ORLANDO, FLORIDA – AUGUST 9, 2026 – Most Valuable Promotions’ (MVP) MVPW-05 took place on Saturday, August 8, at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, delivering a historic night of championship boxing live on ESPN and the ESPN App. Headlined by MVP and Denmark’s undefeated Dina Thorslund (25-0, 9 KOs), who claimed undisputed bantamweight champion status with a dominant unanimous decision victory (100-90 x3) over MVP and Australia’s Cherneka Johnson (19-3, 8 KOs), the event also saw MVP’s two-time Canadian Olympian and amateur world champion Tamm Thibeault (5-0, 3 KOs) make history with a unanimous decision victory (100-90 x3) over MVP’s Desley Robinson (12-4, 4 KOs) to become the unified WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine middleweight world champion in just her fifth professional fight. With the victory, Thibeault became the fastest professional boxer in history to win a Ring Magazine world title, surpassing Lauren Price’s previous record of seven professional fights. Thorslund and Thibeault were each recognized for their dominant championship performances, splitting MVP’s $20,000 Performance of the Night bonus presented by Caribe Royale Resort. The card also featured MVP’s Amanda Galle (13-1-1, 1 KO), who earned a commanding unanimous decision victory (78-74, 80-72 x2) over fellow MVP fighter and former IBF bantamweight world champion Shurretta Metcalf (15-6-1, 2 KOs) in Galle’s first outing at 115 lbs.

At the press conference following the fights, Thorslund, Thibeault, Galle, and MVP’s Head of Boxing Mike Leanardi reflected on a legendary night of victories and performances at MVPW-05. For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions.

MIKE LEANARDI QUOTES

On Thibeault becoming unified WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine middleweight world champion in her fifth professional fight:

It’s not a surprise to me that she was able to do this in her [fifth] fight. Honestly, I think Tamm [Thibeault] probably could have won a world title in her first or second fight depending on the opponent. Obviously there’s a maturation process getting there. 

On Thibeault’s road to becoming unified:

She [Tamm Thibeault] was supposed to fight in April, as you know. Her opponent had a visa issue. So, it would have been one more fight than this, but still, she’s the real deal. She’s a special fighter.

DINA THORSLUND QUOTES

On her journey to becoming undisputed:

I had a miscarriage. I had to give up my titles. Now I have a friend in the hospital. I have a son who didn’t want to be with me because I’m hangry. So, it’s been a lot. It really has. But when you’re standing here, it’s all coming together and has been worth it. 

On collecting belts:

I have been collecting belts for many years. I’m undefeated as well and have been world champion for seven years, but everyone has been avoiding me. So it’s been difficult to collect them all.

On accomplishing her dream:

I love the sport. I’ve been here for so many years, and I worked my ass off to get here. This has been the dream all the way. 

On what her win means to her:

Every belt has been satisfying, and when I was unified as well, but because of this whole year, this has just been the greatest satisfaction. It’s the past year looking back that’s made it so much bigger than the other things. Especially with Raven [Chapman], it’s more than boxing. It’s honoring a friend and honoring the connection we have and the work we did together. 

On showing her improvement since her last fight vs. Almudena Alvarez in January 2026:

I really wanted to show I’m back at the top level because my last fight, my comeback fight in January, wasn’t good. Like it wasn’t me, and I felt that something was wrong. 

On thanking her supporters:

Thank you, and it’s been an amazing evening. I just hope everyone enjoyed the fight because Cherneka [Johnson] brought the fire and I brought the fireworks, as I said. It was just amazing being up there.

On feeling relieved:

It was just overwhelming relief that everything has been worth it. The work I did, the energy I put into it, and the sacrifices I made,

On being signed to MVP:

MVP has been good to me all the way and treated me well. It’s been an amazing journey, even just seeing from the outside when I was not fighting. 

TAMM THIBEAULT QUOTES

On if she thought she’d become unified champion after five professional fights:

Most people don’t know this, but as women when we box, we’re told to get an education. We’re told to think of plan B. We’re told to think very quickly about a life after boxing, and this is just as an amateur because the opportunities aren’t there. But now that’s significantly different. So I didn’t think I’d be here this fast, but I’m very grateful. 

On her experience going into the bout:

I have a significant amount of boxing experience, and that counts for something. Also, me being the type of person I am, I don’t go into things unprepared.

On MVP’s impact on her career trajectory:

Do you know what’s crazy is that before MVP, women’s boxing was different. The opportunities and the visibility weren’t the same. So for me, Olympic boxing was it because that’s where I thought the prestige was. Since I’ve been on the platform with MVP, it’s kind of allowed me to have new dreams. So to answer your question, no, I didn’t think it would happen this quick. I didn’t think that this was possible. It’s only possible because we have MVP here putting us on a platform and allowing us to dream big.

On being headbutted during the bout:

I’ve been headbutted before, but this one kind of sucked. It was a lot of blood, and I was like, “Oh, well, suck it up, girl.” 

On if Claressa Shield might be next for her:

What’s next for me is to go home, be with my animals, be with my other half. I think I’m going to get some rest, and I’m going to evaluate and see what’s next for me.

On inspiring the youth:

I hope that I can continue to inspire people and young women. I am very aware of the impact that I can have on little girls or little boys. That’s why I carry myself the way that I do. I want to make people proud, and I want people to see boxing as something that they could get into and something that’s attainable.

On her courageous nature:

I’m someone who is brave. I don’t do things and think, “Oh, yeah, it’s going to be easy.” I do things I’m thinking, “Oh my god, this is going to be so hard, but I’m going to do it anyway.” I think that’s what courage is. Just to step up to the plate and step up to the challenges even though it might seem a bit big and crazy sometimes.

On thanking her supporters:

First and foremost, I want to say thank you to everybody who’s helped me on this journey so far. For the people who are here, the people who weren’t here today, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did today without that support, and I am forever grateful.

AMANDA GALLE QUOTES

On her thoughts on her performance vs. Metcalf:

As soon as we got out of the ring, I said to my corner that it was my worst pro performance. 

On her thoughts on Metcalf’s fighting style:

She was an awkward dancing partner, and I was awkward as well. 

On advice from her corner:

My corner told me from the beginning that it doesn’t need to be pretty. Just get the job done. 

On why she decided to fight at 115 lbs:

I wanted to open up more doorways for myself to go after world title matches. By

kind of steering towards 115, I just hope that this is going to give me the opportunity to see whatever doorway opens and I’ll walk through it. This was a stepping stone, and I’m ready for whatever is next.

On her thoughts after fighting at 115 lbs: 

Watching every single thing that went into my system brought out the absolute best in me, and I really, really like this weight class.

On how she feels at 115 lbs:

I felt amazing. I definitely felt like the bigger, stronger fighter. You guys saw tonight the undisputed world champion. They’re big girls. I don’t hulk up and fuel up to get to that size. There’s strategy involved in boxing. One of them is sacrificing with the nutrition plan and staying away from pizza and pasta and all kinds of good stuff for weeks at a time.

On what’s next for her:

I’m going to do whatever MVP asks of me to achieve world title fights. I hope that is next and in the works. 

On if she’d do MMA:

I have been doing karate since I was 6 years old. I do have my fourth-degree black belt. I do have a blue belt in jiu-jitsu. I can kick. I can punch. I can work the ground game. I would need to put a little bit more time in that. I’m open if the money was right, but it’s something I could foresee in the future, not at this moment, because my calling and my road right now is undisputed in the boxing world.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is a global combat sports and entertainment company built for the next generation of athletes and fans. The company operates across boxing, mixed martial arts, live events, media, content, athlete development, and global distribution, with a fighter-first philosophy centered on equitable compensation, maximum visibility, and long-term brand building.

Led by co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian and Chief Executive Officer John Martin and backed by founding investors 885 Capital & Knighthead, MVP promotes some of the world’s biggest combat sports events and represents a roster of nearly 400 elite athletes, including world champions, titleholders, contenders, and emerging stars. MVP’s portfolio includes MVP, MVPW, and MVP MMA, bringing together premier boxing and mixed martial arts properties under one global brand.

