STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA – Local favorite Gabriel Flores Jr. continues his busy year of defending his home turf tomorrow night as he takes on Dennis Contreras in the eight-round lightweight main event of an eight-bout card at Adventist Health Arena. Fighters on the card, dubbed “Nightmare in the Arena,” weighed-in Friday morning at the host venue. 

Flores (24-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton is back indoors at the venue where he will be competing for the third time in his last four bouts. Last time out, Flores, an excellent ticket seller in his hometown, scored an eight-round unanimous decision over tough Ronal Ron at the open air Banner Island Ballpark that sits a few steps down from the arena. Despite some fairly wide scores in his favor, Flores was challenged in the bout by Ron, who gave a solid account of himself. Flores, the WBA #11 ranked lightweight, will be fighting for the third time under the G-Squad Entertainment banner, as he and his father-promoter Gabe Flores Sr. chart their course towards bigger and better game, while creating some excitement at home. Flores came in just under the contracted weight at 134.6-pounds on Friday. 

Contreras (24-14-1, 22 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico enters the bout with an eye-catching knockout to win ratio, but he will be coming up in weight to the 135-pound lightweight division for the first time in his career. Contreras has fought as low as 118-pounds and only recently moved up to 130-pounds from featherweight three fights back. In his first bout at super featherweight, Contreras was stopped by Michael Magnesi in a failed bid for the lightly regarded IBO title in 2022. Contreras failed to make the contracted weight, coming in 1.6-pounds over at 136.6-pounds. As of press time, Contreras was attempting to drop the extra poundage. 

In the co-feature, Dominique Francis (15-0, 9 KOs) of Opa-Locka, Florida will take on fellow unbeaten Julio Carrera (18-0-1, 14 KOs) of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico in an eight-round super featherweight bout. 

Francis, whose hometown was affected by Hurricane Milton this week, has been well-traveled for a 23-year-old U.S.-based prospect, having competed in Mexico, Argentina and Colombia in his last five bouts. Two fights back, in a bout internationally-televised by TyC Sports, Francis showed his resiliency and ring smarts, surviving a knockdown early in the ninth round of a bout he was winning handily on the cards en route to a ten-round unanimous decision over Argentinian Braian Ariel Arguello in Argentina. On the other hand, Carrera has fought his career entirely in his native Mexico and his one small step-up opponent, Nazario Castro Nieblas, accounts for the draw on his ledger. Francis and Carrera both scaled in at 130.8-pounds. 

Returning to Stockton, super flyweight prospect Andrew Rodriguez (4-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California will meet Marcelino Rangel (1-0) of Toledo, Ohio in a four-rounder. The 21-year-old Rodriguez was matched with tough Alejandro Robles and dealt with a bad cut between his eyes, but scored the decision win in an entertaining U.S. debut at Banner Island Ballpark in July. Rangel turned professional in May with a four-round unanimous decision in Fostoria, Ohio. Rodriguez made 114-pounds, while Rangel weighed-in at 114.6-pounds. 

In a six-round super flyweight bout, Jessie James Guerrero (4-0-2, 2 KOs) of Gilroy, California returns to the ring for the first time since the birth of his first-born daughter as he takes on rugged Bryan Santiago (1-1-1) of Weslaco, Texas. Guerrero, who was last in the ring in March, scoring three knockdowns en route to a second-round knockout at this same venue in Stockton, came in at 112.8-pounds. Santiago, who engaged in two crowd-pleasing brawls with Ricardo Castillo in Hidalgo, Texas this year, winning the first and ending up with a draw in the second, made 114-pounds. 

Making his long awaited professional debut, former amateur standout Steve Canela of San Jose, California will take on debuting David Music of Findlay, Ohio in a four-round lightweight bout. Canela had been slated to debut on the last G-Squad Entertainment card in July, but the California State Athletic Commission would not approve his short notice opponent due to having fought the week prior. Canela did end up fighting that night, but in an exhibition. Canela came in at 136.2, while Music scaled 136.8-pounds. 

Multi-combat sport star Jennah Creason (1-0) of Visalia, California meets tough Seta Vatuvei (0-2) of Hayward, California in a four-round junior middleweight bout. Creason, who has had many potential opponents drop out after researching her accomplishments, moved up in weight to make the fight happen Saturday. Vatuvei has not shied away from tough competition in her brief pro career, having taken on well-regarded former amateur standouts in every fight thus far. Creason stayed closer to her normal fighting weight at 148.8-pounds, while Vatuvei came in at 154.8-pounds on Friday. 

Vicky Zhao of Capitola, California by way of Chongqing, China will make her professional debut against Tatiana Almaraz (0-4) of Pittsburg, California by way of Guatemala City, Guatemala in a four-round light flyweight bout. Despite her record, Almaraz, 110.6-pounds, is a very capable fighter that has been matched tough in her career to this point, but should provide a solid test for the debuting Zhao, who scaled 108.8-pounds.

Former amateur standout Kyle Lacanlale (1-0, 1 KO) of San Ramon, California will take on Ricardo Antonio Luna (0-1) of Glendale, California by way of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Lacanlale is fresh off an impressive pro debut in August where he scored a first-round knockout in a bout that lasted one minute. Lacanlale weighed-in at 122.6-pounds, while Luna scaled 124.8-pounds.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Flores Jr. 134.6

Contreras 136.6*

Super featherweights, 8 Rounds

Francis 130.8

Carrera 130.8

Super flyweights, 4 Rounds

Rodriguez 114

Rangel 114.6

Super flyweights, 6 Rounds

Guerrero 112.8

Santiago 114

Lightweights, 4 Rounds

Canela 136.2

Music 136.8

Welterweights, 4 Rounds

Creason 148.8

Vatuvei 154.8

Light flyweights, 4 Rounds

Almaraz 110.6

Zhao 108.8

Super bantamweights, 4 Rounds

Lacanlale 122.6

Luna 124.8

*1.6-pounds over contracted weight, attempting to shed weight at press time

Tickets for the event, promoted by G-Squad Entertainment, are available online at Gsquadent.com 

Photo by Julio C. Sanchez/G-Squad Entertainment

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

By Mario Ortega Jr. (Ringside)

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA – In the first-ever boxing event held at Banner Island Ballpark, local hero Gabriel Flores Jr. bested a determined Ronal Ron en route to a hotly-contested eight-round unanimous decision victory. 

Ron (14-6, 11 KOs) of Chino Hills, California by way of Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela proved better than advertised, especially considering one would be hard-pressed to find any pre-fight ballyhoo mentioning him by name. 

Flores (23-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton was satisfied to play the role of the boxer as Ron was the aggressor for much of the bout. 

Flores, the WBA #12 ranked lightweight, started the fight in control, as his superior technical skill proved a problem for Ron, 134.4, through the first two rounds. 

Ron pressed the action for much of the third stanza, as Flores, 134.8, was content to fight off of his back foot. Flores may have been urged by his corner after the third, as he seemed to come out with renewed vigor. After a heated exchange, Ron developed a cut near his left eye that referee Edward Collantes ruled was from a punch in the fourth. 

