout of the Terrence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. welterweight championship unification showdown, in which Tellez took on the far more experienced Sergio Ramos and dealt Ramos a brutal 3rd round knockout, the seasoned Garcia’s third loss in 37 professional matches – and his first loss by TKO. Tellez spent most of his youth in Cuba as an amateur boxer, winning national youth titles in 2017 and 2018 before moving to Russia in 2020 to make his pro debut. Tellez eventually moved to Texas in 2022 to begin training with Ronnie Shields. He is managed by Eduardo Perez and promoted by BoxLab Promotions and Warrior’s Boxing. 

Livan Navarro (15-1, 9 KOs), the Miami-based fighter out of Havana, Cuba, is on a four fight win streak and will take the ring against Tellez following a strong 15-1 start to his professional career and following an impressive 306-20 amateur record. Navarro made his pro debut at age 24 and secured an 11-0 record within his first three years as a professional, before suffering a hard loss to Justin DeLoach in 2020. Navarro enters the ring vs. Tellez coming off a four-fight win streak, seeking to put his name back at the top of the rankings. He is trained by Jorge Rubio.

Providing commentary on these fights will be an all-star broadcast team consisting of Todd Grisham, Wade Plemons, and Dan Canobbio. Beloved YouTube boxing commentator Wade Plemons will serve as host of the show, while Dan Canobbio, Fox Sports’ boxing regular and host of Pluto TV’s Inside Boxing Live returns to serve as analyst and commentator. ESPN veteran and DAZN combat sports reporter Todd Grisham will provide commentary and call the fights throughout the Paul vs. August and Most Valuable Prospects IV main card. Famed combat sports reporter Ariel Helwani will serve as the ringside reporter. The full main card will be offered on DAZN subscription to ensure accessibility to fans worldwide.

“We built the Most Valuable Prospects series on the foundation of giving young and upcoming talent a platform to display their skills and build their names on our stage. As we close out this year’s Most Valuable Prospects series on Friday, December 15th, we are proud to welcome back Lorenzo Medina, who alongside Yoenis Tellez, Livan Navarro, and Joshua Temple personify the skill and energy Most Valuable Prospects represents,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “With Shadasia Green battling for the WBC super middleweight championship and Jake continuing on his journey to being world champion, this is not only a card every boxing fan can enjoy, but is exactly what we envisioned when we launched this series. Thank you to DAZN, Caribe Royale Resort, BoxLab, and CELSIUS for this incredible year of partnership. We look forward to unveiling our next six installments in 2024 showcasing more of the young, rising athletes around the world.”

Fans will also get the opportunity to witness four additional preliminary bouts during the Paul vs. August fight. Cruiserweight Zachary Randolph (9-3-1, 3 KOs) out of Fairmont, WV will take on Pittsburgh, PA fighter Michael Manna (7-5, 4 KOs) over six rounds, and 19-year-old welterweight prospect Elijah Flores (6-0, 2 KOs) will put his undefeated record on the line against Javier Mayoral (6-3-1, 1 KO). Bantamweight Alex Gueche (2-0, 2 KOs), the 18-year-old out of Long Beach, CA will also take the ring for a four round bout, ahead of Xavier Bocanegra (3-0, 2 KOs)’s featherweight four round battle. 

Jake Paul vs. Andre August fight week events will be free to the public and will kick off Wednesday, December 13 at the Caribe Royale Resort with doors opening at 12 PM ET, with the fighters facing off at the final press conference before the big event. The press conference will begin at 1 PM ET and will be moderated by Todd Grisham and presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drink. The special championship feature fighters Shadasia Green and Franchón Crews-Dezurn will kick off the event, and then the main event fighters Jake Paul and Andre August will join them on the stage. The event will be broadcast across DAZN’s YouTube channel, MVP’s YouTube channel, and Jake Paul’s YouTube channel.

