Keyshawn Davis stopped Denys Berinchyk in round four to win the WBO Lightweight title at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

In round three, Davis landed a left to the body that put Berinchyk on a knee for a knockdown. In round four, it was another left to the body to liver as Berinchyk tried to come in and throw punches that put Berinchyk on the deck for the 10-count at

Davis, 134.2 lbs of Norfolk, VA is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Berinchyk, 134.6 lbs of Kyiv, UKR is 19-1.

Davis said, “It was an amazing feeling. Right before I knocked him out, I was hearing the crowd saying, ‘Norfolk! Norfolk! Norfolk!’ I was like, ‘I’ve got to knock him out now! Boom!’”

“I never really had problems with awkward fighters. The only thing that was giving me trouble was how he kept jumping in and out. And he was a little faster than I expected. As the rounds went on, I got more comfortable in there, and in the fourth round, I did it to him.”

“My son was here. I had to show up for my son, Keyshawn Jr. He was in the crowd watching me. It means a lot to me now. When he looks back at this day, he’s going to be proud of his father.”

“I want anybody who has the balls to step in the ring and fight me. There are two 135-pound champions that I would love to fight. If they have the guts to step in the ring with ‘The Businessman,’ tell them to send me a contract, or I can send them one.”

Xander Zayas Stops Slawa Spomer in 9

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a ninth round stoppage of Slawa Spomer in a battled of undefeated junior middleweights.

In round one, Spomer began to bleed from his nose.

In round nine, Zayas hurt Spomer with a left hook to the body. Spomer retreated to the ropes and Zayas pounced on Spomer with a flurry of punches until Zayas doubled over Spomer again with a another left to the body, and the fight was stopped at 2:01.

Zayas, 153.2 lbs of San Juan, PR is 21-0 with 13 knockouts. Spomer, 153.2 lbs of Heilbromn, GER is 20-1.

Zayas said, “I knew from the first round that he would wear down little by little. In the third or fourth, I hurt him, and he got me with a good shot. But I went to my corner, and they told me to keep fighting intelligently because we had 10 rounds to wear him down. And by the eighth and ninth, they told me, let’s step it up with the combinations, and we started to land with more power to get the finish.”

“On paper, he was my toughest opponent to date, and I stopped him. I have passed every test that has been put in front of me, and I feel I’m ready to fight for a world title right now. I want that next.”

Mielnicki and Coyle Battle To Majority Draw

Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Connor Coyle battled to a 10-round majority draw in a middleweight fight.

In round four, Mielnicki was bleeding from his mouth. In the same round, Coyle was cut around his left eye.

Mielnicki landed 146 of 546 punches. Coyle was 98 of 520.

Mielnicki, 159.4 lbs of Roseland, NJ took a card by a 96-94 tally while two judges had it even at 95-95. Mielnicki is now 20-1-1. Coyle, 158.3 lbs of Derry, NI is 21-0-1.

Juanmita Lopez DeJesus needed just 59 seconds to win his pro debut over Bryan Santiago in a four-round junior bantamweight bout.

DeJesus landed a left uppercut that put Santiago down and out.

Dejesus, 113.8 lbs of Caguas, PR is the son of former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez. Santiago, 113.6 lbs of Weslaco, TX is 1-2-1.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated by dropping Manuel Jaimes four-times enroute to a fourth round stoppage in a eight-round lightweight bout.

In round Mason dropped Jaimes with a step-back left uppercut. Mason scored another knockdown in round three from another left hand.. In round four, Mason dropped Jaimes with a right hook that was followed by a left. Mason finished off Jaimes when he dumped him agaion the canvas with a straight left hand that was followed by two right hooks at 1:55.

Mason, 136.2 lbs of Cleveland is 17-0 with 15 knockouts. Jaimes, 137 lbs of Stockton, CA is 16-3-1.

“I said the same thing {about no longer being called a prospect}. We say the same thing. We want the belts, world championship,” Mason said. “I gotta keep doing what I’m doing and making these guys look the way I’ve been doing since I turned pro.”

Rohan Polanco stopped Jean Carlos Torres in round two of their 10-round welterweight fight.

In round one, Polanco dropped Torres with a leaping left hook to the temple In round two, it was a left hook that d put Torres down again. Seconds later, it was a big right hand that rocked Torres and one punch later the fight was stopped at 1:48.

Polanco, 146.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Torres, 147 lbs of Trujillo Alto, PR is 22-2.

Keon Davis stopped Ira Johnson in round two of their four-round welterweight fight.

In round two, Davis dropped Johnson with a left hook to the body. Then it was a flurry that was capped by a right over the top that put Johnson down for 10-count at 1:38.

Davis, 149.2 lbs of Norfolk, VA is 2-0 with one knockout. Johnson, 148.2l lbs of Kansas City is 3-3.

Jared Anderson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Marios Kollias in a heavyweight bout.

In round four, Kollias started to swell under his left eye.

ANerson, 256.8 lbs of Toledo won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 18-1. Kollias, 235.4 lbs of Pares, GRE is 12-4-1.

Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. scored an upset six-round split decision over Nico Ali Walsh in a middleweight fight.

Guerra, 1578.8 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 58-56 twice and 58-56 for Walsh. Guerra is now 6-1-1. Waksh, 15.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 11-2.

 •  Denys Berinchyk 134.6 lbs. vs. Keyshawn Davis 134.2 lbs
(Berinchyk’s WBO Lightweight World Title – 12 Rounds)

   • Xander Zayas 153.2 lbs vs. Slawa Spomer 153.2 lbs
(Zayas’ NABF & NABO Junior Middleweight Title — 10 Rounds)

   • Vito Mielnicki Jr. 159.4 lbs vs. Connor Coyle 158.8 lbs
(Vacant USBA, WBC USA & WBO International Middleweight Titles — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT)

•  Juanmita Lopez De Jesus 113.8 lbs vs. Bryan Santiago 113.6 lbs
 (Junior Bantamweight — 4 Rounds)

•  Abdullah Mason 136.2 lbs vs. Manuel Jaimes 137 lbs
 (Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Rohan Polanco 146.4 lbs vs. Jean Carlos Torres 147 lbs
 (Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Keon Davis 149.2 lbs vs. Ira Johnson 148.2 lbs
 (Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

•   Jared Anderson 256.8 lbs vs. Marios Kollias 235.4 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Nico Ali Walsh 157.2 lbs vs. Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. 157.8 lbs
 (Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

NEW YORK CITY (Feb. 12, 2025) — Keyshawn Davis is on the verge of the biggest moment of his career.

Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) will challenge Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) for the WBO lightweight world title this Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The 25-year-old gets his first shot at world title glory against a fellow Olympic silver medalist determined to hold onto his crown.

The fight took on a deeply personal turn during Thursday’s press conference after Davis accused Berinchyk of delivering a box of bananas and a watermelon to his room, an act he deemed racist, while Berinchyk dismissed the claim as a manufactured controversy.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican contender Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) looks to defend his WBO No. 1 ranking against fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs).

New Jersey-born middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) kicks off the broadcast in a 10-round showdown against world-ranked Irishman Connor Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

Berinchyk-Davis, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT and features the pro debut of second-generation Puerto Rican star Juanmita Lopez De Jesus, son of former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, in a four-round junior bantamweight tilt against Bryan Santiago (1-1-1, 1 KO).

Undefeated lightweight southpaw Abdullah Mason (16-0, 14 KOs) takes on Manuel Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder, while Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (14-0, 9 KOs) looks to edge closer to a title shot in a 10-round welterweight clash against Jean Carlos Torres (22-1, 17 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

This is what the fighters said at Wednesday’s press conference:

Denys Berinchyk

“I don’t speak English, and I don’t write English.  I saw his message on social media. It’s weird even to mention this. Some people with bad intentions looking for some hype made that.”
 
“The first thing you need to do is make weight. And afterward, on Friday, we’re going to sort it out.”
 
“Since winning my title, I’ve been training the entire time. And I was preparing for this defense. Nothing changed too much in my life. We have a war in Ukraine. So, unfortunately, my life didn’t change much.”
 
“I never imagined myself fighting here. But I’ve been working hard for 25 years to make my dream come true and accomplish this assignment.”
 
“I have 355 amateur fights. I have more than 500 victorious street fights. I have one bare-knuckle fight that was also victorious.” 

Keyshawn Davis

“I want to address the fact that this guy came to America to give me bananas and a watermelon with a note on it. It’s unprofessional, and I feel like it’s racist. And you just made this fight a little more personal. This man brought a box of bananas and a watermelon to America to bring to my room. I took it as racist. So, I got something for you.”
 
“Ya’ll did it. It’s OK that ya’ll did it. I’m going to whoop your ass for it. Just know what’s coming Friday night.”
 
“It’s a real blessing. When he called my name out after he won his last fight, I had a feeling in my spirit that I was going to fight him for the world championship. I never thought it would be at Madison Square Garden.”
 
“You’re not tougher than me. You can talk about all that bare-knuckle stuff. I come from what I come from. I’ve been doing this bare-knuckle s**t outside the ring. So, all that s**t you’re talking about, I don’t care. I’m going to f**k you up this Friday. 
 
I don’t care about none of your experience or amateur experience. I don’t care about your silver medal. I don’t even care about your watch, your belt, or any of that. I’m going to f**k you up on Friday.”

Xander Zayas

“I feel amazing. Fight No. 7 here at the ‘Mecca of Boxing.’ New York is like a second home now. I’m excited to put on a show for the fans once again and to put the 154-pound weight class on notice. I’m coming for the world title next.”
 
“This means the world to me. He’s ranked at No. 11 in the WBO for a reason. He’s 20-0 for a reason. He has good victories behind him. But I’m looking forward to becoming 21-0 on Friday night and to the great opportunities coming next in 2025.”

“I’ve been here since Saturday. We had 10 weeks of training camp. I’m one step away from the main goal. I have to beat him to get there, so I’m going to prove that I belong at the elite level.”
 
Slawa Spomer

“I want to show that I belong at the top. Xander is also a top boxer, and I want to climb to the top. In order to get there, you have to fight the best fighters in the world. That’s why I’m here.”

“Camp with Roy Jones Jr. was amazing. So, two dreams have come true. One was to fight at Madison Square Garden, and the other was to prepare with Roy Jones Jr. The preparation and camp were very good. I’ve been in the game long, so I didn’t need to learn the basics. But now, I see different things because of what Roy has taught me. So, I’m proud of that opportunity.”

Vito Mielnicki Jr.

“This is exciting. I’m fighting on the main card on ESPN, which is another great opportunity. I feel blessed to be in this position.”
 
“The goal is to keep climbing and fighting better opposition. This is definitely my toughest to date on paper. And I’m just excited to show what I’ve been working on and how I’ve grown as a fighter. I’m going to put on a dominating performance on Friday.”
 
“This is everything I’ve dreamt of as a kid. This is everything I’ve ever wanted. So we’re going to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Connor Coyle

“I’ve been looking for big fights. But I never got them. It’s not like I was ducking or dodging people. I’ve just had to fight whoever was put in front of me.”
 
“I believe this is my opportunity now, and I’m happy this is at MSG.”
 
“You’ll see the best version of me. I spent 12 weeks in total away from my kids and family. It was the best camp I’ve had, mentally and physically. I’ve had the best sparring. And this is my opportunity, so I have to grab it with both hands.”

Rohan Polanco

“I’ve moved up in weight, so this camp was more intense, and I did more weight training. The sparring was intense, too. But for this fight, I feel very good. I have a lot of experience. I know that my opponent has a lot of experience as well. I think that with my boxing skills, I will walk away victorious.”
 
“My trainer, Hector Bermudez, is very intelligent. He is always teaching me how to adapt to professional boxing because I had such a long career as an amateur. We have meshed well, and I believe it was a great decision for my career to have chosen him.”
 