Following a competitive fifth round, Ron landed well with combinations in the sixth, as Flores continued to play the role of counter-puncher to varying degrees of success. When the Stockton native boxed and moved, Ron had trouble finding the target. When Flores found himself stationary or on the ropes, the Venezuelan was far more successful. 

Flores took a more forceful approach to close out the final two rounds, snapping Ron’s head back along the ropes late. Flores boxed well down the stretch to punctuate his performance. 

Final scores read a little wider than some of the action indicated, as Flores earned the unanimous verdict by scores of 79-73 and 78-74 twice. 

With the win, Flores successfully defended his regional WBA Continental USA title and more importantly stays on track for bigger and better things in the lightweight division. 

Journeyman Andrew Rogers (9-12-3, 3 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana scored a workmanlike eight-round unanimous decision to notch an upset over Julian Rodarte (19-2-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California. 

Some of the pre-fight shenanigans will likely garner some scrutiny from those in the know, as Rogers, 140, weighed-in five pounds over the contracted weight on Friday morning. After some negotiating, the bout was allowed to proceed, with Rogers agreeing to a secondary weigh-in Saturday to limit his rehydration. 

Rodarte, 134.4, opened the bout well, outworking Rogers in the first two rounds. The fight began to turn in the third after a left hook staggered Rodarte briefly and may have initiated a small cut.

Rodarte pressed the action in the fourth and slowed Rogers with his body attack  but with was the Indiana native that had more in the tank down the stretch. 

Rodarte, looking a little weary in the seventh, finding himself on his knees twice from slips. Rogers was rough on the inside and looked to be the heavier, stronger fighter as the fight came to a close. All three judges scored the bout for Rogers, 77-75. 

Former standout amateur Lorenzo Powell (2-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California scored two knockdowns en route to a one-sided drubbing of converted MMA fighter Ethan Rowan (0-1) of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Powell, 137.2, rocked Rowan, 139, with the first combination he threw and quickly scored knockdown number one. When Rowan returned to his feet, Powell moved-in quickly and downed Rowan with a left to the body. As soon as Rowan crumpled to the ground, referee Edward Collantes called the one-sided bout at 51 seconds of round one. 

In an entertaining scrap, super flyweight prospect Andrew Rodriguez (4-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California turned back a determined Alejandro Robles (0-4) of Modesto, California via four-round majority decision. 

The term “better-than-his record” was created for guys like Robles, 115.8, who stood in there with the multidimensional Rodriguez, 113.8, throughout the bout. 

In the end, official judges preferred the offensive output of Rodriguez. Judge Kermit Bayliss scored the bout even, 38-38, but was overruled by judges David Hartman, 40-36, and Brian Tsukamoto, 39-37. 

Former amateur star Steve Canela of San Jose, California had hoped to make his pro debut tonight, but a late opponent switch was only approved for an exhibition by the California State Athletic Commission. 

Veteran Pedro Pinillo (5-8, 5 KOs) of Cali, Colombia had fought just eight days ago in Georgia, but was willing to fight Canela Saturday night in Stockton. 

Canela, 144.6, was consistently first throughout the contest as Pinillo, 145.4, kept a low guard, but hung in there with his fresher adversary. At the bout’s conclusion, ring announcer Lupe Contreeras declared the exhibition had been scored even. 

In under one-round, super bantamweight prospect Ab Lozano (2-0, 2 KOs) of Martinez, California made short work of Wild Card Boxing Club regular sparring partner Rod Sarguilla (2-6, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, California by way of Midsayap, Cotabato, Philippines.

Throughout the brief contest, the stronger Lozano, 123.8, was in complete control of 

Sarguilla, 123. Lozano forced Sarguilla to the ropes and was unrelenting in his assault. Referee Michael Margado repeatedly asked Sarguilla to show him something, but when the southpaw Lozano rocked Sarguilla late in the round, the official had seen enough. Time of the stoppage was 2:50 of round one.

G-Squad Entertainment has an October 12th date on hold at the Stockton Memorial Auditorium, which lines up perfectly for a Flores return. 
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

By Mario Ortega Jr.

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA – Lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. returns to his hometown and brings pro boxing to a venue more accustomed to hosting sluggers of another variety in Banner Island Ballpark on Saturday night. Flores will take on veteran Ronal Ron in the eight-round main event of a six-bout card. Fighters weighed-in at the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel on Friday morning.

Flores (23-2, 8 KOs) is the headlining attraction for the first-ever boxing event hosted at the home of Minor League Baseball’s Stockton Ports. Eventual World Series champions such as Max Muncy and Matt Olson once slugged their share of home runs on the same field where Flores will hope to continue his road to a crack at a world title of his own. 

Last time out, fighting under his father’s G-Squad Entertainment promotional banner for the first time, Flores packed the Adventist Health Arena next door en route to a decision win over previously unbeaten Julian Rodarte. Flores’ large local following will have more room to stretch out on Saturday, as the young contender may provide fireworks of his own before the pyrotechnics are set to fill the stadium’s open air at the conclusion of the event. 

Ron (14-6, 11 KOs) of Chino Hills, California by way of Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela has been cast in the part of durable opponent, charged with giving the local favorite son a good enough fight that it is not just the peanuts and crackerjack sending the crowd home satisfied.

Ron may have more stoppage victories under his belt than does Flores, but a comparison of their resumes reveals that none could be fairly made. The two times Ron has stepped up to the upper level also represent his two knockout defeats. Eventual 130-pound champion Hector Luis Garcia halted Ron in three in 2019 and Abdullah Mason needed four rounds this past April. 

Flores, defending the WBA Continental USA title he claimed in March with the win over Rodarte, weighed-in at 134.8-pounds. 

Ron, who looked to provoke some heat during the face-off, scaled 134.4. 

Former Flores foe, the aforementioned Julian Rodarte (19-1-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California returns to Stockton to take on Andrew Rogers (8-12-3, 3 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana in an eight-round lightweight bout. 

Rodarte, who lost a majority decision to Flores on his last visit to the “Port City” in March and is now promoted by G-Squad Entertainment, made 134.4-pounds. Rogers, 0-3-1 in his previous four trips to California, came in a whopping five pounds over the limit.

As of press time it was unclear whether or not this bout would actually come to fruition due to the weight discrepancy. 

Andrew Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California makes his long-awaited U.S. debut against former amateur opponent Alejandro Robles (0-3) of Modesto, California in a four-round super flyweight fight. 

Rodriguez made the weight with a little room to spare at 113.8-pounds. Robles just missed the contracted weight at 115.8-pounds. After some discussion, Robles opted not to attempt to lose the extra weight and will instead receive a fine. 

Former standout amateur Lorenzo Powell (1-0) of Sacramento, California will meet Ethan Rowan (0-1) of Saint Paul, Minnesota in a four-round lightweight contest. Powell, who turned pro in Stockton in March, scaled 137.2-pounds. Rowan, a veteran of mixed martial arts prior to taking up pro boxing, made 139-pounds. 