Through partnerships with leading media and distribution platforms including Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports, and an extensive international network reaching fans across more than 170 countries, MVP delivers world-class competition and entertainment to audiences worldwide. By combining elite athletes, premium live events, compelling storytelling, and global media reach, MVP is building the future of combat sports.

Dina Thorslund won the Undisputed Bantamweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Cherneka Johnson at The Caribe Royale Resorr in Orlando, Florida.

In round nine, Johnson was bleeding from her nose.

Thorslund laned 150 of 558 punches. Johnson was 89 of 404.

Thorslund, 117.6 lbs of Denmaek won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 25-0. Johnson, 117 lbs of Australia is 19-3.

Thibeault Decisions Robinson to win Unified Middleweight Titles

Tamm Thibeault won the IBF/WBO Middleweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over Desley Robinson

In round five, Thibeault was bleeding from the nose.

Thibeault landed 117 of 287 punches. Robinson was 37 of 332.

Thibeault, 159.4 lbs of Shawingan, QUE, CAN won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 5-0. Robinson, 159 lbs of Logan City, AUS is 12-4.

Galle Decisions Metcalf

Amanda Galle won an eight-round unanimous decision over former world champion Shurretta Metcalf in a super flyweight bout.

Galle landed 126 of 385 punches. Metcalf was 64 of 357.

Galle, 114.8 lbs of Mississauga, ONT, CAN won by scores of 80-72 twice and 78-74 and is now 13-1-1. Metcalf, 114.8 lbs of Dallas is

Rosado Decisions Hernandez

Krystal Rosado won an eight-round unanimous decision over Alondra Hernandez in a bantamweight bout.

Rosado landed landed 120 of 420 punches. Hernandez was 79 of 382,

Rosado, 117.6 lbs of Carolina, PR won an all cards by an 80-72 tally and is now 10-1. Hernandez, 117.4 lbs of Mexico City is 11-3.

Jan Paul Rivera won a eight-round unanimous decision over Ruben Garcia in junior welterweight bout.

Rivera landed 141 of 517 pinches. Garcia was 80 of 432.

Rivera was by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 16-0. Garcia is 25-8-2.

Danier Pero remained undefeated with a third round stoppage of Aleem Whitfield in a 10-Garround heavyweight bout.

Pero battered Whitfield for the whole fight and the fight was stopped at 2:20,

Pero, 232.8 lbs of Orlando is now 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Whitfield, 233.8 lbs of Geneva, NY is 10-2.

Sa’Rai Brown-El won a six-round unanimous decision over Sheyla Moreno in a light flyweight bout.

In round five, Moreno was deducted a point for leading with her head.

Brown-El landed 52 of 239 punches. Moreno was 36 of 209.

Brown-El, 107.8 lbs of Marietta, GA won by scores of 60-53, 59-54 and 58-55 and is now 2-0. Moreno, 106.8 lbs of Hemosillo, MEX is 5-1-1.

Angelo Hernandez won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Fernandez in a featherweight bout.

Hernandez landed 28 of 165 punches. Fernandez was 18 of 106.

Hernandez, 125.4 lbs of Brandon, FL won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 2-0. Fernandez, 125.2 lbs of Caracas, VEN is 2-2.

Sebastian Juarez won a six-round unanimous decision over Rance Ward in a middleweight bout.

Juarez, 157.6 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 60-54 on a all cards and is now 12-0. Ward, 157.4 lbs of Houma, LA is 9-7-1.

Jadden Addison stopped Dionne Ruvalcaba in round one of their four-round lightweight bout

Seconds into round one, Addison dropped Ruvalcaba with a left hand. Addison continued the assault until the fight was stopped at 2:27.

Addison, 136 lbs of Tampa is 3-0 with two knockouts. Ruvalcaba, 133.8 lbs of Brownsville, TX is 2-3.

NEW YORK, NY – June 18, 2026 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that MVP’s and Australia’s unified IBF and WBO middleweight world champion Desley Robinson (12-3, 4 KOs) will make her next 10-round title defense against MVP’s #1 WBA, IBF, WBC and #2 WBO contender, 2x Canadian Olympian, and amateur world champion Tamm Thibeault (4-0, 3 KOs) in the co-main event of MVPW-05 on Saturday, August 8 at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, live on ESPN and the ESPN App. Robinson joins fellow Australian champion Cherneka Johnson as co-headliner, as Thibeault, one of the fastest-rising boxers in history from pro debut to #1 contender, now readies for her first world title challenge in just her fifth professional fight. Also joining the main card, MVP and Dallas, Texas’s former world champion and current WBO, IBF, and WBA #4 contender Shurretta Metcalf (15-5-1, 2 KOs) will face off with MVP and Ontario, Canada’s #7 IBF and #8 WBA contender Amanda Galle (12-1-1, 1 KO) in an 8-round super flyweight battle at 115lbs. Metcalf and Galle each look to prove themselves as top contender in the new weight division following their recent challenges against Cherneka Johnson for the undisputed bantamweight title. The fifth installment of MVP’s new year-round global platform for women’s boxing is headlined by MVP’s and Australia’s undisputed bantamweight world champion Cherneka Johnson (19-2, 8 KOs) vs. MVP’s and Denmark’s former unified champion and Boxrec’s #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world Dina Thorslund (24-0, 9 KOs) in a potential Fight of the Year contender. MVPW on ESPN showcases the sport’s most elite female fighters with championship bouts on every card and will always feature a main card composed entirely of female fighters, with an undercard including a mix of female and male bouts. Tickets for MVPW-05 are on sale today at 11am ET on Ticketmaster. All media wishing to be credentialed for MVPW-05 must apply HERE.

Unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson has emerged as one of Australia’s top boxing talents. Originally stepping into the ring to improve her fitness, Robinson quickly proved she belonged at the elite level. Following over 50 amateur fights that saw her capture multiple Queensland and Australian titles, Robinson turned pro and earned her first title shot in just her seventh pro fight, resulting in a narrow majority decision loss against Lani Daniels in December 2023. Just one year later, Robinson rebounded in heroic fashion, fighting through a fractured foot to capture the vacant IBF female middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Kaye Scott in December 2024. She returned to the ring in April 2025 to unify the division, successfully defending her IBF belt and winning the vacant WBO title with a dominant performance against Chloe Chaos. Robinson, who fights out of Logan City, Queensland by way of Maranbah, Queensland, Australia, defeated challenger Logan Holler by second round TKO in her promotional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 16 in October 2025, before returning with an emphatic win over Canada’s Mary Spencer on the main card of MVPW-03 live on ESPN in May 2026, earning the $20,000 Performance of the Night bonus for her outstanding victory. She is also a single mother of three children. 

“This is the best fight that can be made in the middleweight division right now,” said Desley Robinson. “Tamm Thibeault is a two-time Olympian, an amateur world champion, and the number one contender for a reason. I’ve been waiting for a challenge like this. The best should fight the best, and on Saturday August 8 I’ll be ready to defend my unified world titles live on ESPN.”

MVP’s standout Tamm Thibeault is currently the #1-ranked WBA, #1 IBF, #1 WBO, and #4 WBC middleweight contender. Originally from Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, Thibeault began her boxing journey at the age of nine, inspired by seeing her father, a former CFL player, knock out an opponent during a Provincial boxing tournament. Following in his footsteps, she took up boxing at age 12 and was inspired to compete for Canada while watching the first women’s Olympic boxing competition during the 2012 London Olympics. The 28-year-old middleweight, a southpaw standing 6 feet tall, forged an outstanding amateur career. A two-time Olympian, Thibeault made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, where she advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s 75kg (165lb) event, matching Canada’s best-ever Olympic result in any women’s boxing event. She went undefeated until she returned to the Paris Olympics in 2024, earning gold medals at the 2022 Amateur World Championship, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the 2023 Pan Am Games. Thibeault, who speaks French, English, and Spanish, completed a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from Concordia University in 2023, which she earned over seven years while competing. She currently lives in Sheffield, England, where she earned a one-year Master’s degree in urban design and urban planning while training at the renowned Steel City Gym. Thibeault made her pro debut while competing under men’s rules, three-minute rounds, on the main card of MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 10 in December 2024, then returned to the ring in March 2025 as part of MVP’s first ever event in Canada, Most Valuable Prospects 11, where she again competed under men’s rules with three-minute rounds and won by knockout in the final second of the first round, proving again the impact of women competing with equal rules to men. Thibeault entered her third pro fight continuing to compete under equal rules over 8, three-minute rounds on the preliminary card of MVP’s historic Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s card against then-#1 contender Mary Casamassa, winning by TKO to become the #1 contender with both the IBF and WBA following the bout—one of the fastest-rising world title contenders in history. She most recently defeated Italy’s Christina Mazzotta by first-round TKO in September 2025.