“The plan is to keep winning so I can keep positioning myself until I get a world title opportunity. That is what we are looking for.”
 
Abdullah Mason
 
“From my last fight, I learned to fight smart and make sure I listen to my corner. Every time I’m tuned into them, the easier the fight is. I did get up and do exceptionally well, but I need to fight smart.”
 
“I see myself up there with the guys who hold the titles. Skill-wise, I feel like I’m able to hold my own in one of those fights and come out on top. But we’re proving ourselves, and we’ll keep taking those steps forward. Hopefully, we grab a smaller title later this year.”
 
Juanmita Lopez de Jesus
 
“I want to make my people in Puerto Rico proud, so I’m going to show what I’m made of and what I bring to the table. This is definitely a different experience. I’ve never had this kind of attention before, so I’m very excited.”

Friday, February 14

ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk, 12 rounds, Berinchyk’s WBO Lightweight World Title

Xander Zayas vs. Slawa Spomer, 10 rounds, Zayas’ NABF & NABO Junior Middleweight Titles

Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Connor Coyle, 10 rounds, Vacant USBA, WBC USA & WBO International Middleweight Titles
 

ESPN+ (5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT)

Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Bryan Santiago, 4 rounds, junior bantamweight

Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes, 8 rounds, lightweight

Rohan Polanco vs. Jean Carlos Torres 10 rounds, welterweight

Keon Davis vs. Ira Johnson, 4 rounds, welterweight

Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias, 10 rounds, heavyweight

Nico Ali Walsh vs. Juan Carlos Guerra Jr., 6 rounds, middleweight

*The Tiger Johnson-Quashawn Toler fight was canceled due to Toler being overweight. 

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn will be presented live this Friday, February 14, at 9:00p.m. ET/ 6:00p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The event takes place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

WBO lightweight world champion Denys Berinchyk will make the first defense of his title against the undefeated fighting pride of Norfolk, Virginia, Keyshawn Davis.

Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) built an impressive career as an amateur member of Ukraine’s national team alongside boxing greats Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk. After winning the European title in 2022, he secured the WBO lightweight world championship with a hard-fought victory over Emanuel Navarrete last May. Now, he prepares for his first title defense, stepping in as the underdog against Davis.

Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) rose to the WBO No. 1 ranking in less than four years, showcasing the skills that made him the most accomplished American amateur of his generation. In 2023, he dominated former European champion Francesco Patera and stopped former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza. He capped the year with a statement win, knocking out Gustavo Lemos in two rounds before a sold-out hometown crowd.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican standout Xander Zayas steps up against fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer.

Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs), the WBO No. 1 contender, spent 2024 fighting at The Theater. He headlined Puerto Rican Day Parade Weekend in June, coasting past former world champion Patrick Teixeira over 10 rounds. Three months later, as the co-feature to the Sandy Ryan-Mikaela Mayer main event, he shut out Mexico’s Damian Sosa. The San Juan native made his pro debut as a 17-year-old in 2019 and currently holds a pair of regional titles. 

Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs) has beaten three undefeated prospects in his career. In October 2023, the German defeated the highly touted French standout Milan Prat in 10 rounds. Spomer returned 13 months later and picked up a first-round TKO over Adam Ngange in Dubai.

In the 10-round televised opener, New Jersey-born middleweight Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) looks to upend undefeated, world-ranked contender Connor “The Kid” Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

The action-packed undercard bouts begin at 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. PT on ESPN+.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna will call the action.

ESPN.com:

Feb. 13: Who’s next: Timothy Bradley Jr. picks the future standouts in every division (ESPN+)

Timothy Bradley Jr. evaluates the talent in every boxing division and shares his thoughts on who are most likely to be contenders.

ESPN Original Series “The Fight Life” chronicles a year in the world of Top Rank Boxing through the journeys of five of the sport’s elite boxers: Tyson Fury, Naoya Inoue, Seniesa Estrada, Teofimo Lopez, and Josh Taylor.

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

Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn (All Times ET)

NEW YORK CITY (Feb. 11, 2025) – Fight week has arrived for “The Businessman” as he closes in on his biggest deal yet—his first world title.

Undefeated U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) will challenge Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) for the WBO lightweight world title this Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The 25-year-old contender who began his pro career in 2021 now takes his biggest step yet toward superstardom.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) takes on fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs).

New Jersey-born middleweight Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) will open the broadcast in a 10-rounder versus Connor “The Kid” Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT) will feature top contenders and a slew of decorated prospects.

• Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Bryan Santiago, 4 rounds, junior bantamweight
• Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes, 8 rounds, lightweight
• Rohan Polanco vs. Jean Carlos Torres, 10 rounds, welterweight
• Keon Davis vs. Ira Johnson, 4 rounds, welterweight
• Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias, 10 rounds, heavyweight
• Tiger Johnson vs. Quashawn Toler, 8 rounds, welterweight
• Nico Ali Walsh vs. Juan Guerra Jr., 6 rounds, middleweight

Original Programming

Blood, Sweat & Tears: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn: An inside look at both camps as they prepare for their most important showdown to date, with a deep dive into Davis’ path to his first world title opportunity.

Abdullah Mason: Appetite for Smoke: A special feature on rising lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason, the Cleveland-born uber-talent who is on the precipice of world title contention.

Blood, Sweat & Tears and Appetite for Smoke are available now on Top Rank’s YouTube Channel, while new episodes of Top Rank Real Time, a behind-the-scenes look at the fighters and their camps, will premiere every day throughout the week.

Fight Week Schedule:

Before Friday’s event, fight week activities will stream live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Tuesday, February 11: Face-Off at One World Observatory
Keyshawn Davis and Denys Berinchyk meet face-to-face high above New York City.

Highlights from the event will be featured on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Wednesday, February 12: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Final Presser
2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Thursday, February 13: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Official Weigh-In
12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Friday, February 14: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Fight Night

Undercard Stream
5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT
LIVE and exclusively on ESPN+

ESPN Broadcast
9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+
 

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 7, 2025) — “The Businessman” is ready to get down to the business of capturing a world title.