Ab Lozano (1-0, 1 KO) of Martinez, California will take on Rod Sarguilla (2-5, 1 KO) Los Angeles, California by way of Midsayap, Cotabato, Philippines in a four-round featherweight bout. The well-regarded Lozano scaled 123.8-pounds, while Sarguilla, based out of the famed Wild Card Boxing Club, made 123-pounds even. 

Former amateur star Steve Canela of San Jose, California had hoped to be making his professional debut on Saturday night. Instead, Canela’s four-round bout with Pedro Pinillo (5-8, 5 KOs) of Cali, Colombia will be sanctioned as an exhibition. 

Pinillo would have made for an experienced opponent for a debut, but Canela will have to wait a bit longer to make it official. Pinillo, having just fought well-regarded prospect David Lopez for a full six-rounds one week ago, is under a routine seven-day suspension by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, set to run through today’s date, July 19th. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBA Continental USA Lightweight Championship, 8 Rounds

Flores Jr. 134.8

Ron 134.4

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Rodarte 134.4

Rogers 140*

Super Flyweights, 4 Rounds

Rodriguez 113.8

Robles 115.8**

Light welterweights, 4 Rounds

Powell 137.2

Rowan 139

Featherweights, 4 Rounds

Lozano 123.8

Sarguilla 123 

Welterweights, 4 Rounds (Exhibition)

Canela 144.6

Pinillo 145.4

*Rogers 5 pounds over contracted weight

**Robles .8 over contracted weight 

Tickets for the event, which will be streamed via pay-per-view by the BLK Prime streaming service, are available online at gsquadent.com 

Photo by Julio Sanchez/G-Squad Entertainment 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

By Mario Ortega Jr. (Ringside)

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA — Making good on his hometown return, Gabriel Flores Jr. took a step back towards contention with a ten-round unanimous decision over durable and previously unbeaten Julian Rodarte at the Adventist Health Arena on Saturday night. 

Flores (23-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton used his superior boxing ability to great effect early in the bout as Rodarte (19-1-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California struggled to find his way past the jab. 

Rodarte, 134.8, looked to be on his way to banking the fourth, until Flores, 134.4, completely took over midway through the round. Flores landed with a combination upstairs that staggered Rodarte and brought the partisan crowd to their feet. Rodarte weathered the storm with his elbows high before firing back after he regained his footing late in the act. 

Flores found the right range midway through the fight. After Rodarte made the fifth round competitive, Flores kept the Downey resident at the end of his punches for most of the sixth. Flores continued to keep his distance and land effectively throughout the seventh. Rodarte did land one of his better shots in the bout, snapping Flores’ head back in the final seconds of the round. 

As the fight moved into the final quarter, Flores seemed content to box his way to a decision as he kept his distance and picked his shots more judiciously. Rodarte was game, but struggled to cut off the ring throughout bout.  

One judge scored the bout for Rodarte, 96-94, but was overruled by the score of 98-92 twice for Flores, who claimed the vacant WBA Continental USA lightweight title with the victory. 

Fernando Vargas Jr. (14-0, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Oxnard, California made a statement as he moved up in class and stopped veteran Brad Solomon (29-7, 9 KOs) of Douglasville, Georgia by way of Lafayette, Louisiana via fourth-round stoppage. 

Vargas, 152.8, began to pull away in the fight early in the third round. Solomon, 151.2, did not have the power to keep Vargas at bay. Solomon showed signs of wilting after Vargas began a rally with a left upstairs midway through the stanza. Vargas moved in early in the fourth, forcing Solomon to a knee in his own corner. As the referee moved in, Solomon’s corner had already begun to signal to the official that they had seen enough. With the official time of 1:32 of the fourth round, referee Rudy Barragan called a halt to the bout. 

Lorenzo Powell (1-0) of Sacramento, California was made to work for his first professional victory en route to scoring a four-round unanimous decision over free-swinging Jose Valenzuela Alvarado (2-13-1, 1 KO) of Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. 

Powell, 134, was the more polished boxer but failed to consistently make Valenzuela Alvarado, 136.2, pay for his less-than-refined style. Powell made the fight more difficult than necessary, allowing Valenzuela Alvardo in close instead of keeping his distance and making the most of his Mexican adversary’s mistakes. In the end, the fight was never in doubt, as Powell took all three cards, 40-36. 

Jessie James Guerrero (4-0-2, 4 KOs) of Salinas, California returned to the ring and quickly shook off any ring rust with a second-round stoppage of veteran Jose Rodriguez Montemayor (7-9, 6 KOs) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin by way of Piedras Negras, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico.

After an aggressive, offense-minded opening round, Guerrero, 113.4, came out with a concentrated body attack to begin the second. Rodriguez Montemayor, 115.4, struggled to defend before giving in to a left hook on the beltline for the first of three trips to the mat. Guerrero would quickly find Rodriguez Montemayor’s sweet spot twice more, lastly with a right to the kidney, prompting a stoppage at 1:40 of the second round. 

In the walkout bout, Salvador Briceno (18-7-1, 11 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico bested Cameron Krael (20-32-3, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada via eight-round unanimous decision. 

Briceno, 146.4, and Krael, 147.6, fought on fairly even terms throughout. Briceno may have edged the rounds with a busier output. In the end, one judge scored the bout 79-73, while the other two had it 80-72, all for Briceno. 

Saturday’s near sold out event served as the inaugural showcase for G-Squad Entertainment,  new promotional entity helmed by Gabriel Flores Sr. 

Photo by Julio Sanchez/G-Squad Entertainment 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

By Mario Ortega Jr. –

Gabriel Flores Jr., once one of the most highly regarded lightweight prospects in all of the sport, returns home to Stockton, California on Saturday night, as he and his father Gabriel Sr. have taken the step of launching new promotional entity G-Squad Entertainment as they chart a path for the next stage of their careers. Flores will take on unbeaten Julian Rodarte for the vacant WBA Continental USA lightweight title in the ten-round main event of a five-bout card at the Adventist Health Arena. Fighters weighed-in Friday at the host venue. 

Flores (22-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton was last in the ring at this same venue last May, making short work of veteran journeyman Derrick Murray as he helped boost ticket sales for the Top Rank-promoted event. Now with more control than ever over his own career, Flores will hope a victory over Rodarte, while claiming a regional title in the process, will put his name back in the mix at 135-pounds. Flores weighed-in just under the lightweight limit at 134.4-pounds on Friday. 

“This is going to be a great performance,” Flores told 15rounds.com on Friday. “I am going to have another memorable night. Get your tickets now!” 

Rodarte (19-0-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California sports a similarly glossy record, but a comparison of resumes will show that Flores represents a significant step-up in competition for the out-of-town challenger. Rodarte last fought in August where he was held to a draw by a fighter that had dropped his previous seven contests. Rodarte, fighting in California for the first time since 2019, scaled 134.8-pounds at Friday’s weigh-in. 