The public weigh-ins will also be free to the public and will be taking place on Thursday, December 14 at the Caribe Royale Resort at 5 PM ET, with doors opening at 4 PM ET. The weigh-ins will be shown live again on DAZN’s YouTube channel, MVP’s YouTube channel, and Jake Paul’s YouTube channel.

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed by DAZN. The fourth event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2023 and will be hosted by Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. The series has been renewed for six installments in 2024 and DAZN will air the series globally across its platforms as a part of its subscription package. CELSIUS Essential Energy Drinks, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of the Most Valuable Prospects series. Digital sports, entertainment, and gaming company DraftKings will serve as the Official Sports Betting Partner of Paul vs. August and Most Valuable Prospects IV. 

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

How to watch DAZN  

• Visit DAZN.com and follow the steps to sign up now
• Once signed up, download the DAZN app to watch on any device
• Go to the app store on your chosen device, search ‘DAZN’ and download the DAZN app  
• DAZN is available on your phone, tablet, smart TV, streaming devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles. 
• Connect multiple devices to your account to watch at home or on the go  

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

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DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

Las Vegas, NV (July 31, 2023) – Three weeks ago, 5-0 junior middleweight Yoenis “Bandolero” Tellez was training for a fight in late August when an unexpected call came.

The 23-year-old Tellez, a native of Cuba who resides in Texas, received an offer to face contender Sergio Garcia July 29 in the opening pay per view bout of the Errol Spence-Terence Crawford broadcast. Garcia’s original opponent, Jesus Ramos, was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury. A fight with Garcia represented a quantum leap in competition but Tellez’ team immediately accepted.

“The first time I saw Yoenis, he reminded me of the great Jose Napoles and I knew he was a special talent,” said Luis DeCubas Sr. of Warriors Boxing, who co-promotes Tellez with Boxlab Promotions. “He was fighting in Russia against a Russian fighter, broke the guy down, and stopped him in two rounds.”

With the highly esteemed Ronnie Shields as his trainer, Tellez entered the ring as an underdog according to oddsmakers. Garcia was 34-2 and both of his defeats came via decisions against former world champions Sebastian Fundora and Tony Harrison. Being part of the broadcast of boxing’s most anticipated fight in years meant there would be millions of viewers worldwide.

None of that mattered once the opening bell sounded.

Tellez cracked Garcia towards the end of the second round with a two-punch combination. In the third, Tellez unloaded two picturesque right hands that sent Garcia tumbling to the canvas. Garcia made it back to his feet but was clearly hurt. Tellez followed up by landing several hard right hands that sent Garcia reeling into the ropes before following up and forcing Robert Hoyle to halt the contest at 2:02 of the third round.

Tellez improved to 6-0 with 5 of his wins coming by knockout.

“Yoenis took full advantage of the opportunity by destroying a fighter who’d never been stopped before despite facing some very good fighters,” said DeCubas Sr. “Warriors Boxing and Boxlab Promotions thank PBC and Showtime for presenting this fight, as the boxing world now knows the caliber of fighter Yoenis Tellez is.”

Tellez is expected to return to action in the fall.

Fans can follow Tellez on Instagram @Yoenis_Oficial01.

LAS VEGAS –It’s always been what Terence Crawford said it was.

It’s his era.

This Bud is forever.

Terence “Bud” Crawford delivered the proof – definitively – Saturday with a devastating ninth-round stoppage of Errol Spence Jr. in front of a T-Mobile Arena crowd that roared, first in disbelief and then in just plan admiration.

At his best, Crawford has been The Sweetest Scientist of his generation. But the proof was always elusive for the welterweight from Omaha, a midwestern city in a state known more for college football, wheat and Warren Buffett than boxing.

“Nobody believed me,’’ Crawford said in a ring crowded with his fans, officials and cops.

They do, now.

Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) was at his scientific best, breaking down fighters in a way nobody ever has. Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) had never been knocked down. Crawford floored him three times, once in the second and twice in the seventh.