Keyshawn Davis, the latest fighting sensation from Norfolk, Virginia, will challenge undefeated Ukrainian and fellow Olympic silver medalist Denys Berinchyk for the WBO lightweight world title on Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berinchyk-Keyshawn headlines an ESPN-televised tripleheader that features Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) taking on fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.

New Jersey-born middleweight Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) will open the broadcast in a 10-rounder versus Connor “The Kid” Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com. 

Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) transitioned from Tokyo Olympic silver medalist to elite contender in quick fashion, emerging as one of the sport’s brightest young stars. In February 2024, he dismantled two-division world champion Jose Pedraza over six one-sided rounds. Davis outclassed Mexican puncher Miguel Madueño across 10 in July and closed out the year with a statement-making second-round knockout of Gustavo Lemos in front of a sold-out hometown crowd at Scope Arena. Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs), who captured his silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, shook up the division last May by vanquishing Emanuel Navarrete via split decision to claim the vacant WBO lightweight crown.

Following a recent training session in Las Vegas, this is what Davis said:

“I’m very excited. Madison Square Garden. New York City, that’s my second home. I have family out there, so I’m ready to turn up for them. Madison Square Garden is legendary. And now that I’m fighting for my first world title there, it means even more.”

“He’s undefeated, and nobody wants to lose their unbeaten record. He’s coming off his biggest win, which was against Emanuel Navarrete. He also has a lot more experience than I do. And this isn’t for a vacant title. I have to take it from him.”

“I’ve never fought his style of boxing as a professional. It’s something new to me in professional boxing. But, if you liked my last fight, you’ll be in for the same treat, a magnificent performance, a hell of a showdown, and something you can’t miss.”

“I feel super strong. I feel motivated. I feel locked in. Nothing can steer me away from my goal of becoming a world champion on February 14. I feel great, and I’m ready to put on a show.”

“I can only think about my world title. But depending on how crazy I knock Berinchyk out, I’m going to be one of those big names that people are going to want to get in the ring with. I’d be putting myself down if I talk about fighting ‘big names’ because I can become one of those big names on February 14.”

NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 9, 2025) — Heavyweight contender Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson is ready for a fresh start in 2025. The once-beaten puncher from Toledo, Ohio, returns in a 10-rounder against Marios Kollias on Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Anderson-Kollias joins a stacked ESPN+-streamed undercard headlined by the WBO lightweight world title showdown between reigning champion Denys Berinchyk and unbeaten American standout Keyshawn Davis. 

The undercard will also feature the pro debut of second-generation Puerto Rican star Juanmita Lopez De Jesus, who will take on Bryan Santiago (1-1-1) in a four-round junior bantamweight tilt. Rising welterweight prospect Keon Davis will see action in a four-rounder against an opponent to be named.

Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Xander Zayas-Slawa Spomer, and Vito Mielnicki Jr.-Connor Coyle will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. 

The undercard will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are ON SALE NOW via Ticketmaster.com.

“I still believe Jared Anderson is one of the most formidable heavyweights in the world, and I expect him to return with a vengeance this year,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Juanmita has the family and amateur pedigree to become a world champion and one of the faces of Puerto Rican boxing. Keon Davis is a tremendously talented young fighter. What a night of fights we have in store for fans at the MSG Theater.”

Anderson (17-1, 15 KOs), a one-time Team USA amateur prodigy, turned pro in October 2019 and registered seven knockout wins in less than 13 months. He graduated from prospect to contender with one-sided victories over Jerry Forrest, George Arias, and former world champion Charles Martin. Anderson opened his 2024 campaign in a Top Rank on ESPN main event, notching a 10-round unanimous decision over Ryad Merhy. He stepped up to face division boogeyman Martin Bakole last August in Los Angeles, suffering three knockdowns before being stopped in the fifth. Kollias (12-3-1, 10 KOs) has not been stopped since his pro debut in 2014 and is one fight removed from a majority decision defeat to Danish upstart Kem Ljungquist.

Juanmita, the son of former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, returns to a building with family significance. Juanma won two world championship fights at The Theater, defending his WBO junior featherweight crown over Rogers Mtagwa in 2009 and winning the WBO featherweight title over Steven Luevano the following year. Juanmita, a 19-year-old from Caguas, represented Puerto Rico at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Keon Davis (1-0), Keyshawn’s youngest brother, made his professional debut last November at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. He shut out Jalen Moore over four rounds on a card headlined by Keyshawn’s second-round stoppage of Gustavo Lemos.  

NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 7, 2025) — The prince of the lightweight division is coming to The Big Apple looking to unseat the king.

WBO world champion Denys Berinchyk will make the first defense of his title against the undefeated fighting pride of Norfolk, Virginia, Keyshawn Davis, on Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican standout Xander Zayas steps up against fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer.

And, in the 10-round televised opener, New Jersey-born middleweight Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. looks to upend undefeated, world-ranked contender Connor “The Kid” Coyle.

Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets go on sale Thursday, Jan. 9 at 12 p.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com.

“Keyshawn Davis has everything it takes to be a modern-day great, but he must first defeat an unbeaten, determined Ukrainian champion in Denys Berinchyk. This has all the makings of a lightweight classic in New York City,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Xander Zayas is facing a tough, undefeated kid in Slawa Spomer, an excellent test for our Puerto Rican star as he nears a world title shot. And with Vito Mielnicki Jr. facing unbeaten Irishman Connor Coyle, we have a sensational tripleheader in store for the fans at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and watching live on ESPN.”

Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) spent nearly a decade on the Ukrainian national team as an amateur, where his teammates included pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko and two-weight undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk. He won the European title in December 2022 on the Tyson Fury-Derek Chisora 3 undercard, notching a decision over Yvan Mendy. Eight months later, he bested Anthony Yigit on the Usyk-Daniel Dubois bill in Poland, earning him a crack at Emanuel Navarrete for the vacant WBO lightweight world title. He stunned the ferocious Mexican warrior last May, tallying a split decision at Pechanga Arena San Diego. For his first title defense, Berinchyk will play the role of underdog once more, attempting to derail the Davis locomotive.