With his famous father of the same name in his corner, Fernando Vargas Jr. (13-0, 12 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Oxnard, California will meet perhaps his toughest foe to date in veteran Brad Solomon (29-6, 9 KOs) of Douglasville, Georgia by way of Lafayette, Louisiana in a six-round light middleweight bout. Vargas’ knockout streak ended two fights back as he was finally taken the six-round distance last August, before scoring his twelfth knockout over Wilfrido Buelvas in November. Solomon, a 16-year professional veteran, did not fight in 2023, last seeing ring action in December of 2022 in a failed bid at a regional title. Vargas scaled 152.8-pounds Friday, while Solomon made 151.2. 

Making his professional debut on Saturday, well-regarded Lorenzo Powell of Sacramento, California will take on Jose Valenzuela Alvarado (2-12-1, 1 KO) of Puebla, Puebla, Mexico in a four-round lightweight bout. Powell, who had been slated to turn professional last November before the event was canceled due to weather forecasts, scaled 134-pounds. Valenzuela Alvardo came in heavy at 136.2-pounds at the weigh-in. 

Two veteran gatekeepers meet in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout, as Salvador Briceno (17-7-1, 11 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico takes on Cameron Krael (20-31-3, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas. Briceno, who took Gabriel Flores Jr. the eight-round distance back in 2019, weighed-in at 146.4-pounds. Krael, who managed to fight eight times last year and is somehow still just 30-years-old, came in at 147.6-pounds. 

Representing the third generation of his vast fighting family, Jessie James Guerrero (3-0-2, 3 KOs) of Salinas, California returns to the ring for the first time in almost a year, as he takes on Jose Rodriguez Montemayor (7-8, 6 KOs) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin by way of Piedras Negras, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico in a six-round super flyweight bout. Guerrero, expecting his first child to be born this Father’s Day, will be fighting on his pregnant girlfriend Ariel’s birthday on Saturday night. Montemayor, originally slated to meet Jesus Haro, came in heavy at 115.4-pounds, while Guerrero made 113.4-pounds. 

Tickets for the event, promoted by G-Squad Entertainment and to be streamed live by FightHub TV, are available online at Ticketmaster.com 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBA Continental USA Lightweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Flores Jr. 134.4

Rodarte 134.8

Light middleweights, 6 Rounds

Vargas Jr. 152.8

Solomon 151.2

Lightweights, 4 Rounds

Powell 134

Valenzuela Alvarado 136.2

Welterweights, 8 Rounds

Briceno 146.4

Krael 147.6

Super flyweights, 6 Rounds 

Guerrero 113.4

Rodriguez Montemayor 115.4

Photo by Julio Sanchez/G-Squad Entertainment 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

Janibek Alimkhanuly retained the WBO Middleweight title with a second round obliteration of Steven Butler at The Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.

In round two, Alimkhanuly dropped Butler with a devastating left uppercut that was followed by a huge left. When Butler got up, he was on unsteady legs. Alimkhanuly jumped on Butler and sent him to the canvas for second time with a big flurry of punches. Alimkhanuly continued to pound a wounded Butler and put him flat ion his back and the fight was stopped at 2:35.

Alimkhanuly, 159.2 lbs of Kazakhstan is now 14-0 with nine knockouts. Butler, 159.6 lbs of Montreal 32-4-1.

Alimkhanuly said, “Championsl. Boxing superstars! Where are you? I am waiting. Let’s fight. I am the most avoided boxer. I am the middleweight king. Let’s go. Let’s fight. I am ready for anybody. Anytime. Anywhere.”

Jason Moloney Decisions Astrolabio to Win Bantamweight Title

Jason Moloney won the vacant WBA Bantamweight title with a 12-round majority decision over Vincent Astrolabio

Moloney was cut around the left eye in round seven.

Moloney landed 143 of 463 punches. Atrolabio was 109 of 596.

Moloney, 117.8 lbs of Melbourne, AUS won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 and is now 26-2. Astrolabio, 117.2 lbs of General Santos City, PHL is 18-4.

Moloney won the title on his third attempt.

Moloney said, “I thought I won it going away, but all that matters is the victory. And now I have this belt for the rest of my life.

“I broke my hand in the third or fourth round. It hurt every time I threw it. But I knew this was my last chance to make my dream come true.

“This is half the job done for Team Moloney. Next week, [twin brother] Andrew will join me as champion of the world.”

Gabriel Flores Jr. destroyed Derrick Murray by scoring an opening-round, one-punch stoppage in a eight-round lightweight bout.

Flores landed a perfect check left hook to the chin that sent Murray crushing down to the canvas with the back of his head hitting the canvas and the fight was stopped at 30 seconds.

Flores, 134.4 lbs of Stockton, CA is now 22-2 with eight knockouts. Murray, 134.4 lbs of Saint Louis, MO is 17-9-1.

Former world title challenger Ruben Villa IV stopped Maicol Lopez Viillagrano in round five of their eight-round featherweight bout.

In round four, Villa dropped Villagrano with a left uppercut that was followed by a straight left to the chin. In round five, Villa landed several big lefts that forced a referee stoppage at 1:55.

Villa, 126.4 lbs of Salinas, CA is 20-1 with seven knockouts. Villagrano, 126.6 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 16-5.

Javier Martinez and Joeshon Jones fought to an eight-round split draw in a battle of undefeated middleweights.

Martinez won a card 77-75; Jones took a card 79-73 and a third card was even at 76-76.

Martinez, 160.2 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 8-0-1. Jonez, 161.2 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 7-0-1.

Amado Fernando Vargas won a four-round unanimous decision over Bernando Marzano in a junior lightweight bout.

In round one, Vargas dropped Manzano with a hard left.

Vargas, 129.4 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is ow 7-0. Marzano, 129.6 lbs of Mexico City is 2-5.

Brian Norman Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Jesus Perez in a welterweight fight.

Norman, 148 lbs of Atlanta, GA won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75 twice and is now 24-0. Perez, 147 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 24-5.

Former world champion Isaac Dogboe won a 10-round split decision over two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez in a featherweight bout at The Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota.

Dogboe landed 190 of 783 punches; Gonzalez was 197 of 549.

Dogboe, 125.8 lbs of Anyako, GHA won by two scores of 96-94. Gonzalez won a card 96-94.

Dogboe is now 26-2. Gonzalez, 125.6 lbs of Glendora, CA is 25-3.

Dogboe said, “I said to the people that my journey can be a Hollywood blockbuster movie, and I praise God always.
 
“I’ve always seen {trainer} Barry {Hunter} as a very inspirational person, a father figure. He’s a person that when it seems like it’s all gone, he always has something to say to you. I really needed him in my corner. He was able to pull that extra strength in me out. I want to say thanks to Joet Gonzalez. He’s a true warrior.
 
“Whoever the champions are, they should watch out. The ‘Royal Storm,’ I am back, baby!”

“Close fight. I thought I won the fight. I buckled him, I believe, twice in the fight. I stunned him,” Gonzalez said. “He didn’t really land too many shots. I landed the cleaner, harder shots. I was pushing him back, and he was holding most of the time. Roughing me and trying to stop me. But I thought I won the fight.”

Giovanni Cabrera remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Gabriel Flores Jr. in a lightweight fight.