“Saturday, August 8th can’t come soon enough. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, but more than anything, I feel ready. I’m so grateful to MVP for giving me this opportunity on my fifth fight to show what I’m truly capable of, and to become a unified world champion,” said Tamm Thibeault. “I’m preparing mentally and physically for a tough, experienced opponent, someone who knows what championship boxing looks like. I’m ready to go to war if that’s what it takes. This is not an opportunity I will let slip away.”

MVP’s Shurretta “Chiccn” Metcalf (14-4-1, 2 KOs). Metcalf has had to fight—both inside and outside the ring—all of her life. Born in Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas, Shurretta grew up in a low-income area with her two younger siblings and hard-working single mom. A talented student, she was a standout basketball player and also excelled at track and field. She had her first son at 20 years old and her second son two years later. The single mom did a variety of jobs to survive and raise her two boys, the oldest of whom is autistic. To make money, Shurretta turned to underground boxing in 2012 and fought over 100 fights, sometimes fighting as often as twice a week. In 2016 she turned pro and hasn’t stopped moving forward since—winning her first world title in October 2024 at Madison Square Garden with a unanimous decision against then-IBF champion Miyo Yoshida. Metcalf returned to MSG to compete for the undisputed bantamweight world title against Cherneka Johnson in the preliminary card headliner of MVP and Netflix’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s mega-event in July 2025 and most recently defeated fellow top 118lb contender Krystal Rosado on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 16 in October 2025. Outside her boxing career, the industrious Metcalf owns and runs a boutique and salon, works as a personal trainer, and has a mobile bartending business. She is also launching her own line of workout clothes called Elite Essence.

“Champions don’t get built by taking easy fights. They get built by beating the best,” said Shurretta Metcalf. “Amanda Galle is a former world champion coming off the biggest fight of her career, and I respect what she brings to the ring. But I’ve already beaten undefeated fighters, world champions, and former world champions throughout my career, and after I beat her live on ESPN, the road to my second world title gets even clearer.”

MVP’s Amanda Galle was raised in a proud Italian family in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. She began her combat sports journey at six, earning a black belt in karate by 11 before beginning boxing and kickboxing. At 16, she scored a 28-second knockout in her boxing debut and went on to capture three Canadian national titles between 2009 and 2018, persevering through her mother’s battle with breast cancer and her own struggles with depression. Turning professional in 2019, Galle built an undefeated record while balancing her career with family, ultimately delivering the Canadian super bantamweight title to her mother’s hospital bed before her passing in 2022. Galle rebounded with a string of victories, overcoming a broken hand and capturing the IBO bantamweight world championship in December 2023, which she defended successfully in 2024. She signed with MVP in June 2025, and earned a unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Alondra Hernandez in her promotional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 15 in September 2025. Galle most recently contended for the undisputed bantamweight world title against Cherneka Johnson on Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day in December 2025 in a bloody war that went to the scorecards. 

“They say you’re only as good as your last fight,” said Amanda Galle. “Well, the last time I stepped into the ring on Jake vs. Joshua, I won Performance of the Night! I’m back, live on ESPN, to remind everyone why and ready to put the 115lb division on notice to watch out for Amanda Galle.”

“Desley Robinson vs. Tamm Thibeault is one of the most compelling championship fights that can be made anywhere in the sport today, matching a unified world champion with a two-time Olympian and amateur world champion who has accomplished something almost unheard of by rising to become the number one contender across multiple sanctioning bodies from just four professional fights,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “This is a true best-versus-best matchup between two world-class athletes in their prime. Shurretta Metcalf and Amanda Galle are both coming off challenges for the undisputed bantamweight championship and looking to prove they deserve another shot at a title, this time at 115lbs, adding another high-stakes matchup to the card. Combined with Cherneka Johnson vs. Dina Thorslund in the main event, MVPW-05 delivers three elite fights with major championship stakes and implications. MVP is continuing to build the premier home for the biggest fights in women’s boxing, live on ESPN on Saturday, August 8.”

MVPW-05 is produced and marketed by MVP and promoted by MVP and Boxlab Promotions.

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

About MVP

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) was founded in August 2021 by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian with a fighter first ethos. Since inception, MVP has produced 30 live boxing events, currently promotes nearly 60 fighters, 16 world champions, and 26 top contenders.

MVP has led boxing’s evolution in the streaming era through partnerships with the world’s leading platforms. In November 2024, MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 was the first-ever live professional sports event streamed on Netflix. Paul vs. Tyson shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event of all time with 125 million live viewers worldwide. MVP went on to partner with Netflix twice in 2025 for MVP’s Taylor vs. Serrano 3 and Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day.

Today, MVP is the global home of women’s boxing. MVP’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano in 2022 was the first female fight to headline Madison Square Garden, while Taylor vs. Serrano 2 in 2024 saw 74 million viewers globally on Netflix and became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history with 47 million AMA in the US. Their 2025 trilogy on Netflix topped an all-women’s megacard that set the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most world championship belts ever contested on a single fight card, male or female, with 17 world titles, earning nearly 6 million viewers globally. 

About ESPN

ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a limited time offer for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months. For more visit stream.espn.com.

Stephanie Han was able to eek by Holly Holm for a second time, this time by majority decision over Holly Holm to retain the WBA Lightweight title at the County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas.

In round two, Han was cut over her right eye from a clash of heads.

Han landed 70 of 358 punches. Holm landed more by landing 107 of 437.

Han, 134.6 lbs of El Paso won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is 13-0. Holm, 134.7 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 34-4-3.

Serrano Stops Hanson in 2; Retains Featherweight Titles and Ties Knockout Record

Amanda Serrano retained the WBA/WBO Featherweight titles with a second round stoppage of Cheyanne Hanson and in the process tied the knockout record of Christy Martin for most stoppages by a female fighter.

In round two, Serrano landed a left that set Hanson into the corner and set off about 12 pinches that were divided between the head and the body and the fight was stopped at 2:25.

Serrano, 125.6 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 49-4-1 with a record-tying 32 knockouts. Hanson, 125 lbs of Augsburg, GER is 17-3.

Robinson Retains Middleweight Crowns with Decision over Spencer

Desley Robinson retained the IBF?WBO Middleweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over former junior middleweight champion Mary Spencer.

Robinson, 158.7 lbs of Logan City, AUS won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 12-.3 Spencer, 159.8 lbs of Montreal is 10-4.

Juarez Decisions Valle To Retain Light Flyweight Title

Lourdes Juarez won a 10-round split decision over three-division world champion Yokasta Valle to retain the WBC Light Flyweight world title.

In round 10, a headbutt caused a bad cut around the left eye of Valle.,

Juarez won two cards 98-91 and 95-94 while Valle took a card 95-94.

Juarez, 107.5 lbs of Mexico City is 40-4. Valle, 107.7 lbs of Costa Rica is 34-4.

Yesica Nery Plata won an eight-round unanimous decision over Brook Sibrian in a light flyweight bout.

Plata, 107.9 lbs of Mexico City won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 31-3. Sibrian, 107.4 lbs of Coachella, CA is 9-3.

Miranda Reyes won an eight-round unanimous decision over Camila Pinatta in a super lightweight bout.