“I’m not going to make any big statements or shower my opponent with compliments,” Berinchyk said. “I’ll just say one thing: Don’t relax, dude! It won’t be an easy fight for you!” 

Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) ascended to the WBO No. 1 ranking in less than four years as a pro, showcasing the skills that made him the most accomplished American amateur of his generation. He graduated to 10-rounders in 2023, knocking out Yigit and dominating former European champion Francesco Patera to start the year. The only blemish on his record — an October 2023 decision victory over Nahir Albright that changed to a no-contest after a positive marijuana test — proved to be a minor speed bump. He stopped former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza in February and overcame Mexican puncher Miguel Madueño over 10 one-sided rounds in July. Davis authored a career-best performance last November, starching Gustavo Lemos in two rounds in front of 10,568 fans at a sold-out Scope Arena in Norfolk.

“This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. Denys Berinchyk called me out, and I answered,” Davis said. “A new era in the lightweight division begins on February 14th. Be there in person or watch it live on ESPN because what I’m going to do must be seen to be believed.”

Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs), the WBO No. 1 contender, spent 2024 fighting at The Theater. He headlined Puerto Rican Day Parade Weekend in June, coasting past former world champion Patrick Teixeira over 10 rounds. Three months later, as the co-feature to the Sandy Ryan-Mikaela Mayer main event, he shut out Mexico’s Damian Sosa. The San Juan native signed with Top Rank at 16, made his pro debut as a 17-year-old in 2019, and currently holds a pair of regional titles. 

Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs) has beaten three undefeated prospects in his career. In October 2023, the German puncher blew away highly touted French standout Milan Prat in 10 rounds. Spomer returned 13 months later and picked up a first-round TKO over Adam Ngange in Dubai.

“Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of making New York City my second home, and it fills me with pride to know that with a lot of effort and sacrifice, little by little, we have been receiving more and more love from my Puerto Ricans from ‘The Big Apple,’” Zayas said. “Fighting in front of my people at Madison Square Garden is always a great honor, and I can’t wait to give them a great night of boxing on February 14. I will show I am ready to challenge for a world title at 154 pounds. I will not back down!”

Spomer said, “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this my whole life. It’s time to show the world that I belong at the top of the sport.”

The 22-year-old Mielnicki (20-1, 12 KOs) makes his middleweight debut and is riding a 12-fight winning streak. The Garden State’s rising star signed with Top Rank last year and made his promotional debut in August with a second-round disqualification win over Laszlo Toth. He returned in September at The Theater and secured a majority decision over Khalil El Harraz. Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs), a world-ranked Irishman, is a 34-year-old veteran who turned pro in 2016 following a well-traveled amateur run. He made three defenses of a regional title from 2022-2023 and picked up his lone victory of 2024 in August with an eight-round decision over Kyle Lomotey in Barnsley, England. Coyle is no stranger to “road warrior” status, as he’s 18-0 on North American soil.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard is scheduled to include the following bouts:

• Dominican-born welterweight contender Rohan Polanco (14-0, 9 KOs) continues his march towards a world title against Puerto Rico’s Jean Carlos Torres (22-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Polanco represented his homeland at the Tokyo Olympics and has knocked out four of his last five foes. Torres has won three bouts since a 2021 stoppage defeat to Darwin Price.
   
• Rising lightweight Abdullah Mason (16-0, 14 KOs) will make his 2025 debut against Manuel Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder. The Cleveland-born Mason fought five times in 2024, stopping all his opponents in four rounds or less. Jaimes lost a 10-round decision to former world champion Rolando Romero last September.
   
• Cleveland’s Tiger Johnson (14-0, 6 KOs), an Olympic teammate of Davis’ in Tokyo, will face Cincinnati native Quashawn Toler (17-3, 12 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight battle for Ohio supremacy. This marks the fourth straight appearance at The Theater for Johnson, who went 3-0 with one knockout in 2024. In September, he won an eight-round decision over Yomar Alamo.
   
• Middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (11-1, 5 KOs), the grandson of “The Greatest,” will face an opponent to be named in a six-rounder. Ali Walsh avenged the lone loss of his career last June, overcoming a dislocated shoulder to win a unanimous decision over Sona Akale. 

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (May. 18, 2024) — Well, that was quite the encore.

On the day Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usrk captured the undisputed heavyweight title, his countryman, Denys Berinchyk, stunned the boxing world. Berinchyk defeated Emanuel Navarrete by split decision to win the vacant WBO lightweight world title Saturday evening at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) prevailed by scores of 116-112 and 115-113, while Navarrete won on the third card, 116-112. Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) failed in his attempt to become the sixth four-division, Mexican-born world champion.

Navarrete began as usual by launching forward with wild shots, often leading with uppercuts or left hooks from the outside. Berinchyk responded by using his footwork to find his distance and pepper the Mexican with quick counterpunches. 

Berinchyk’s offense didn’t hurt Navarrete, but they were enough to prevent him from implementing a sustained body attack in the early rounds. 

Urged by his corner, Navarrete upped his offense in the last half of the fight, but the 36-year-old Olympian continued to make him miss before connecting with compact, effective punches. 

“This is great, my friend. This is great. Great boxing,” Berinchyk said. “Great fight. Navarrete, muchas gracias.”

Navarrete said, “It was something new for me. Like I always said, it would be difficult. Denys is a great fighter. He made me struggle a lot. And you saw what happened. But I’m happy with how I fought. I know that I need to improve.

“I’m not sad. I know it was a test. I needed to do more, but I know that I can do more. So, I congratulate him on his win. I’m happy because I tried things out at 135 pounds, and I know I will be strong at this division.”

Brian’s Song

Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) captured the WBO Interim welterweight world title with a 10th-round knockout over hometown favorite Giovani Santillan (32-1, 17 KOs).