Cabrera dropped Flores just 10 seconds into the fight with a straight left. In round four, it was a right hook around the head that put Flores on the canvas.

Cabrera landed 189 of 602 punches; Flores was 57 of 335.

Cabrera, 135.6 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 98-89 on all cards and is now 21-0. Flores, 135.4 lbs of Stockton, CA is 21-2.

“I felt amazing. It’s what we worked on in the gym,” Cabrera said. “Everybody, I think, can see I’m a very slick boxer. As I’ve progressed in the professional ranks, there’s still growth to be had. There’s a lot to learn, and I have the best trainer in the world to do that. I’ve been working on my power. He felt it in the first round. Gabriel Flores is as tough as they come. My hat’s off to him. This incredible fight wouldn’t have been made if he wasn’t brave enough to take it.”

Flores said, “I should’ve kept on stepping to my left. The game plan kind of went to blur. My father was telling me to keep stepping to my left, keep feinting, keep flicking my jab, and keep jabbing. I didn’t really do much of any of that.”

Javier Martinez remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Chino Hill in a middleweight bout,

In round three, Martinez had a scrape around his right eye.

Martinez landed 115 of 242 punches. Hill was 70 of 368.

Martinez, 160.8 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice and is now 7-0. Hill, 161 lbs of Davenport, IA is 7-1-1.

Guido Vianello remained undefeated with a fourth round stoppage over Rafael Rios in a scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout.

In round four, Vianello dropped Rios with a flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:59.

Vianello, 244.2 lbs of Milan, ITA is 9-0-1 with nine knockouts. Rios, 258.4 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 11-4.

Haven Brady Jr. remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Aaron Echeveste in a featherweight bout.

Brady, 127.8 lbs of Augusta, GA won by scores of 60-53 and 60-54 twice and is now 7-0. Echevester, 126.8 lbs of Leon, MEX is 6-8.

Colton Warner won a four-round unanimous decision over Jimmy Barnes in a heavyweight bout.

Warner, 254 lbs of Pine City, MN won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 5-1. Barnes, 265.6 lbs of Pine City, MN is 1-3.

Good looking 18 year-old prospect Abdullah Mason stopped Luis Fernandez in the opening round of their four-round lightweight bout

Mason dropped Fernandez in the first 15 seconds with a quick right-left. Mason dropped Mason again with a quick right hook. Mason continued to beat up Fernandez with devastating blows until the bout was stopped at 2:39.

Mason, 135 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 3-0 with three knockouts. Fernandez, 136 lbs of Austin, TX is 1-4-1,

Antonio Mireles stopped Dennys Reyes in round two of their four-round heavyweight fight.

In round two, Mirleles dropped Reyes with a body shot that was followed by a left to the head. Mirleles finished off the fight by dropping Reyes with a right hand, and the fight was stopped at 2:19.

Mireles, 269.2 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 4-0 with four knockouts. Reyes, 228.6 lbs of Finley, MN is 3-3.

Dante Benjamin stopped Corey Thompson in round one of a scheduled four-round light heavyweight bout featuring undefeated fighters.

Benjamin jumped all over Thompson in the opening seconds, cutting him in the forehead and then dropping him with a hard combination. Benjamin then dropped Thompson with a vicious five-punch combination. Benjamin ended the fight by dropping Thompson with a hard right hand at 2:24.

Benjamin, 172.6 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 3-0 with two knockouts. Thompson, 174.8 lbs of Alexandria, MN is 4-1.

Antonio Woods remained undefeated with a first round stoppage over Darryl Jones in a six-round middleweight bout.

Woods uncorked a vicious combination in the corner and the bout was stopped at 2:36.

Woods, 161.6 lbs of Cedar Rapids, IA is 11-0 with nine knockouts. Jones, 162 lbs of Sarasota, FL is 4-5-1.

HINCKLEY, Minn. (June 14, 2022) — It’s the “Quiet Storm” versus a “Royal Storm,” a can’t-miss featherweight matchup with a title shot on the line. Two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez will take on former junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe in a 10-round main event Saturday, July 23, at Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minnesota. Gonzalez will put his WBO International belt on the line, with the fight also serving as a WBC world title eliminator.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, undefeated contender Giovanni “El Cabron” Cabrera hopes for a signature win against the flashy Gabriel Flores Jr.

Gonzalez-Dogboe, Cabrera-Flores and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Rapacz Boxing, tickets starting at $35 go on sale Wednesday, June 15 at 10 a.m. CST, and can be purchased by visiting eTix.com.

“Joet and Isaac are guaranteed entertainment each time they step through the ropes, and I have no doubt they will combine for an action-packed main event,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “With Cabrera and Flores in the co-feature, this is a truly sensational summertime card at the Grand Casino in Hinckley.”

Gonzalez (25-2, 15 KOs), from Glendora, California, is considered one of boxing’s best uncrowned champions, a 10-year pro whose only defeats have come to Shakur Stevenson and Emanuel Navarrete in separate bids for the WBO featherweight world title. Gonzalez’s October 2021 decision loss to Navarrete was considered one of the best action fights of the year and did little to diminish his standing. He is currently rated No. 1 by the WBO and No. 3 by the WBC, which comes off the heels of his ninth-round knockout over Jeo Santisima in March.

Gonzalez said, “The third time’s a charm, and I’m more motivated than ever to have a world title around my waist. Isaac Dogboe always comes to fight. The respect is there, but on July 23, I am preparing to go to battle. I expect the best version of Dogboe, and I will be at the top of my game.”

Dogboe (23-2, 15 KOs), from Anyako, Ghana, burst onto the world scene in April 2018 with his title-winning knockout over Jessie Magdaleno. In his first title defense, he blitzed Hidenori Otake in the opening round. Dogboe’s rapid rise came to a halt with consecutive defeats to Navarrete, but he reignited his career with victories over Chris Avalos, Adam Lopez, and Christopher Diaz. The Diaz and Lopez bouts — 10-round majority decisions — were toe-to-toe barnburners that may serve as an indication what he’ll bring against Gonzalez. A 2012 Olympian, Dogboe has royal lineage, as his late grandfather, Torgbui Sri III, was the ruler of the Anlo state in Ghana’s Volta Region. His return to boxing royalty hinges on a victory over Gonzalez.

Dogboe said, “I have been tested against the very best, and on July 23, we go to war against another top contender in Joet Gonzalez. I am excited to be back in a main event as I continue my quest to become a two-weight world champion.”

Cabrera (20-0, 7 KOs) inked a promotional contract with Top Rank earlier this year and has notched decision victories over Rene Tellez Giron and Elias Araujo to make it 20 for 20. Trained by Freddie Roach at Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Cabrera started boxing at 16 when he was inspired by Roach’s most famous pupil, Manny Pacquiao. He was raised mostly in Chicago and developed as a pro at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, where he headlined six events. Following an October 2019 win in Chicago, he was sidelined for more than two years due to promotional and managerial issues. Since signing with Top Rank, Cabrera has re-established his standing as a contender to watch. Flores (21-1, 7 KOs), a 22-year-old from Stockton, California, saw his momentum come to a temporary halt with a one-sided loss last September to Luis Alberto Lopez. Less than six months later, Flores survived a gut check to edge a majority decision over Abraham Montoya. Prior to the Lopez loss, Flores became only the second man to knock out former world title challenger Jayson Velez.