In round two, Reyes dropped Pinatta with a straight right hand.

Reyes landed 78 of 256. Pinatta was 95 of 336.

Reyes, 129.6 lbs of Houston won by scores of 79-72 and 77-74 twice and is now 9-3-1. Pinatta, 129.8 lbs of West Palm Beach, FL is 8-4-1.

Alexander Gueche won a eight-round unanimous decision over Joshua Montoya in a super bantamweight bout.

Gueche, 122.2 lbs of Long Beach, CA won by scores of 78-74 twice and 77-75 and is now 12-0. Montoya, 121.2 lbs of San Antonio is 7-5.

Nazarena Romero won a eight-round unanimous decision over Maria Salinas in a super bantamweight bout.

Romero landed 149 of 412 punches. Salinas was 52 of 217.

Romero, 124 lbs of Cordoba, ARG won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 15-1-2. Salinas, 123.9 lbs of Satillo, MEX is 27-15-6.

Elise Soto remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Thalia Limon in a featherweight fight.

Soto landed 123 of 306 punches. Limon was 77 of 305.

Soto, 126.8 lbs of Carolina, PR won by scores of 39-37 on all cards is 11-0. Limon, 126.9 lbs of Eagle Pass, TX is 4-2.

EL PASO, TEXAS – April 7, 2026 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and ESPN today announced that boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (48-4-1, 31 KOs) will make her return to the ring to face Germany’s top-ranked contender Cheyenne “Pepper” Hanson (17-2, 13 KOs) in the Double Main event of MVPW-03 alongside the headlining Stephanie Han vs. Holly Holm rematch for the WBA lightweight world title, taking place on Saturday, May 30 at the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas, live on ESPN and the ESPN App. Serrano vs. Hanson will be a 10-round championship bout for the unified WBA and WBO world titles contested at 126lbs in the featherweight division. Also joining the main card will be MVP and Australia’s unified middleweight world champion Desley Robinson (11-3, 4 KOs) in a 10-round title defense at 160lbs against Canadian challenger Mary Spencer (10-3, 6 KOs). Mexico’s WBC junior flyweight world champion Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez (39-4, 5 KOs) will also make a 10-round defense of her WBC title against MVP’s three-division champion Yokasta Valle (34-3, 10 KOs) as Valle steps up to fight for her seventh world title. MVPW on ESPN will always feature a main card composed entirely of female fighters, with an undercard including a mix of female and male bouts. MVPW-03 is part of MVPW, a new year-round global platform for women’s boxing from MVP, showcasing the sport’s most elite female fighters with championship bouts on every card. MVPW-03 will begin at 9pm ET / 7pm MT on ESPN.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, April 8 at 12pm MT / 2pm ET at Ticketmaster.com. All media wishing to be credentialed for MVPW-03 should apply for credentials HERE.

Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano is the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion and the most decorated fighter in women’s boxing history, recognized by the Guinness World Records for the most boxing world championships won by a female in different weight classes. Serrano, currently the unified featherweight champion holding the WBO, WBA and Ring Magazine titles, is Most Valuable Promotions’ first signee, who also signed the first ever lifetime combat sports contract with MVP and will become Chairwoman of MVP’s women’s boxing initiatives to lead the company’s efforts in identifying, signing, developing and marketing the promotion’s growing roster of female athletes post her in-ring retirement. Serrano faced off against Katie Taylor for the first time at Madison Square Garden in April 2022, making history as the first women’s fight to headline Madison Square Garden, earning global acclaim and winning Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year for 2022. Taylor vs. Serrano was also nominated for Sports Business Journal’s Event of the Year, a testament to the global reach and power of the event. Following the historic bout, Serrano defeated Sarah Mahfoud and Erika Cruz en-route to becoming the undisputed featherweight champion. She successfully defended her undisputed title in August 2023 against Heather Hardy before making history again, defeating Danila Ramos in October 2023 in the first-ever women’s unified world championship contested over 12 three-minute rounds—equal to a men’s championship fight. She threw a career-high 1,103 punches in the bout, solidifying her status as a trailblazer for gender equality in boxing. In recognition of her achievements inside and outside the ring, Serrano was named the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Female Fighter of the Year for 2023, as well as Sports Illustrated’s and Boxing Scene’s 2023 Women’s Fighter of the Year. She continued her dominance in July 2024, scoring a second-round knockout victory over Stevie Morgan in a super lightweight bout.

Serrano went on to face Katie Taylor in the most anticipated women’s boxing rematch in modern history in the co-main event of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson card on Netflix in November 2024. The undisputed super lightweight title fight averaged 74 million live viewers globally and became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history with 47 million AMA in the US. The bout ended in a razor-thin decision victory for Taylor, sparking global debate and skyrocketing Serrano’s social following to over 1.2 million. #Serrano also trended at #2 on X in the US, Brazil, Spain, and Canada post-fight, further cementing her status as a global icon. Serrano then faced Taylor a third and final time atop an all-women’s event at Madison Square Garden, commanding the world’s attention once again on Netflix, continuing to break barriers for women in combat sports with a historic trilogy. Serrano made her long-awaited homecoming to Puerto Rico in a unified featherweight title defense of her WBO and WBA featherweight titles in January 2026, defeating challenger Reina Tellez.

“When MVP told me that Han and Holm were going to rematch in Stephanie’s home town of El Paso, I said I want to get on the card to support these two queens,” said Amanda Serrano. “Women’s boxing is growing on a global level, and fights like this, now on ESPN and contested in three-minute rounds, are proof of how far we’ve come. I respect every opponent who steps in the ring, and I know Hanson is coming to win and she has KO power. I’m also continuing to hunt the all-time knockout record, so that’s always on my mind, but everything starts with discipline, execution, and performing at the highest level on fight night. Stephanie Han is all class, and it is my pleasure to come to her city and make the walk before her on Saturday, May 30th. See you soon El Paso.”

Cheyenne “Pepper” Hanson is a hard-hitting 28-year-old German professional boxer from Augsburg, Bayern. The orthodox fighter, nicknamed “Pepper,” has established herself as one of Germany’s top female talents with an impressive 76% knockout ratio. Hanson is a former WBF world champion and currently the #4 WBO and #6 WBA contender in the featherweight division. Known for her aggressive style and knockout power, Hanson has collected her latest two wins by TKO in December 2025 and March 2026. Hanson signed with MVP in April 2026, and will now face Amanda Serrano in her promotional debut.

“I’m really excited and grateful for this fight,” said Cheyenne Hanson. “It means a lot to be representing Germany on this stage. Training camp is going to be hard but I’m focused. I respect my opponent, but I’m coming to make a statement.”

“MVPW-03 is absolutely stacked as we deliver a quadruple world championship card, highlighted by the highly anticipated ESPN debut of Amanda Serrano,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of MVP. “Amanda continues to set the global standard for women’s boxing, and matching her in a title defense against a dangerous knockout artist like Cheyenne Hanson creates a blockbuster double main event alongside Stephanie Han vs. Holly Holm. This is a powerful statement about where women’s boxing stands today. Add in the return of Desley Robinson and the expected war in the Mexico vs. Costa Rica matchup between Lourdes Juarez and Yokasta Valle, and this night is going to be fireworks in El Paso.”

Unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson has emerged as one of Australia’s top boxing talents. Originally stepping into the ring to improve her fitness, Robinson quickly proved she belonged at the elite level. Following over 50 amateur fights that saw her capture multiple Queensland and Australian titles, Robinson turned pro and earned her first title shot in just her seventh pro fight, resulting in a narrow majority decision loss against Lani Daniels in December 2023. Just one year later, Robinson rebounded in heroic fashion, fighting through a fractured foot to capture the vacant IBF female middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Kaye Scott in December 2024. She returned to the ring in April 2025 to unify the division, successfully defending her IBF belt and winning the vacant WBO title with a dominant performance against Chloe Chaos. Robinson, who fights out of Logan City, Queensland by way of Maranbah, Queensland, Australia, most recently defeated challenger Logan Holler by second round TKO in her promotional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 16 Championship Double Header in October. She is also a single mother of three children. 