Crawford’s many – now former – critics often complained about his resume. The question was always:

Who have you fought?

Spence and his trainer, Derrick James, asked exactly that question just a few days before opening bell.

But he dominated Spence as much as he has everyone else in his era. Perhaps, more so.

To wit: Crawford found himself in tougher fights against Shawn Porter and Jose Benavidez Jr. Porter’s dad threw in the towel after 10 rounds. Benavidez didn’t fall until the 12^th and final round.

Dominance defines Crawford, explains his era. He’s been so dominant that it’s almost hard to believe. Until now.

“It means everything because of who I took the belts from,’’ said Crawford, who added Spence’s three belts, giving him an undisputed four for the second time in his career. “They tried to blackball me. They kept me out. They talked bad about me. They said I wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t beat these welterweights.

“I just kept my head to the sky and kept praying to God that I would get the opportunity to show the world how great Terence Crawford is. Tonight, I believe I showed how great I am.”

There was no argument from Spence, who fought for only the third time since his scary auto accident.

“My timing was a little bit off,’’ Spence said.  “He was just the better man tonight.

“He was just throwing the hard jab. He was timing with his jab. His timing was just on point. I wasn’t surprised by his speed or his accuracy. It was everything I thought.

“We gotta do it again. I’m going to be a lot better. It’ll be a lot closer. It’ll probably be in December and the end of the year. I say we gotta do it again. Hopefully, it will happen 154 (pounds).”

Their contract includes a rematch clause. But Crawford’s dominance might erode the public demand for a sequel.

It was apparent in the second round. Crawford threw a left hand. Then a jab. Then a precise combination. Spence was down, down for the first time in his career. He looked confused. Defeat was on his horizon for the first time.

Seven rounds later, defeat was reality.

In the seventh, Crawford dropped Spence with a counter. He dropped him again with a right hook set up by an uppercut to the body.

It was just a matter of time. That time arrived in the ninth. Referee Harvey Dock looked at Spence, bloodied in the face and standing unsteady legs. Dock ended at 2:32 of the ninth.

“It was a good stoppage,’’ Crawford said.

It’s been an even better era..

Isaac Cruz wins split decision

Isaac Cruz is built like a boulder. He moves like one.too. He tirelessly pursues, picking up momentum from round to round like a stone moving down a slight incline. Don’t get on his way. Giovanni Cabrera did. Punishment was the price.

Somehow, Cabrera stayed upright. Somehow, he survived.

But he lost anyway, losing a debatable split-decision to the stronger, more aggressive Cruz Saturday night in the last fight before the long-awaited Crawford-Spence main event.

Two judges scored it for Cruz, 114-113 and 115-112. A third judge, Glenn Feldman had it 114-113 for Cabrera. Fledman’s score was announced first. The crowd groaned. But there was no outrage this time. Just questions.

“I thought I dominated the first,” Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs), of Mexico City, said through an  interpreter.

So did the crowd. But Cruz, who put himself in line for a shot at lightweight champion Tank Davis, hurt himself by holding in the eighth round. He was penalized a point. He also could never knock down the game Cabrera (21-1, 7 KOs, who is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach.  

Repeatedly, Cruz fired menacing shots from a crouch. Lefts and rights from all angles were launched as Cruz seemed to spring up and forward at the taller Cabrera. A couple of the shots, successive left, landed and echoed throughout an arena that was beginning to fill up with restless anxious for the Crawford-Spence showdown.

40-year-old Nonito Donaire loses bid for another title

It was a Filipino hello. And a Filipino goodbye

A T-Mobile Arena crowd welcomed back Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao as a fan at about the same time it prepared to say goodbye to Nonito Donaire as a fighter.

It was a moment, a slice of Filipino history, that transpired late in a  Donaire loss to Mexican Alexandndro Santiago for the World Boxing Council’s bantamweight title in a pay-per-view bout Saturday on the Spence-Crawford card.