Cabrera said, “I’m here to contend for the lightweight crown. I’m still getting better, and I still have a lot to prove. Gabriel Flores Jr. is a highly skilled fighter, but I’m used to taking on this level of challenge. I know he’s never been in with a fighter like me. His strategy against me will only be a guess, a shot in the dark, but how can you prepare for a style you’ve never seen? I’m going to train my butt off out of full respect for my opponent, and the fans will be the winners.” 

“I am a different fighter at lightweight. The weight is no longer an issue, and you’re going to see the same fighter that knocked out Velez,” Flores said. “I like fighting southpaws, so if Cabrera thinks I don’t have the strategy to beat him, he’s going to be in for a rude awakening on July 23. I know what I need to do, and mark my words, I’m going to win this fight in dominant fashion.”

The undercard is scheduled to include many of Top Rank’s rising stars, including Italian heavyweight knockout artist Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (8-0-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder, featherweight prospect Haven Brady Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder, Milwaukee native Javier Martinez (6-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round middleweight bout, and 6’9 heavyweight Antonio “El Gigante”Mireles (3-0, 3 KOs) in a four-rounder against Minneapolis resident Dennys Reyes (3-2, 1 KO). Cleveland-born lightweight phenom Abdullah Mason (2-0, 2 KOs) and fellow Clevelander, light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr. (2-0, 1 KO), will represent “The Land” in separate four-rounders. Benjamin Jr. will fight fellow unbeaten Corey Thompson (4-0, 3 KOs), who hails from Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

Four additional Minnesota natives will add some local flavor to the card. Middleweight Antonio Woods (10-0, 8 KOs) is scheduled to appear in a six-rounder, while heavyweight Colton Warner (4-1, 3 KOs) returns in a four-rounder. And, in an all-Minnesota heavyweight showdown scheduled for four rounds, Cayman Audie (1-1, 1 KO) will do battle with Tommy Matlon (2-1, 1 KO).

About ESPN+
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 22.3 million subscribers. 
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In a battle of former world champions, Jesus Ramirez won a 12-round unanimous decision over Jose Pedraza in a junior welterweight bout at The Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

It was a tactical fight with Ramirez looking to push forward, while Pedraza was getting in good work while working off the back foot and countering. In round, nine, the right eye of Pedraza began to swell.

Ramirez landed 133 of 554 punches; Pedraza was 110 of 586.

Ramirez, 139.8 lbs of Avenal, CA won by scores of 116-112 on all cards and is now 27-1. Pedraza140 lbs of Cidra, PR is 29-4.

Ramirez said, “Jose Pedraza is a smart, experienced fighter. He was going to find a way to survive and put up a fight. He was there boxing towards the end of the fight.  My hat’s off to him and his team. He was well-prepared. It was a great fight. I got to see where I am right now.

“I’m going to go back, work and stay focused and stay active. That’s one thing that’s affected me these last couple of years. I’ve trained so many times for a little bit of fights. My inactivity, my discouragement throughout training camps, it really took a big toll on me. I’m ready to stay active and stay motivated. There’s a lot of really great fighters coming up to 140. There’s a lot of really good fighters at 140 right now.”

Torrez Jr. stops Melson in 2

2021 U.S. Olympic Silver Medal winner, Richard Torrez Jr. made a successful pro debut as he stopped Allen Melson in round two of their six-round heavyweight bout

In round one, Torrez dropped Melson in the corner with a little combination. Melson’s nose began to bleed. Torrez began to bleed badly over his left eye from a clash of heads. In round two, Torrez dropped Melson with a straight left. the fight ended when Torrez dropped Melson with a left after a furious exchange, and the fight was stopped at 1:23.

Torrez, 228.2 lbs of Tulure, CA is 1-0 with one knockout. Melson, 201.8 lbs of Alabama is 6-4.

Torrez said, “After the cut, I knew I had to get back to basics, and that’s what I did. I made sure to avoid additional head clashes, and I got the job done in the second.
 
“Sure, the cut is frustrating, but I’m not going to let it ruin the celebration. What a night. It was everything I’d hoped it would be.
 
“I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to make a good first impression, especially in front of my home fans. They brought the energy, and I fed off the energy they gave me. The Central Valley is home, and I am proud to represent my people.”

Gonzalez stops Santisima in 9

Joet Gonzalez stopped Jeo Santisima in round nine of a scheduled 10-round featherweight bout of former world title challengers.

In round eight, Samtisima started to swell under his right eye. In round nine, Gonzalez landed a couple of right hands and the fight was stopped at 2:05.

Gonzalez, 125.8 lbs of Glendora, CA is now 25-2 with 15 knockouts. Santisima, 125.2 lbs of the Philippines is 21-4.

Gabriel Flores Jr. gutted out a 10-round majority decision over Abraham Montoya in a junior lightweight bout.

Flores looked good early, but seemed to tire in the middle rounds and started eating flush punches. Flores was better in the final frame.

Flores landed 177 of 503 punches; Montoya was 174 of 597.

Flores, 131.6 lbs of Stockton, CA won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is now 21-1. Montoya, 131.8 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 20-3-1.

Hector Tanajara and Miguel Contreras fought to an eight-round split draw in a lightweight bout.

Tanajara won a card 78-84, Contreras took a card 77-75 and a third card was even at 76-76.

Tanajara, 135 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 19-1-1. Contreras, 134.2 lbs of Bakersfield, CA is 11-1-1.

Karlos Balderas stopped Aelio Medquita in round two of a scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

Seconds into the bout, Balderas landed a big right hand that sent Mesquita down for a knockdown. Towards the end of the round, it was another right that sent Mesquita to the deck for a 2nd time. In round two, Balderas landed another right sent Mesquita down and the fight was over at 38 seconds.

Balderas, 134.2 lbs of Santa Maria, CA is 12-1 with 11 knockouts. Mesquita, 131.2 lbs of Guajua, BRA is 20-7-1.

Javier Martinez remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Donte Stubbs in a middleweight bout.

In round two, Stubbs began to bleed from his nose. In round three, Stubbs dropped Martinez with a straight right.

Martinez, 161.8 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 59-56 and 58-55 twice and is now 6-0. Stubbs, 163 lbs of Riverside, CA is 6-4.

Charlie Sheehy remained undefeated with an opening round stoppage over previously undefeated Johnny Bernal in a scheduled four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Sheehy rocked Bernal with a hard right and followed up with another hard right that sent Bernal into the ropes for a knockdown. Sheehy hurt Bernal again with a left hook. Sheehy then landed a vicious combination that forced a referee stoppage at 2:33.

Sheehy, 134.2 lbs of Brisbane, CA is 2-0 with two knockouts. Bernal, 135 lbs of Denver, CO is 2-1.