“I am so excited to be part of MVPW-03, after watching MVPW-01 on the weekend,” said Desley Robinson. “I cannot wait to get back in there. I need a big win on a big stage against a big opponent and that is what I’m going to do. I can’t wait to get back over to Texas again. It is a privilege to be on the undercard to two great champions in Stephanie Han and Holly Holm.”

Windsor, Ontario native and a proud member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, Mary Spencer is known for her physically imposing style, strong inside game and pressure fighting, all while serving as a leader and pioneer for Indigenous and Canadian women in boxing. As an amateur, she was widely regarded as the face of women’s amateur boxing in Canada. Her legendary career saw her become a 3x world champion, Pan American Games gold medalist, a multiple-time Canadian National Champion, and a 2012 Canadian Olympian. In September 2024, Spencer defeated Naomi Mannes by unanimous decision to win the interim WBA super welterweight title. She was then elevated to a full champion after the title was  vacated, and she made her first defense against Ogleidis Suárez in April 2025, winning by unanimous decision. Spencer most recently faced Mikaela Mayer in a title unification bout, putting her WBA title on the line alongside the then-vacant WBO and WBC super welterweight titles in October 2025 – a battle that went the distance and saw Mayer earn the decision win. Spencer remains focused on capturing and defending world titles while continuing to represent Canada and her Indigenous heritage on the global stage.

“I didn’t come this far to admire champions. Respect yes. Admire no! I came to take everything they have,” said Mary Spencer. “Belts don’t intimidate me. They motivate me. But on fight night, it’s not about rankings, records, or titles. It’s about who’s willing to go to a darker place. And I promise you… I live there.”

Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez is a two-division world champion from Mexico City. The younger sister of Mexican legend Mariana “La Barby” Juarez, she is part of one of only a few sister pairs in history to become boxing world champions, alongside the Serrano and Bermúdez sisters, and her sister Patty is also a world champion in bare-knuckle boxing. Turning pro in 2013, Juarez went undefeated for eight years, capturing the WBC super flyweight world title in December 2020 and making three successful defenses before regaining championship status in November 2024 by moving down to 108lbs to win the then-vacant WBC light flyweight crown. Ranked #2 in the world at 108 pounds by ESPN, she has faced six former world champions, balanced motherhood to her two sons, Dominik and Derek, and also trains and mentors new talent at her gym in Mexico City. She has also showcased her versatility with an exhibition win in Miami over Dutch MMA fighter Isis Verbeek. Juarez successfully defended her title in March 2025 by 9th round TKO before her latest successful defense against Yesica Nery Plata in October 2025.

“This will be a great war,” said Lourdes Juarez. “I won’t give away my belt, no way. I’m preparing for the fight of my life. I won’t go down. I don’t believe in good luck. I will go out there blasting.”

Yokasta Valle is a three-division world champion boxer born in Nicaragua and raised in Costa Rica. Growing up with limited resources and countless challenges in San Jose, Yokasta learned early on that nothing is given, and everything is earned. In a sport historically dominated by men, she carved her own path and fought to open doors for women in boxing. She won her first world title in 2016 and has gone on to conquer six world titles across three weight divisions, establishing herself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. She currently has held the WBC minimumweight title at 105lbs since November 2024. Valle has also championed equal pay in women’s boxing, fighting for and achieving the same purse conditions as male boxers. Outside the ring, the 32-year-old is an entrepreneur, boxing promoter, and social role model. In 2023, she was recognized by the United Nations as their Costa Rica Champion for the example she set in the fight for women’s and migrants’ rights. Valle is currently BoxRec and Ring Magazine’s and ESPN’s #9-ranked pound-for-pound boxer in the world. 

“I’ve always wanted the biggest challenges and to fight the best. Moving up in weight to challenge a champion for her title is exactly the kind of opportunity that motivates me. This is a big challenge, just like every important fight I’ve had in my career, but I always prepare myself 200% to give everything I have in the ring,” said Yokasta Valle. “I know it’s going to be a war, because fighting a Mexican always means heart, toughness, and a great battle. I’ve already faced 12 or 13 Mexican fighters in my career, so I know exactly what kind of challenge they bring. I’ve been preparing in Mexico with my team, led by Panda, Jay Najar, and that gives me a lot of confidence going into this fight. I believe Lulu Juárez is the best Mexican fighter right now, so this is a huge test for me. Champion versus champion. That’s what women fighters always want, to face the best, and that is what makes women’s boxing even bigger. The opportunity to win my seventh world title motivates me in a special way, because I want to prove that I am the best.”

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

About MVP

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) was founded in August 2021 by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian with a fighter first ethos. Since inception, MVP has produced 30 live boxing events, currently promotes nearly 60 fighters, 16 world champions, and 26 top contenders.

MVP has led boxing’s evolution in the streaming era through partnerships with the world’s leading platforms. In November 2024, MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 was the first-ever live professional sports event streamed on Netflix. Paul vs. Tyson shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event of all time with 125 million live viewers worldwide. MVP went on to partner with Netflix twice in 2025 for MVP’s Taylor vs. Serrano 3 and Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day.

Today, MVP is the global home of women’s boxing. MVP’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano in 2022 was the first female fight to headline Madison Square Garden, while Taylor vs. Serrano 2 in 2024 saw 74 million viewers globally on Netflix and became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history with 47 million AMA in the US. Their 2025 trilogy on Netflix topped an all-women’s megacard that set the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most world championship belts ever contested on a single fight card, male or female, with 17 world titles, earning nearly 6 million viewers globally. 

About ESPN

ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a limited time offer for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months. For more visit stream.espn.com.

Lourdes Juarez retained the WBC Light Flyweight title with a 10-round majority decision over former champion Yesica Nery Plata at The Convention Center in South Padre Island, Texas.

Juarez, 107.4 lbs of Mexico City won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is now 31-4. Nery Plata, 107.4 lbs of Mexico City is 30-3.

Juarez Decisions Rosario

Omar Juarez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Omar Rosario in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Rosario was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Rosario was deducted a point for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Juarez, 139;8 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 99-89 twice and 97-90 and is now 20-2. Rosario, 138.4 lbs of Caguas, PR is 14-3.

Robinson stops Holler in 2to Retain Unified Middleweight Titles

Desley Robinson retained the WBO/IBF Middleweight Titles with a second round stoppage over Logan Holler.

In round two, Robinson landed a huge right hand that rocked Hiller that was ruled as a knockdown. When the fight resumed, Robinson landed a really hard combination and the fight was stopped at 1:08

Robinson, 158.8 lbs of Logan City, AUS is 11-3 with four knockouts. Holler, 158.4 lbs of Columbia, SC is 11-4-1.

Alvarez stops Pola in 5

Ronny Alvarez stopped Bruno Pola in round five of their six-round super middleweight bout.

In round four, Pola began to bleed from his forehead. Pola was bleeding badly and in round five, Alvarez just continued to lay on the punishment and the bout was stopped at 2:28.

Alvarez, 167 lbs of Providence, RI is 5-0 with four knockouts. Pola, 167.8 lbs of San Antonio is 10-4-1.

Former world champion Shurretta Metcalf won a eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Krystal Rosado in a bantamweight fight.

Metcalf, 117.6 lbs of Dallas won by scores of 78-74 twice and is now 15-5-1. Rosado, 117.6 lbs of Carolina, PR is 7-1.

Alexis Chaparro remained perfect by stopping David Gutierrez in the final round of their six-round middleweight bout.

In round six, Chaparro landed a hard right that hurt Gutierrez. Chaparro landed three vicious left hooks with the ird hitting an exposed Gutierrez that sent him to the deck and the fight was stopped at 25 seconds.

Chaparro, 162.4 lbs of Ridgewood, NY is 6-0 with six knockouts. Gutierrez, 162.6 lbs of Juarez, MEX is 4-1.

Miranda Reyes won a eight-round unanimous decision over Yolanda Vega in a junior welterweight bout.