Doniare, certain to be a Hall of Famer, didn’t say he would retire in the immediate aftermath of a unanimous-decision defeat.

“I love the sport tso much,” said Donaire, a 116-112, 115-113, 116-112 loser.  “But I’ll have to go back, talk to wife and see what’s next.”

A long twelve rounds was evidence that very little is left. Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs) looked every bit his age. He’s 40. He had hoped to become the oldest bantamweight champion ever. But Santiago proved repeatedly that it’s a younger man’s sport. Santiago (28-35, 14 KOs) displayed more energy and quicker feet.  

He made Donaire look almost stationary. The middle-aged Filipino no longer had the energy in his legs or feet to set up the Donaire power that still echoes over his many many years in the ring.

Yoenis Telez wins third-round stoppage

He was the stand-in. He also was the last one standing.

Yoenis Tellez, a substitute for injured junior-middleweight prospect Jesus Ramos of Casa Grande AZ, delivered power that surprised Sergio Garcia and then beat him Saturday in the Showtime pay-per-view opener on the Errol Spence-Terence Crawford card at T-Mobile Arena.

Tellez (6-0, 5 KOs), a Cuban, rocked Garcia (34-3, 14 KOs) with a right hand set up by a glancing left. Garcia’s knees buckled. It looked as if he might go down. But he caught himself and quickly sprung back up. This time, Telez was there to meet the Spaniard with anotherleft tnat  put him down.

Again, Gracia jumped up .But he had an uncertain look in his eyes as referee Robert Hoyle counted. Then, Garcia stumbled  as he tried to walk to his corner. That’s when Hoyle ended it, a TKO at 2:02 of the third round.

Steven Nelson remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Rowdy Legend Montgomery in a super middleweight fight.

Nelson, 167.8 lbs of Omaha, NE won by scores 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 19-0. Montgomery, 166.8 lbs of Victorville, CA is 10-5-1.

Jose Salas stopped Aston Palicte in round four of their 10-round super bantamweight.

Salas dropped Palicte to a knee in round four. Palicte got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Salas is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Palicte is 28-8-1.

Jabin Chollet wins second-round TKO

Jabin Chollet probably broke more of a sweat after the fight than he did during it.

Chollet (8-0, 7 KOs) headed out,  back into Vegas”s meltdown heat, after some quick work, a second-round stoppage  of Michael Portales (3-2-1, 1 KO) in a lightweight bout on the non-televised portion of the Spence-Crawford card Saturday at T-Mobile.

The overmatched Portales, of Hayward CA, was simply too small for Chollet, of San Diego. 

Demier Zamora wins easily, scores a scorecard shutout of Buzolin

He calls himself The War Machine. But there was no war Saturday. More like maneuvers.

Las Vegas lightweight Demier Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs) had all of the right ones, out-maneuvering Nikolai Buzolin (9-5-1, 5 KOs), of Brooklyn NY,  throughout eight rounds for a shutout decision in the third fight on the Crawford-Spence card. 

DeShawn Prather scores knockdown, wins narrow decision

Only a knockdown separated DeShawn Prather from Kevin Ventura .

A fifth round knockdown of Ventura allowed Prather to escape with a narrow victory in a welterweight fight Saturday afternoon about six hours before the Spence-Crawford showdown for the undisputed welterweight title at T-Mobile..

Prather (16-1, 2 KOs), of Kansas City, got a unanimous decision, 57-56 on all three cards against Ventura (11-1, 8 KOs), of Omaha.

First Bell: Spence-Crawford card off to a hot start

On the streets, there was no way to avoid the 112-degree heat. Inside T-Mobile Arena, there was no avoiding Justin Viloria.

Viloria (3-0, 3 KOs) got the Errol Spence-Terence Crawford show off to a hot start in a Saturday matinee, scoring a fourth-round stoppage of Pedro Borgaro (4-1, 2 KOs) in a junior-lightweight bout.