6’9″ Antonio Mireles remained perfect as he stopped previously undefeated Brandon Hughes in round two of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Mireles landed a perfect jab-straight left that sent Hughes down on his face. Moments later it was another straight left that put Hughes down just before the end of the round. In round two, Mireles landed a big left hand that hurt Hughes and the fight was stopped just as Hughes hit the canvas at 1:04.

Mireles, 259.4 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 3-0 with three knockouts. Hughes, 282.4 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 2-1

FRESNO, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2022) — Gabriel Flores Jr. is aiming for a fresh start in Fresno. The 21-year-old junior lightweight hopes to bounce back from his first career defeat in a 10-round bout against Mexican veteran Abraham Montoya on Friday, March 4 at Save Mart Center.

Flores and Montoya will do battle underneath the junior welterweight main event between former unified champion Jose Ramirez and two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza. The entire Ramirez-Pedraza card will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+. 

“The mission I’m on is personal, and I will be a world champion,” Flores said. “I am more motivated than ever, and I will have answers for whatever Montoya brings.”

Flores (20-1, 7 KOs), who hails from Stockton, California, will have a sizable cheering section make the roughly two-hour drive to Fresno. Last September in Tucson, Arizona, he suffered his first career defeat, a one-sided unanimous decision loss to Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez. Flores showed his mettle over 10 rounds, fighting back in the face of Lopez’s relentless onslaught. Signed by Top Rank as a 16-year-old, Flores was flawless throughout the first four-plus years of his pro career. In February 2020, he became only the second man to knock out Puerto Rican contender Jayson Velez.

Montoya (20-2-1, 14 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is an eight-year pro with a knack for upsetting undefeated prospects. In March 2018, he bested Luis Alberto Lopez (12-0 at the time) by split decision. Last February, he upset undefeated prospect Alejandro Guerrero by majority decision. He has won two fights since a November 2019 decision defeat to top contender Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov.

Flores Jr. vs. Montoya joins a packed undercard that includes featherweight contender Joet Gonzalez (24-2, 14 KOs) against Jeo Santisima (21-3, 18 KOs) in a 10-rounder, the six-round heavyweight professional debut of U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr., rising junior lightweight Karlos Balderas (11-1, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder, lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-rounder, 6’9 heavyweight Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder, and middleweight prospect Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (5-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $36 are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

About ESPN+
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).

(Nov. 30, 2021) — Less than three months after dominating the previously undefeated Gabriel Flores Jr., Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez hopes to earn a world title shot. Lopez will face undefeated British contender Isaac “The Westgate Warrior” Lowe in a 12-round IBF featherweight title eliminator this Friday, Dec. 3 at York Hall in London.
 
Lopez-Lowe and supporting bouts will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
 
Lopez (23-2, 11 KOs), the IBF No. 5 contender from Mexicali, Mexico, is riding a six-bout winning streak since a 2019 loss to Ruben Villa. He edged Andy Vences by split decision in a 2020 Fight of the Year contender, then started his 2021 campaign in Mexico with a first-round knockout. He entered the Flores fight — Sept. 10 in Tucson, Arizona — as a sizable underdog. In a relentless show of pressure fighting, Flores somehow survived the 10-round onslaught, and Lopez earned the one-sided decision.

Lowe (21-0-3, 6 KOs), the IBF No. 8 contender, is a close friend and a training partner of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. A former English and Commonwealth featherweight champion, Lowe has won seven consecutive bouts, including a one-sided decision over Alberto Guevara in February 2020 on the Fury-Deontay Wilder II undercard. He returned in March, notching a six-round decision over Ed Harrison.
 
In other streaming action from London:

• Undefeated former WBC flyweight world champion Charlie Edwards (16-1, 6 KOs) will make his second bantamweight appearance in an eight-rounder against Spanish veteran Jacob Barreto (13-3, 5 KOs).
   
• Junior middleweight prospect Jordan Reynolds (3-0, 1 KO) will face the durable Blaise Paka Mukia (2-3-1) in a six-rounder. Mukia has never been stopped as a professional.
   
• Welterweight upstart Elliot Whale (4-0, 1 KO) will fight Miroslav Serban (13-7, 7 KOs) in a six-rounder, while junior welterweight puncher Shiloh Defreitas (1-0, 1 KO) returns in a four-rounder against 17-fight veteran Dario Borosa.
   
• Two-time British national amateur champion Arnold Obodai will make his professional debut in a four-round cruiserweight battle against an opponent to be named.

About ESPN+
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).
 

TUCSON —He stepped into the ring with lots to prove. He stepped out of it with lots to prove.

But Oscar Valdez Jr.’s burden must have felt a lot lighter late Friday, buoyed by a gritty victory over Robson Canceicao at Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheatre, an outdoor arena on the road between his first and second homes, Nogales to the south and downtown Tucson to the north.

Valdez scored a unanimous decision, a bittersweet end to a long stretch of controversy, criticism and outrage over news of a positive test for a banned stimulant nearly two weeks ago. The controversy, the burden, is still with Valdez. It’s up to him to provide the proof that the traces of Phentermine in the positive were not intentional.

“I’ve been through a hard week,’’ he said. “I’m sorry for all this ruckus. I’m not a disrespectful man. I’ve been through enough. We won the fight. We did what we had to do and it’s on to the next chapter.”

Valdez continues to call himself a clean fighter.

That remains unproven. Perhaps the proof will come in that next chapter. We’ll see.

For 12 rounds at the end of a hot summer day in the Arizona desert, however, there was plenty of proof that Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) is courageous fighter.

From round-to-round, he reaffirmed his stubborn, no-quit nature in a relentless attack against a Brazilian challenger who beat him as an amateur at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara.

In the early moments, it looked as if Conceicao (16-1, 8 KOs) would do what the World Boxing Council (WBC) would not. It looked as if the Brazilian would take the acronym’s junior-lightweight title from him.

After Conceicao stepped through the ropes and took off his robe, Valdez must have felt like David looking at Goliath. He was taller. His shoulders were big enough to cast a shadow. He feet moved with a mix of agility and speed. Valdez appeared to be in trouble.

But Valdez endured the first two-to-three rounds. That’s when it looked as if Conceicao’s long jab would dictate the bout. But Valdez adjusted. Then, attacked. There’s more to winning a fight than a powerful jab, he said.

Suddenly in the sixth, Valdez came back with an edge. In the ring at least, his punches pack some proof. At the end of the sixth, Valdez landed a head-rocking right. The punch looked like it had been by a delivered by a trigger. An angry one. 

For the next six rounds, anger was a motivation. Valdez would not back down from a bigger man who began to mock him in the fourth and fifth rounds. Conceicao dropped his hands and danced around Valdez.

“He’s over here yelling in my face,’’ Valdez said. “We’re grown men. Don’t be yelling in my face. He might be upset. Of course, you want to be a world champion, but don’t point at me, don’t be yelling in my face. I’ve been through enough this week, man.”

Conceicao complained often and loudly about the scorecards – 115-112, 117-110 and 115-112, all for Valdez. He and his corner said they had been robbed. But Valdez’ aggression and short punches were scoring, especially from the eighth through the 12^th. 