Reyes, 136.8 lbs of Houston won by scores of80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 8-3-1. Vega, 137.8 lbs of Ciudad, MEX is 10-2.

Sebastian Juarez remained undefeated with a thrilling first-round stoppage over DeMarcus Layton in a wild eight-round junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Layton dropped Juarez with a right hand. Juarez was very wobbly. Juarez was deducted a point for holding. Seconds later, he was deducted gain for the same infraction. Juarez then landed an inside left hook that put Layton on the canvas. Juarez then landed a big right that put Layton down for a second time. Juarez completed the improbable comeback with a right hand that put Layton down and the fight was stopped at 2:59.

Juarez, 155.6 lbs of Brownsville, TX is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Layton, 155.6 lbs of Fort Worth, TX is 10-8-1.

Pedro Viatia and Xavier Zuniga battled to a six-round split-draw in a junior middleweight bout,

Viatia won a card 60-54; Zuniga took a scorecard 58-56 and third caed was even at 57-57.

Viatia, 152.2 lbs of Providence, RI is 6-0-1. Zuniga, 153 lbs of Aguas Callientes, MEX is 4-0-1.

Edgar Rosales won a four-round unanimous decision over Reggie Ray Martinez in a lightweight bout.

Rosales, 132.2 lbs of Mission, TX won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 6-0. Martinez, 135.2 lbs of Harlingtfen, TX is 6-1-1.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX – September 10, 2025 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced the company’s return to Texas for Most Valuable Prospects 16, an MVP Championship Double Header on Saturday, October 18 at the South Padre Island Convention Center in South Padre Island, Texas, available globally on DAZN. The Most Valuable Prospects 16 Championship Double Header will be headlined by Mexico’s WBC world champion Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez (38-4, 5 KOs) vs. MVP’s Mexican superstar and #1 WBA contender Yesica Nery Plata (30-2, 3 KOs), in a 10-round women’s world championship fight at 108lbs for the WBC light flyweight world title. The co-main event will feature Brownsville, Texas native Omar “El Relampago” Juarez (19-2, 7 KOs) vs. Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Omar “The New Era” Rosario (14-2, 4 KOs) in a 10-round bout at 140lbs in the super lightweight division. Also on the main card as part of the Championship Double Header will be MVP’s unified world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (10-3, 3 KOs), who will defend her unified IBF and WBO middleweight world titles against Logan Holler (11-3-1, 4 KOs) over 10 rounds at 160lbs. 

Headlining the preliminary card will be MVP and Dallas, Texas’s Shurretta Metcalf (14-5, 2 KOs) vs. MVP’s undefeated Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado (7-0, 2 KOs) in an 8-round bout at 118lbs. Metcalf and Rosado will be the latest MVP fighters to make a statement for equality in women’s boxing, competing over equal rules to men with three-minute rounds. Also on the preliminary card will be MVP’s Yolanda Vega (10-1, 1 KO), MVP’s undefeated Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (5-0, 5 KOs), MVP’s Alexander Gueche (9-0, 6 KOs), Brownsville, Texas’s Sebastian Juarez (9-0, 7 KOs), and undefeated prospect Pedro Veitia (5-0, 5 KOs). The 16th event in the series in partnership with Boxlab Promotions will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 16 Championship Double Header are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. 

Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez is a two-division world champion from Mexico City. The younger sister of Mexican legend Mariana “La Barby” Juarez, she is part of one of only a few sister pairs in history to become boxing world champions, alongside the Serrano and Bermúdez sisters, and her sister Patty is also a world champion in bare-knuckle boxing. Turning pro in 2013, Juarez went undefeated for eight years, capturing the WBC super flyweight world title in December 2020 and making three successful defenses before regaining championship status in November 2024 by moving down to 108lbs to win the then-vacant WBC light flyweight crown. Ranked #3 in the world at 108 pounds by ESPN, she has faced six former world champions, balanced motherhood to her two sons, Dominik and Derek, and also trains and mentors new talent at her gym in Mexico City. She has also showcased her versatility with an exhibition win in Miami over Dutch MMA fighter Isis Verbeek. Juarez most recently successfully defended her title in March 2025, defeating Mirna Sanchez by 9th round TKO.

“I’m the world champion, and no one is taking what’s mine,” said Lourdes Juarez. “I’m determined to go to all out war on Saturday, October 18—a truly Mexican war.”

Former unified WBA and WBC light flyweight world champion Yesica Nery Plata turned pro in ?2011, quickly winning the WBC Youth title in 2012 and defending it multiple times before stepping into world-level clashes. In March ?2022, Plata began her title run, dethroning longtime champion Yésica Bopp via split decision to claim the WBA title at 108lbs, ending Bopp’s 13-year reign with strong body work and well?timed left hooks. Her defining moment within the division came in January?2023 in Canada, where she successfully unified the WBA and WBC belts by defeating home favorite Kim Clavel in a fierce ten?round war—dictating the pace to earn a unanimous decision in what many hailed as one of the standout women’s fights of the year. She capped off her dominance with a successful split?decision title defense against undefeated Sarah Bormann in Karlsruhe, Germany in ?December?2023. Following a layoff, Plata is now poised to make her return to the ring under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. She is recognized as one of the top pound-for-pound women’s boxers in the world and is currently ranked #2 by ESPN and #7 by the WBA at 108lbs.

“I’m excited to officially announce my next fight on Saturday, October 18 for the WBC 108lb world title, a championship I proudly held before. This time, I’ll be facing the current world champion, Lourdes Juárez,” said Yesica Nery Plata. “I’m truly grateful to be part of MVP and want to thank Jake Paul, Amanda Serrano, and Nakisa for giving me this incredible opportunity. I’m proud to be the first Mexican female boxer to join this company, which is making real, lasting changes in women’s boxing. I can’t wait to share this journey with all of you.”

Omar Juarez, the 26-year-old from Brownsville, Texas, is a rising contender following an outstanding amateur career of 120 fights that saw him develop a reputation as a devastating body puncher and winning six US national titles, including two Junior Olympics titles and two Golden Gloves. He made his pro debut in 2018 and went undefeated in his first 11 fights and has trained with 140lb champion Mario Barrios. Juarez most recently defeated Juan Alberto Castillo Garcia by 4th round TKO in August 2025. Outside the ring, he is a motivational speaker who has received recognition from the Texas State Senate, Texas House of Representatives, the cities of Brownsville and San Benito and the Cameron County Commissioner’s Court for his work at schools in his community. Omar Rosario, the 27-year-old from Caguas, Puerto Rico, will look to rise to the challenge on Saturday, October 18. Rosario returns to the Most Valuable Prospects series following his appearance on Most Valuable Prospects 9 in Caguas, Puerto Rico in October 2024. In June 2025, Rosario defeated John Bauza to earn the then-vacant Puerto Rican super lightweight title. 

“Fighting on South Padre Island is special to me—it’s my home, my people, my heart,” said Omar Juarez. “On Saturday, October 18th, the whole world gets to see what I’ve been building toward, live on DAZN. Omar Rosario is a tough, talented fighter, but I’ve worked too hard and sacrificed too much to let this moment slip away. Every round, every punch, I’ll be representing Texas, and I promise the fans an unforgettable performance.”

Unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (10-3, 3 KOs) has emerged as one of Australia’s top boxing talents. Originally stepping into the ring to improve her fitness, Robinson quickly proved she belonged at the elite level. Following over 50 amateur fights that saw her capture multiple Queensland and Australian titles, Robinson turned pro and earned her first title shot in just her seventh pro fight, resulting in a narrow majority decision loss against Lani Daniels in December 2023. Just one year later, Robinson rebounded in heroic fashion, fighting through a fractured foot to capture the vacant IBF female middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Kaye Scott in December 2024. She returned to the ring in April 2025 to unify the division, successfully defending her IBF belt and winning the vacant WBO title with a dominant performance against Chloe Chaos. Now holding both the IBF and WBO middleweight crowns, Robinson, who fights out of Logan City, Queensland by way of Maranbah, Queensland, Australia, continues to cement her place among the best in women’s boxing. She is also a single mother of three children. 