Santillan was the aggressor, but Norman’s quick counters and clinching nullified his offense. Santillan tried to make the most of it by punching inside the clinch, but this provided the openings for Norman to counter.

In the eighth, Norman hurt Santillan with a left hook. This changed the tide decisively to Norman’s favor, as he rallied with combinations in the following stanza. In the 10th, Norman landed a counter uppercut that dropped Santillan, who rose off the deck to be dropped by another, more devastating uppercut that floored him and ended the fight.

Norman was ahead on all three scorecards, 89-82, 88-83 and 86-85.

Norman said, “He was pressing but not hitting s**t. I made him miss and made him pay. I like going to other people’s hometowns and taking what they have. Whoever they have next for me, I’m ready for the challenge.”

Torrez Flattens Moore in 5

U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez (10-0, 10 KOs) faces his stiffest test to date and passed with flying colors.

The 24-year-old southpaw heavyweight scored a fifth-round TKO win against the previously unbeaten Brandon Moore (14-1, 8 KOs). After an early feeling-out process, Torrez began to connect with jabs to the body before unloading his straight left. Moore tried to prevent his forward attack with footwork and a stiff jab, but Torrez often countered with a right hook and found his way in.

After dropping him early in the fifth, Torrez began to pummel Moore, forcing referee Thomas Taylor to halt the contest at 1:39.

Torrez said, “I give Moore a lot of respect. Anyone who goes toe-to-toe like that deserves my respect. I expected a lot from him, but I followed the game plan and got the job done. He took some really good shots, but at the end of the day, you can only take so much.”Junior Welterweight: Emiliano Fernando Vargas (10-0, 8 KOs) battered Angel Varela (10-3, 7 KOs) en route to a sixth-round stoppage. Vargas was much quicker, countering frequently and switching to southpaw to land even more offense. After too many unanswered shots from the 20-year-old phenom, referee Ray Corona halted the bout at 1:01.

Lightweight: Team USA standout Jonny Mansour (1-0) made a successful pro debut by outpointing Anel Dudo (3-6-1) across four rounds of action. The San Diego native won with three scores of 40-36.

Junior Welterweight: Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia (13-0, 11 KOs) earned an eight-round points win over Wilfredo Flores (10-3-1, 5 KOs). Scores: 80-72 3x.

Junior Lightweight: Jonathan Lopez (15-0, 11 KOs) notched an eighth-round TKO win over Edgar Ortega (14-3-2, 7 KOs). The time of the stoppage was 2:39.

Welterweight: Art Barrera Jr. (5-0, 4 KOs) went the four-round distance for the first time in his pro career, defeating Levy Garcia Benitez (3-2-1, 2 KOs) via unanimous decision. Scores: 40-35 3x. 

 •  Emanuel Navarrete 135 lbs. vs. Denys Berinchyk 134.8 lbs
(Vacant WBO Lightweight World Title – 12 Rounds)

   •  Giovani Santillan 146.4 lbs vs. Brian Norman Jr. 146.5 lbs
(Vacant WBO Interim Welterweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 7:10 p.m. ET/4:10 p.m. PT)

•  Richard Torrez 229.9 lbs vs. Brandon Moore 229.4 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Jonny Mansour 134 lbs vs. Anel Dudo 130.8 lbs
 (Lightweight — 4 Rounds)
 
•  Emiliano Fernando Vargas 139.6 lbs vs. Angel Varela 140 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Alan Garcia 137.8 lbs vs. Wilfredo Flores 136.9 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Jonathan Lopez 127.1 lbs vs. Edgar Ortega 127.6 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Art Barrera Jr. 146 lbs vs. Levy Garcia Benitez 143.9 lbs
 (Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

*The Charlie Sheehy-Manuel Jaimes bout was canceled due to Sheehy coming in overweight. 

SAN DIEGO (May 14, 2024) — As Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) prepares to make history, he’s received overwhelming support from some of Mexico’s most revered boxing legends.

Canelo Alvarez, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Leo Santa Cruz, and Jorge “El Travieso” Arce have all extended their support to the 29-year-old fighting pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec, who will attempt to join this elite group of Mexican boxers who have captured world titles in four different weight divisions.

To watch the video featuring the Mexican legends, click HERE.

Navarrete will fight Ukrainian Olympian Denys Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO lightweight world title this Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

“It is an honor to have the backing of such esteemed champions who have inspired me to chase greatness,” said Navarrete. “Their words have motivated me to push harder and leave everything in the ring to achieve this milestone for my country and my fans.”

The support from these legends highlights the unity and camaraderie within the Mexican boxing community.

SAN DIEGO (May 14, 2024) — As Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) prepares to make history, he’s received overwhelming support from some of Mexico’s most revered boxing legends.

Canelo Alvarez, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Leo Santa Cruz, and Jorge “El Travieso” Arce have all extended their support to the 29-year-old fighting pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec, who will attempt to join this elite group of Mexican boxers who have captured world titles in four different weight divisions.

To watch the video featuring the Mexican legends, click HERE.

Navarrete will fight Ukrainian Olympian Denys Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO lightweight world title this Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

“It is an honor to have the backing of such esteemed champions who have inspired me to chase greatness,” said Navarrete. “Their words have motivated me to push harder and leave everything in the ring to achieve this milestone for my country and my fans.”

The support from these legends highlights the unity and camaraderie within the Mexican boxing community.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (April 9, 2024) —Heavyweight prospect Richard Torrez Jr., the U.S. Olympic silver medalist who has knocked out every man he’s faced, hopes to extend his streak of fallen foes. Torrez steps up against fellow unbeaten Brandon Moore on Saturday, May 18 at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

The eight-round televised opener joins a loaded bill headlined by the vacant WBO lightweight world title showdown between Mexican three-weight world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk. The 12-round welterweight co-feature, a match of undefeated contenders, will see San Diego native Giovani Santillan fight Brian Norman Jr.