The aggressive Viloria, of Whittier CA, went on to land successive shots. By the fourth, a tiring Borgaro, of Mexico, looked defenseless. At 41 seconds of the round, referee Robert Hoyle ended it.

LAS VEGAS – July 12, 2023 – Future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire will battle Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship on the SHOWTIME PPV undercard for Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford on Saturday, July 29 in a Premier Boxing Champions events from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

In the telecast opener, top prospect Yoenis Tellez, who is guided by renowned trainer Ronnie Shields will take on Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction. Garcia was originally scheduled to face Jesus Ramos Jr. However Ramos was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury.

The Donaire vs. Santiago fight, which was originally scheduled to take place July 15, will be the second fight of the pay-per-view. The previously announced Gurgen Hovhannisyan vs. Viktor Faust bout was removed after Faust was forced to withdraw because of a back injury.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

One of the sport’s most accomplished active fighters, Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs) has captured titles at flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight. He will look to make another run at bantamweight after capturing the title with a May 2021 knockout of Nordine Oubaali and eventually a defeat to Naoya Inoue in their June 2022 rematch. Representing his native Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, Donaire’s previous campaign at bantamweight began in 2018 by upsetting then unbeaten champion Ryan Burnett in his hometown to capture a title once again, before eventually dropping the belt in the 2019 Fight of the Year in his first matchup against Inoue.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to become a world champion once again on an already historic night for boxing,” said Donaire. “I’m thankful to my team for this opportunity and I’m going to do everything I can to make the most of it. We’re working really hard on defense and being as fast as possible. It’s been an amazing camp and I can’t wait to get in the ring.”

A native of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, Santiago (27-3-5, 14 KOs) will compete for a bantamweight crown for the first time in his career on July 15, as he enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak since a majority decision loss to Gary Antonio Russell in November 2021. The 27-year-old had previously fought for a 115-pound championship in September 2018, battling Jerwin Ancajas to a split-draw. Santiago most recently avenged one of the draws on his record, as he stopped Antonio Nieves in seven rounds last October.

“I have been waiting five years to get another world title opportunity, so another two weeks is nothing,” said Santiago. “I’m still focused and working hard. The objective and target is still the same. I’m very fortunate and would like to thank my team for this great opportunity to be part of such an amazing event on July 29.”

The 23-year-old Tellez (5-0, 4 KOs) is the latest young standout from boxing-rich Cuba looking to make a splash early in the pro ranks. A native of Santiago de Cuba, Tellez now trains in Stafford, Texas with Shields and first turned pro in June 2020. Tellez has already scored two victories in 2023, including most recently earning a shutout unanimous decision over Cameron Krael in May.

“I’m super excited to be a part of this huge event,” said Tellez. “Spence vs. Crawford is the best fight in boxing and it is a blessing to be part of this big night and facing a legit top-10 contender in Sergio Garcia. I look forward to boxing fans seeing a new star of the super welterweight division. I can’t wait to shine under the bright lights!”

Garcia (34-2, 14 KOs) returned to the ring in April to defeat Ricardo Sebastian Cabana before he steps into the ring for his third stateside bout on July 29. His only career defeats have come via decision as he dropped a December 2021 bout against top contender Sebastian Fundora and an April 2022 clash against former world champion Tony Harrison. Fighting out of Torrelavega, Cantabria, Spain, the 30-year-old has competed professionally since 2012. He ascended the rankings by traveling to the U.K. to defeat then unbeaten Ted Cheeseman on his home soil in 2019 and followed that up with a triumph over veteran contender Sergey Rabchenko.

“I’m very thankful to my team for keeping me on this exceptional card,” said Garcia. “I’m very happy to be able to show my boxing skills to the whole world. It is very unfortunate what happened to Rams, but these things happen in boxing. Now I’m facing Tellez, who is at a much higher level than his record shows. He’s a great fighter and I’m going to give it my all to beat him. I know that a good performance on a big card in the U.S. will put me right on the doorstep of a world title.”

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