“I am so excited for this opportunity,” said Desley Robinson. “I know this is the biggest fight of Holler’s career and she wants what I have, but there is no way she is taking it. I will arrive on South Padre Island as the champion and I’ll be leaving as the champion.”

Challenging Robinson will be Logan Holler from Davie, Florida by way of Columbia, South Carolina. Holler is the daughter of former NFL player Ed Holler, attended the University of South Carolina on a D1 Equestrian scholarship and credits her father as her hero who instilled unparalleled work ethic in her. After losing her father, she promised she would one day win a world title for him. Holler first took up boxing after college as an outlet for her mental health and has used her platform as a fighter and athlete to talk about her mental health journey. She made her pro debut in 2014, and most recently defeated Kaitlin LaVigne in February 2025 and Tekeya Farmer in July 2025.

“This is what I’ve been working for my whole career for over ten years now,” said Logan Holler. “I’m so grateful that God has blessed me with the love of boxing and the faith to trust the process. Now it’s time to fight for the championship and put all the hard-work together. I’m also very grateful to MVP for the opportunity and the support that they have been giving to women’s boxing. This is going to be a great fight!”

“They say everything is bigger in Texas, well this will be our biggest Most Valuable Prospects card yet—a championship double header showcasing the next wave of talent and advancing our commitment to equality in boxing,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Fans will see an all-Mexican world title clash between Lourdes Juarez and Yesica Nery Plata, the return of Australia’s unified champion Desley Robinson, and and local brothers and rising stars Omar and Sebastian Juarez, while Shurretta Metcalf joins Krystal Rosado in making a statement for women’s equality by fighting three-minute rounds. This event underscores MVP’s continued investment in building the future of the sport through world-class matchups and opportunities for emerging fighters. Fans in South Padre Island and around the globe are in for something special on Saturday, October 18, live on DAZN.”

Headlining the preliminary card will be MVP’s Shurretta “Chiccn” Metcalf (14-4-1, 2 KOs). Metcalf has had to fight—both inside and outside the ring—all of her life. Born in Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas, Shurretta grew up in a low-income area with her two younger siblings and hard-working single mom. A talented student, she was a standout basketball player and also excelled at track and field. She had her first son at 20 years old and her second son two years later. The single mom did a variety of jobs to survive and raise her two boys, the oldest of whom is autistic. To make money, Shurretta turned to underground boxing in 2012 and fought over 100 fights, sometimes fighting as often as twice a week. In 2016 she turned pro and hasn’t stopped moving forward since—winning her first world title in October 2024 at Madison Square Garden with a unanimous decision against then-IBF champion Miyo Yoshida. Metcalf most recently returned to MSG to compete for the undisputed bantamweight world title in the preliminary card headliner of MVP and Netflix’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s mega-event in July 2025. Outside her boxing career, the industrious Metcalf owns and runs a boutique and salon, works as a personal trainer, and has a mobile bartending business. She is also launching her own line of workout clothes called Elite Essence.

“The unfair stoppage cut deep in my last fight, but it lit a fire in me that can’t be put out,” said Shurretta Metcalf. “I’m stepping back in the ring with a vengeance, not just to fight, but to reclaim everything I’ve worked for. This isn’t the end of my story—it’s the rise of my redemption.”

Facing her will be MVP’s rising bantamweight contender and Amanda Serrano’s protegee, Krystal Rosado. MVP’s 22-year-old sensation is a Carolina, Puerto Rico native who made her professional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 2 show in August 2023, stunning fans with a ferocious second-round KO. Rosado went on to compete on MVP’s historic Serrano vs. Ramos card in October 2023, earning her decisive second win over Hungary’s Kata Pap, before appearing in front of her home fans at the legendary Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan as part of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland in March 2024. Rosado took home a majority decision win, which she followed with a swift knockout of Russia’s Veronika Dmitriyeva at MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 7 in July 2024. She then returned for Most Valuable Prospects 9 in October 2024 where she earned a unanimous decision win over Perla Lomeli. Following a dominant unanimous decision win in March 2025, Rosado returned to the ring to face Agustina Vazquez in a 4-round bout contested with three minute rounds—equal rules to men—during the fight week Open Workouts for MVP and Netflix’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s mega-event, winning by unanimous decision. She is currently the WBA’s #3 contender at 118lbs.

“In my next fight on Saturday, October 18 in Texas, I will be facing a former world champion,” said Krystal Rosado. “It’s a fight with big challenges, as I’ll be going up against a very experienced woman. I’m coming with everything to show who Krystal Rosado is. I am very grateful to the team for giving me this great opportunity and for bringing out the best in me.”

Also on the preliminary card will be MVP’s Yolanda Vega, the 30-year-old from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, who made her MVP debut on Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025 in a hard-fought battle against Holly Holm. She made her pro boxing debut in July 2015 and is currently ranked as Boxrec’s #16 super lightweight women’s boxer in the world, establishing herself as a rising standout in Mexican boxing.

MVP’s undefeated Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro will also return to the ring for his fourth Most Valuable Prospects series appearance. The 25-year-old, raised in Ridgewood, New York, competed at both the 2020 and 2024 USA Boxing Olympic trials. The gifted Puerto Rican athlete is also a high fashion model, having worked for Versace, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, and Polo Ralph Lauren, among others. Chaparro landed a sensational first-round KO win in his pro debut on Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024, before scoring a stunning second-round knockout win on the preliminary card of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry in July 2024. He also earned a first-round TKO victory on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 9 in Puerto Rico in October 2024. Most recently, Chaparro defeated Daijohn Gonzalez on Most Valuable Prospects 13 in June 2025.

Also joining the card will be MVP’s 2x US national amateur champion and rising star Alexander “Alley Cat” Gueche. The 19-year-old Gueche comes to the ring from Long Beach, California, by way of Harbor City, California, and most recently defeated Vincent Avina by UD on the preliminary card of Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025. Rounding out the card will be bouts from Boxlab Promotions’ and Brownsville, Texas’s undefeated 20-year-old prospect Sebastian Juarez and Boxlab Promotions’ 21-year-old undefeated prospect Pedro Veitia (5-0, 5 KOs) who fights out of Panama City, Panama by way of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.

Most Valuable Prospects 16 is promoted by MVP and distributed globally by DAZN. The 16th event in the series in partnership with Boxlab Promotions will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. Fansly, TORKLAW, Caribe Royale Resort, and Event Tickets Center have also joined on to sponsor Most Valuable Prospects 16.

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

About MVP

MVP 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 returns 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 has produced Jake Paul’s last six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry 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, earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and 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 the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?dazngroup.com.

 

NEW YORK, NY – July 29, 2025 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that 19-time US national champion Sa’Rai Brown-El, Tampa, Florida’s WBA super flyweight world champion at 115lbs Jasmine “Animal” Artiga (13-0-1, 6 KOs), Australia’s 160lb unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (10-3, 3 KO), Mexico’s former unified light flyweight world champion at 108lbs Yesica Nery Plata (30?2, 3?KOs), and England’s former WBA bantamweight world champion at 118lbs Shannon “The Baby Face Assassin” Courtenay (9?3, 3 KOs) are the latest elite women’s fighters to join MVP’s decorated roster of current and former champions and all-star boxing prospects.

MVP’s latest commitment to women’s boxing comes on the heels of MVP’s historic Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 on Netflix, the first all-women’s card in Madison Square Garden history. The event showcased five undisputed and unified women’s world championship fights, earning a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most world championship belts ever contested on a single fight card, male or female, with 17 world titles from the four major boxing sanctioning bodies across the five bouts. The main event garnered nearly 6 million global viewers, with an AMA audience of over 4.2 million in the US (Live +1), making it the most-watched professional women’s sports event of 2025. A sold-out crowd of 19,721 people were in attendance, generating a $2.63M gate at Madison Square Garden, the highest gate ever for a women’s boxing card and the highest gate for a female sporting event in MSG history. The event also garnered record paydays, making Serrano the highest-paid women’s athlete in history for a single event.