Navarrete-Berinchyk, Santillan-Norman and Torrez-Moore will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“Richard Torrez Jr. is one of the most explosive and powerful young heavyweights I’ve seen, and he’s in for a big test against Brandon Moore,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “These are two unbeaten, skilled big men and a great addition to an already loaded card at Pechanga Arena San Diego.”

Torrez (9-0, 9 KOs), from the Central Valley town of Tulare, California, has been a whirlwind during his two-plus years as a pro. He has five first-round knockouts on his ledger, including a first-round TKO over Don Haynesworth last month in Glendale, Arizona. The high school valedictorian who can complete a Rubik’s cube in minutes hopes to solve his most difficult professional puzzle. Moore (14-0, 8 KOs), a 6-foot-6 boxer-puncher from Lakeland, Florida, signed with Top Rank last year. He has since won a pair of eight-round shutouts, turning away Robert Simms last November and overcoming a hard-charging Helaman Olguin in March.

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

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (April 3, 2024) — San Diego-born welterweight contender Giovani “Gallo De Oro” Santillan has an opponent for his homecoming. The WBO No. 1-ranked fighter at 147 pounds will take on fellow unbeaten Brian Norman Jr. in a 12-round showdown on Saturday, May 18 at Pechanga Arena.

Santillan-Norman will be the co-feature to the vacant WBO lightweight title tilt between Mexican three-division world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk.

And, in the eight-round televised opener, heavyweight knockout artist Richard Torrez Jr. (9-0, 9 KOs) returns against an opponent to be named. Torrez fought last Friday on the Oscar Valdez-Liam Wilson/Seniesa Estrada-Yokasta Valle card in Glendale, Arizona, stopping Don Haynesworth in the opening round.

Navarrete-Berinchyk, Santillan-Norman and Torrez’s return will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets go on sale Friday, April 5 at 10 a.m. PT via AXS.com.

“Brian Norman Jr. is a highly skilled young fighter,” Santillan said. “I get so much motivation from my city, and fighting at Pechanga Arena is always special. May 18 will be a great night, and I can’t wait to give my fans another victory.”

Norman said, “This is the big fight I have been waiting for. It’s time to show the world what I’m about.”

Santillan (32-0, 17 KOs) upset Alexis Rocha last October to earn the WBO No. 1 ranking. He returns to Pechanga Arena, the site of two of his greatest triumphs. In October 2021, Santillan notched a 10-round decision over Angel Ruiz on the Navarrete-Joet Gonzalez undercard. The following August, he turned away the game Julio Luna on the Navarrete-Eduardo Baez bill. He hopes to make it three for three in front of the hometown fans. Norman (25-0, 19 KOs), a former U.S. amateur star, is a six-year pro taking a sizable step up in class. He went 3-0 in 2023, capping off the year with a one-sided verdict over Quinton Randall on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos card in Las Vegas. Norman made his 2024 debut in March, fighting to a no contest with Janelson Bocachica after Bocachica suffered a severe cut on his forehead.

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

• Lightweight phenom Emiliano Fernando Vargas (9-0, 7 KOs) will see action in a six-rounder, Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs) returns in an eight-rounder at lightweight, and Robert Garcia-trained junior welterweight Art Barrera Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) looks to make it five straight in a four-rounder. Vargas, Garcia, and Barrera were all victorious on March 29 in Glendale, Arizona.
   
• Bay Area lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Manuel Jaimes (15-1-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Sheehy is coming off February’s shutout decision over Abdel Sauceda, while James has won three in a row since the lone defeat of his career.
   
• Junior lightweight prospect Jonathan Lopez (14-0, 10 KOs) looks to break the four-fight winning streak of Mexican veteran Edgar Ortega (14-2-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Lopez, who is trained by Eddy Reynoso, went 5-0 in 2023 and defeated Eduardo Baez via 10-round decision last June. 
   
• San Diego-born lightweight Jonny Mansour will make his highly anticipated pro debut in a four-rounder. Mansour was a top amateur, winning a National Golden Gloves crown in 2023 and capturing a 2020 National Championships silver medal.

SAN DIEGO (March 19, 2024) — Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete hopes to join an elite circle of his Mexican countrymen, but he’ll have to venture into a new weight class against one of its top contenders.
 
Navarrete will take on Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight world championship on Saturday, May 18 at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The fighting pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec will attempt to join Mexican-born warriors Erik Morales, Jorge Arce, Juan Manuel Marquez, Leo Santa Cruz, and Canelo Alvarez in becoming a four-weight world champion.
 
In the welterweight co-feature, San Diego’s Giovani Santillan, the WBO No. 1 contender, returns in front of the hometown fans against an opponent to be named.
 
Navarrete-Berinchyk and Santillan’s return will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, ticket information will be announced shortly.
 
“The San Diego boxing fans are passionate, and we are thrilled to be bringing Emanuel Navarrete back to Pechanga Arena as he bids to become a four-weight world champion,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “We are also excited to showcase San Diego’s hometown hero, Giovani Santillan, a wonderful young man who I believe will be a welterweight world champion before long.”
 
Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) captured his first world title by upsetting Isaac Dogboe for the WBO junior featherweight crown in December 2018. After five defenses, he moved up to featherweight, where he handed Ruben Villa his first pro defeat to become a two-weight champion. The 29-year-old defended his belt three times before climbing up to junior lightweight to stop Liam Wilson in the ninth round to secure the WBO strap. Navarrete made two defenses in this third weight class, decisioning former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez in an all-Mexican showdown in August and dropping Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição twice en route to a majority draw in November.
 
Navarrete said, “Capturing a world title is a unique challenge, but the possibility of doing it four weight classes is a goal that fills me with motivation and gratitude. It will be an honor to join that select group of Mexican warriors who have made their mark in boxing history. And to be able to do it in front of fans in San Diego and from Tijuana will be an unforgettable experience. Feeling their support and energy in the ring will propel me to do my best and secure this victory for Mexico.”
 
Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs), a 2012 Olympic silver medalist on the same team as Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk, began his professional career in 2015. Berinchyk overcame stiff tests on his ascent up the lightweight ladder. In 2021, he vanquished Jose Sanchez via third-round TKO in March and decisioned Isa Chaniev across 12 rounds in December. After a one-year break, he defeated Yvan Mendy to win European honors. He followed up the Mendy win last August with a convincing decision over former world title challenger Anthony Yigit in Poland. The 35-year-old will have his first world title opportunity as he makes his U.S. debut.
 
Santillan (32-0, 17 KOs), who turned pro in May 2012, has steadily ascended the welterweight rankings. In 2022, he stopped Jeovanis Barraza in the seventh round before making his second Pechanga Arena appearance by giving Julio Luna his first pro loss on the undercard of Navarrete’s featherweight title defense against Eduardo Baez. He returned in July 2023 to best Erick Bone via 10-round decision. In his last outing, he stunned the boxing world with a one-sided, six-round demolition of number one contender Alexis Rocha at Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Santillan is on the precipice of becoming the second San Diego-born world champion, following Paul Vaden, who captured the IBF junior middleweight world title in 1995.
 
“After my last win, I’m excited to keep the ball rolling. I showed everyone what I could do and earned the WBO No. 1 ranking. I am looking forward to continuing with those types of performances and showing why I deserve a title shot,” Santillan said. “I want to gain more fans in San Diego, grow the fan base in my hometown, and pave the way for other fighters from my city. There hasn’t been a San Diego-born champion in a long time, and I want to be the next one.”

Tyson Fury beat up and battered Dereck Chisora and scored a 10th round stoppage in front of over 60,000 fans at Tottenham Spur Stadium in London, England.

Fury hurt Chisora throughout the fight and closed his right eye. The fight could have been stopped anytime for the last several rounds and was finally and mercifully called off at 2:51.

This was the third win for Fury in a trilogy with Chisora

Fury, 268.6 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 33-0-1 with 24 knockout. Chisora, 260.6 lbs is 32-13.

Daniel DuBois survived three first-round knockdowns, but came back to defend his WBA “Regular” Heavyweight title with a third-round stoppage over Kevin Lerena.

It was a tumultuous round one for DuBois as he ate a right hook to the top of the head that staggered him and put him on the canvas. DuBois then went down on his own for a second knockdown. A left seemed to put Dubois down again. In round three, DuBois turned the tables by dropping Lerena with a right hand, DuBois ended the fight by landing a huge uppercut that snapped Lerena’s head and the fight was stopped just as the bell to end the round sounded.

DuBois, 240.3 lbs of London, ENG is 19-1 with 18 knockouts. Lerena, 230.9 lbs of Johannesburg, SA is 28-2.

Denys Berinchyk won a 12-round unanimous decision over Yvan Mendy in a lightweight bout.

Berinchyk, 134.75 lbs of Kiev, UKR won by scores of 117-112 and 116-112 twice and is now 17-0. Mendy, 134.6 lbs is 47-6.

Karol Itauma remained undefeated with an eighth and final round stoppage over Vladimir Belujsky in a light heavyweight bout.

In round seven, Itauma sent Belujsky to the canvas with a flurry to the head. In round eight, Itauma contimued to beat up Belujsky and the bout was stopped at 1:19.

Itauma, 177.1 lbs of Kent, ENG is 9-0 with seven knockouts. Belujsky, 176.6 lbs of Cork, IRE is 12-4-1.

Royston Barney Smith made quick work of Cruz Perez by scoring an opening round stoppage in their four-round lightweight bout.

Smith landed a perfect counter left that spun the head of Cruz and sent him to the canvas, and the fight was stopped at

Smith, 133.8 lbs of Southampton, ENG is 4-0 with two knockouts. Perez, 133.25 lbs of Nicaragua of 3-4.

(Dec. 17, 2021) — From two continents, a pair of pre-Christmas fight cards will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+. It all kicks off Saturday, Dec. 18 at the Ice Palace in Brovary, Ukraine, as 2012 Olympic silver medalist Denys Berinchyk defends his WBO International lightweight title in a scheduled 12-rounder versus Isa Chaniev (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT).
 
Berinchyk (15-0, 9 KOs) has defended the WBO International belt five times, while Chaniev (15-3, 7 KOs), a former world title challenger, has won two in a row since a majority decision defeat to Pavel Malikov.

Also scheduled to appear on the card from Ukraine: Heavyweight knockout artist Vladyslav Sirenko (18-0, 15 KOs) goes for his fourth victory of 2021 in a 10-rounder against Andriy Rudenko (34-5, 20 KOs), and 2016 Olympian Dmytro Mytrofanov (11-0-1, 5 KOs) aims to extend his winning streak to 10 in an eight-round junior middleweight contest against Berikbay Nurymbetov (8-4-1, 3 KOs).
 
The international action on ESPN+ continues from Sydney, Australia, in the early morning on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Former world champion Andrew “The Monster” Moloney, fresh off his trilogy against Joshua “El Profesor” Franco, makes his homecoming ring return in a 10-round junior bantamweight bout against Froilan Saludar at The Star Event Centre in Sydney.
 
The Moloney-Saludar card will stream starting at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT. Moloney (21-2, 14 KOs) held the WBA world title briefly before embarking on his trio of fights with Franco. Moloney lost a pair of unanimous decisions to Franco, with a controversial no-contest sandwiched in between. Saludar (32-4-1, 22 KOs), a 32-year-old Filipino, is 4-1 since challenging Sho Kimura for the WBO flyweight world title in July 2018.

In other action from Australia, light heavyweight veteran Renold Quinlan (13-8, 8 KOs), will fight rising prospect Faris Chevalier (12-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder, southpaw heavyweight Jackson Murray (2-0, 2 KOs) looks to make it three first-round KOs in a row versus David Tuliloa (2-3, 2 KOs) in a scheduled six-rounder, and junior lightweight Manuer Matet (3-1, 2 KOs) seeks to extend his winning streak to three versus Jye Lane Taylor (3-1, 1 KO) in a six-rounder.
 
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ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 17.1 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year)
at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).