ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA – Cruiserweight contender Blake McKernan ended a two-year sabbatical last August and will now fight for the third time in his return on Saturday night as he takes on short notice replacement Jurmain McDonald in the eight-round main event at the Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Fighters for the ten-bout card weighed-in Friday morning at Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ in nearby Rocklin.
McKernan (15-2, 8 KOs) of Sacramento, California scored fourth-round stoppages in both of his bouts last year, stopping Jasper McCargo on his feet in August and dropping Milton Nunez to a knee to force the last stoppage at the Venue this past October. The two fights last year ended a long layoff induced by multiple shoulder surgeries and a bout with severe sepsis. McKernan originally prepared for veteran Shawn Miller, a naturally larger opponent than he will end up meeting in his replacement. McKernan weighed-in at 195.5-pounds on Friday.
McDonald (8-7, 3 KOs) of Jefferson City, Missouri is a recent entrant into the cruiserweight division, as he ended a two-plus year layoff this past January, scoring a four-round decision in his 200-pound debut. Prior to the time away, McDonald fought at middleweight and will likely look to use his footwork and movement on Saturday, as he was not a puncher at the 160-pound weight class. McDonald made the cruiserweight limit of 200-pounds on Friday.
Power-punching middleweight prospect Islam Abdusamadov (4-0, 2 KOs) of Santa Clara, California by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia will take on gatekeeper Josias Gonzales (2-4-1) of Whittier, California by way of Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico in a four-round bout. Abdusamadov, coming off of a four-round unanimous decision at the Venue last October, weighed-in at 157-pounds Friday. Gonzales, whose previous opponents all combined have only one loss among them, scaled 148-pounds on Friday.
Exciting featherweight prospect Kyle Lacanlale (3-0, 2 KOs) of San Ramon, California will take a step-up against better-than-his-record Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) of Lancaster County, South Carolina in a four-rounder. Lacanlale, fighting for the fourth time since turning pro in late August, weighed-in at 124-pounds on Friday. The well-traveled Badillo, who has never fought an opponent with a prior loss, weighed-in at 126.5-pounds.
Jessie James Guerrero (4-0-3, 4 KOs) of Gilroy, California returns to the ring on Saturday against Antonio Vallecillo Velasquez (0-1) of Richmond, California by way of Chinandega, Nicaragua in a four-round flyweight bout. Guerrero, came away with a draw last time out against Bryan Santiago last October, and Vallecillo Velasquez, fighting for the first time since May of 2023, both scaled 110.5-pounds on Friday.
Making his 2025 debut, Braulio Ceja Navarro (3-0, 2 KOs) of Concord, California will take on veteran journeyman David Minter (4-6, 3 KOs) of Lincoln in a four-round light welterweight bout. Ceja Navarro’s original opponent was a late scratch and the Concord native agreed to step up in weight to meet Minter and keep his spot on the card Saturday. Ceja Navarro, normally a super featherweight, weighed-in at 138.9-pounds on Friday. Minter, no stranger to testing undefeated pros, scaled 139.5-pounds.
In what is sure to be an action fight, Christian Avalos (3-1-2) of Carson City, Nevada will take on Ebert Diaz (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Avalos, winner of three straight bouts, weighed-in at 135-pounds on Friday. Diaz, coming off of a decisive victory over previously unbeaten Kevin Montano, scaled 134.8-pounds.
Former amateur standout Sergio Gonzalez, who trains out of Caballero’s Boxing Gym in Sacramento, will make his highly-anticipated debut in a four-round junior middleweight bout against Miguel Soto-Garcia (1-4) of Fresno, California by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. Gonzalez weighed-in at 149-pounds, while Soto-Garcia scaled 150.5.
Vikash Deol (1-0, 1 KO) of Hayward, California will end a six-year absence when he meets Herman Hodnett (0-1) of Oroville, California in a four-round heavyweight bout. Deol weighed-in at 230-pounds, while the much taller Hodnett came in at 246.
Junior middleweight prospect Dante Kirkman (3-0, 1 KO) of Palo Alto, California will make his 2025 debut against Jose Cruz (2-6, 1 KO) of El Monte, California in a four-round bout. Kirkman, finishing up his undergraduate degree at Stanford University this semester, weighed-in at 158-pounds, while Cruz made the 160-pound middleweight limit.
In what promises to be a crowd-pleaser, Pedro Angel Cruz (3-6, 2 KOs) of San Jose, California will open the night as he takes on Luciano Ramos (2-8) of Stockton, California by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina in a six-round welterweight fight. Cruz weighed-in at 143-pounds, while Ramos scaled 142.5-pounds on Friday.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
Cruiserweights, 8 Rounds
McKernan 195.5
McDonald 200
Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Abdusamadov 157
Gonzalez 148
Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Lacanlale 124
Badillo 126.5
Flyweights, 4 Rounds
Guerrero 110.5
Vallecillo Velasquez 110.5
Light welterweights, 4 Rounds
Ceja Navarro 138.9
Minter 139.5
Lightweights, 6 Rounds
Avalos 135
Diaz 134.8
Light middleweights, 4 Rounds
Gonzales 149
Soto-Garcia 150.5
Heavyweights, 4 Rounds
Deol 230
Hodnett 246
Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Kirkman 158
Cruz 160
Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Cruz 143
Ramos 142.5
Tickets for the event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, are available online at uppercutpro.com
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]