19-time US national champion Sa’Rai Brown-El comes from a proud lineage of fighters and was born into boxing royalty, but her rise wasn’t guaranteed. Her mother first saw her spark, despite early resistance from her father and coach, who didn’t believe boxing was a sport for women. Everything changed during a family trip to her birthplace in Albany, NY when a visit to her uncle’s boxing gym flipped the script. Once Brown-El stepped into the ring, her natural talent spoke louder than tradition ever could, and her father never looked back. She began boxing at the age of 10. What followed was a journey defined by relentless discipline, a powerful work ethic, and a fierce hunger to master the craft of boxing. That fire drove her to the top of the amateur ranks, where she became the first female boxer from Georgia to win both the Junior Olympics and the National Silver Gloves. Within a year, she had become a national champion, marking the beginning of her dominance. By age 14, she had cemented her name in history as one of the most decorated young female boxers in the country, ranked #1 in her age and weight class by USA Boxing and holding the most wins across all female divisions at the time. In 2019, she earned a coveted spot on Team USA after winning the USA Boxing National Championships, becoming the first female boxer from Georgia to achieve those honors. A five-time international medalist and seven-time Georgia Female Boxer of the Year, Brown-El’s excellence has not gone unnoticed. USA Boxing named her the future of women’s boxing—a title that carries weight, and one she’s ready to live up to. With her amateur legacy cemented, the 19-year-old now joins MVP’s elite roster of women’s fighters ahead of her professional debut this year, entering into the professional ranks with one goal: to take over women’s boxing.

“I’m incredibly grateful and honored to sign with MVP,” said Sa’Rai Brown-El. “They’ve been trailblazers in elevating women’s boxing, from headlining Madison Square Garden with an all-women’s card, to demanding equal rounds, pay and respect for female fighters. I’m beyond excited to join this incredible platform and showcase my skills alongside other amazing fighters. I can’t wait to showcase my talent and help push women’s boxing even further.”

WBA super flyweight world champion and Tampa, Florida’s first native-born world champion Jasmine “Animal” Artiga (13?0?1, 6?KOs) transitioned from playing gridiron in the Legends Football League to boxing at age 21, quickly carving out an impressive resume. After 13 unbeaten bouts, including a first round TKO win on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects series in February 2024, she stormed into the spotlight on March?22,?2025, winning the vacant WBA female super?flyweight title via majority decision over Mexico’s Regina Chávez. Artiga, Tampa’s first native world champion, was recently honored with a city proclamation from Mayor Jane Castor, honoring her athletic achievements and commitment to community mentorship. Standing 5?4? with a 64? reach, the 33-year-old Artiga continues to build momentum as one of women’s boxing’s hungriest new champions.

“I’m super excited to announce my signing with Most Valuable Promotions,” said Jasmine Artiga. “Signing with MVP is more than just a career move—it’s a statement for me. It means aligning with a team that truly believes in empowering women fighters, and giving us the platform we’ve earned. I’m honored to step into this new chapter backed by visionaries like Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.”

Unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (10-3, 3 KOs) has emerged as one of Australia’s top boxing talents. Originally stepping into the ring to improve her fitness, Robinson quickly proved she belonged at the elite level. Following over 50 amateur fights that saw her capture multiple Queensland and Australian titles, Robinson turned pro and earned her first title shot in just her seventh pro fight, resulting in a narrow majority decision loss against Lani Daniels in December 2023. Just one year later, Robinson rebounded in heroic fashion, fighting through a fractured foot to capture the vacant IBF female middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Kaye Scott in December 2024. She returned to the ring in April 2025 to unify the division, successfully defending her IBF belt and winning the vacant WBO title with a dominant performance against Chloe Chaos. Now holding both the IBF and WBO middleweight crowns, Robinson, who fights out of Logan City, Queensland by way of Maranbah, Queensland, Australia, continues to cement her place among the best in women’s boxing. She is also a single mother of three children. 

“I love what Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian and the MVP team are doing for female boxing and I am so thankful that I will now be a part of that,” said Desley Robinson. “MVP have signed some of the best female fighters of my generation, and to now be included in this is an amazing feeling. It is a privilege to have this opportunity and I can’t wait to get over there and show the team what I have.”

Former unified light flyweight world champion Yesica Nery Plata (30?2, 3?KOs) has ruled the light flyweight division as WBA and WBC unified world champion through a blend of precision power, pace-setting combinations, and relentless pressure. Since turning pro in ?2011, she steadily climbed the ranks—winning the WBC Youth title in 2012 and defending it multiple times before stepping into world-level clashes. In March ?2022, Plata began her title run, dethroning longtime champion Yésica Bopp via split decision to claim the WBA title at 108lbs, ending Bopp’s 13-year reign with strong body work and well?timed left hooks. Her defining moment within the division came in January?2023 in Canada, where she successfully unified the WBA and WBC belts by defeating home favorite Kim Clavel in a fierce ten?round war—dictating the pace to earn a unanimous decision in what many hailed as one of the standout women’s fights of the year. She capped off her dominance with a successful split?decision title defense against undefeated Sarah Bormann in Karlsruhe, Germany in ?December?2023. Following a layoff, Plata is poised to make her return to the ring under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. She is recognized as one of the top pound-for-pound women’s boxers in the world and is currently ranked #1 by the WBA and #2 by ESPN at 108lbs.

I’m very happy to sign with this great promoter, MVP, who supports women, and who have proven we can be stars,” said Yesica Nery Plata. “We will continue to grow together, and I thank Amanda Serrano, Jake Paul, and Nakisa Bidarian for believing in me.”

Former WBA bantamweight world champion at 118lbs and Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire native, Shannon “The Baby Face Assassin” Courtenay (9?3, 3 KOs) transformed her life and career after discovering boxing in her early twenties, trading in a party lifestyle for intense discipline at Finchley ABC in London. Rising quickly through the professional ranks beginning in March 2019, she claimed the vacant WBA female bantamweight title on 10 April 2021 at London’s Copper Box Arena, delivering a fiercely technical and emotional unanimous decision over Australia’s Ebanie Bridges in what many hailed as one of women’s boxing’s best fights—scored 97?94, 98?92, 98?92. Courtenay’s jab proved decisive, and she overcame early cut damage and increasing pressure to outmaneuver Bridges and increasingly exploit a swelling eye that nearly shut by round eight. Unfortunately, Courtenay was stripped of her title ahead of her first defense in October 2021 when she came in 2.5?lb over the limit, an issue she attributed to an unexpected menstrual cycle—a rare moment of honesty that highlighted health over title retention. She subsequently faced Jamie Mitchell for the now-vacant belt at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, losing a hard-fought majority decision on 9 October 2021 despite staying in the ring through adversity. After a long layoff, Courtenay returned to the ring in October 2024, edging out of a competitive points decision defeat to Catherine Tacone Ramos in a six-round bout at London’s Copper Box Arena.

“My main focus is becoming a two-time world champion and with the backing of MVP I know I can go on to winning more titles,” said Shannon Courtenay. “Women’s boxing was beginning to get forgotten about again, but then MVP have come along, ripped up the script, and made it bigger than ever. I can’t wait to get amongst it!”

“Women’s boxing has never been stronger globally and today’s signings further cement MVP’s commitment to continuing to invest and elevate the sport like no boxing promotional brand has before,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Sa’Rai, Jasmine, Desley, Yesica, and Shannon represent five powerful stories, four countries with proud boxing legacy, and one shared mission: to compete and win at the highest level. From one of the most decorated amateurs in US history to unified world champions, they embody the same brand of world-class skill, relentless drive, and undeniable presence we are cultivating at MVP. We look forward to each of their MVP debuts in the coming months.”

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @JakePaul or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions, @JakePaul, @deso_2.0, @animal.boxing, @yesicaneryplata_oficial, @shannon_courtenay, and @saraitheboxer7. 

About MVP

MVP 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 six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry 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, earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.