Conceicao also appeared to tire in the later rounds of a night when the temperatures were still in the low 90s. His feet stopped moving and his hands dropped, Roy Jones-style. He was still big. But he had become a big target for Valdez, the incoming missile.

After the final bell, Conceicao waved one gloved hand above his hand as if he had won. But the capacity crowd, a sellout, booed.

The crowd knew different. It had seen the proof from from on of their own, a son of Sonora.

Lopez upsets Gabriel Flores in beat-down

It was an upset. And more.

Mexican junior-lightweight Luis Alberto Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs), a massive underdog, delivered a massive beating, pouring it on throughout ten rounds for a decision over Gabriel Flores Jr. in the final fight before the ESPN+ telecast of Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao.

On the scorecards, it was unanimous, 98-90 on two and a 100-90 shutout on the third. Flores (20-1, 7 KOS, of Stockton, Calif., was never in it. In the late rounds, he looked out of it, especially after taking a succession of head-rocking punches in the night round. But his father and trainer, Gabriel Flores Sr., would not end it.

“I didn’t think he was really hurt,” he said during a post-fight interview in the middle of the ring.

Really, the crowd seemed to say in a deafening chorus of boos.

Moments later, Flores Sr. said he thought his son was exhausted. He was that, too. He barely made it to his stool on shaky legs after the ninth. In the 10th and final round, a Flores cornerman climbed up onto the ring apron as if he wanted to end it. But the referee never saw his futile gesture in what was a futile fight for Flores..  

Nakatani Stops Acosta to retain Flyweight Title

It was an introduction to the United States. Turns out, it was a good one. Maybe even memorable. For sure, it was powerful.

Japanese flyweight Junto Nakatani employed his great reach and sweeping left hand, retaining his World Boxing Organization title with a stoppage of tough Puerto Rican Angel Acosta on the Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao undercard.

Nakatani (22-0, 17 KOs) , declared the victor just as a hot Arizona sun was setting beneath the horizon, broke Acota’s nose in the first. He targeted the injury throughout the second. The ringside physician called timeout in the second to evaluate the injury. Acosta (22-3, 21 KOs) rebounded, rocking Nakatani with a straight right counter. But blood kept pouring from the busted nose. The ringside physician took another look at Acosta in the third.

MIdway through the fourth, it was over, a TKO. declared by the referee on advice from the physician.

“I hope everybody liked it,” Nakatani said through an interpreter.

Everybody did.

Xander Zayas wins unanimous decision

It was a tough way to celebrate a birthday. But.leading middleweight prospect Xander Zayas (10-0, 7 KOs) did, absorbing some heavy right hand from Jose Luis Sanchez before winning a solid (60-53, 60-54, 60-53) decision on the Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao undercard.

Sanchez (11-2-1, 4 KOs), of Albuquerque, tested Zayas’ with his power, once in the third round and again in the fourth. But the Puerto Rican, now 19, battled back each time, returning fire with beautifully-placed uppercuts

Junior welterweight prospect scores second-round TKO

Lindolfo Delagado (13-0, 12 KOs), a Mexican junior-welterweight trained by  Robert Garcia,  continued to pour on the heat, overwhelming an overmatched Miguel Zamudio (45-17-1, 28 KOs), also of Mexico. Delgado rocked Zamudio early in the second, then left him defenseless and beaten moments later for a TKO at 50 seconds of the round. 

KO body punch punctuates second bout on Valdez-Conceicao card

Mexican junior-lightweight Rene Tellez Giron (16-1, 10 KOs) got a stoppage string rolling, throwing a body punch in the seventh round that could be heard on the other side of the border with Mexico in the second bout on the Va;dez-Conceicao card. Eduardo Garza (15-5-1, 8 K)s), of Mission, Texas, collapsed, finished at 44 seconds of the round.

First Bell: Valdez-Conceicao card begins with hot KO

It was 102 degrees at first bell. It was hot enough to stay inside. Maybe that’s why Mexican junior-welterweight Omar Aquilar didn’t waste much time.

Aquilar (22-0, 21 KOs),  a Mexican fighting as if he planned to get back into air-conditioning as fast as possible, knocked down Carlos Manuel Portillo late in the first round and then twice during the first minute of the second in the first bout an an ESPN+ card featuring Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao Friday at an outdoor amphitheater next to Casino del Sol.

Portillo (22-4, 17 KOS), of Paraquay, couldn’t take the heat — from either Aguliar or from the mid-afternoon sun in the Arizona  desert. He was finished, knocked out at 55 seconds of the second. 

  •   Oscar Valdez 130 lbs vs. Robson Conceicao 129.6 lbs 
(Valdez’s WBC Super Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Stephen Blea, Omar Mintun and Chris Tellez
Referee: Tony Zaino

•     Gabriel Flores Jr. 129.6 lbs vs. Luis Alberto Lopez 128.4 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. PT)

•  Junto Nakatani 111.4 lbs vs. Angel Acosta 112 lbs 
(Nakatani’s WBO Flyweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

   •   Xander Zayas 151.8 lbs vs. Jose Luis Sanchez 151.6 lbs
 (Junior Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

   •       Lindolfo Delgado 141.6 lbs vs. Miguel Zamudio 140.8 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

   •   Rene Tellez Giron 132.2 lbs vs. Eduardo Garza 132.6 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

   •   Omar Aguilar 142.6 lbs vs. Carlos Manuel Portillo 141.6 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

TUCSON, Ariz. (September 8, 2021) — WBC super featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez, born in Nogales, Mexico and raised in Tucson, Arizona, is ready for his sold-out homecoming. Valdez authored a Knockout of the Year contender over Miguel Berchelt in February and will attempt to successfully defend his title for the first time against unbeaten Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao (16-0, 8 KOs) on Friday evening at the AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson. Conceicao defeated Valdez by one point in the finals of the 2009 Pan American Games, so the amateur rivals have a professional score to settle. 

In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated junior lightweight sensation Gabriel Flores Jr. (20-0, 7 KOs) will take on his stiffest test to date against hard-charging Mexican veteran Luis Alberto Lopez (22-2, 12 KOs). In his last bout, Flores, the pride of Stockton, California, knocked out former world title challenger Jayson Velez in six rounds. Lopez has won five in a row and is best known for last year’s split decision over Andy Vences in one of the best action bouts of 2020.

Valdez-Conceição and Flores-Lopez will stream live and exclusively Friday on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7p.m. PT.

At Wednesday’s final press conference, this is what the combatants had to say.

Oscar Valdez

“I feel blessed that I get the chance to step in the ring on September 10. I’m very grateful to Top Rank, the Pascua Yaqui {Tribal Gaming Commission} for letting this fight proceed, and I’ve just been very concentrated. Coming here to my second home in Tucson means a lot to me. People know my last two fights were without a crowd due to COVID and what better way to come back as a champion than in front of my people with all of Sonora and Arizona here? I’m just excited. I’ve been very focused on not looking at anything negative out there. It has been a little difficult — I  can’t lie — but this is what we have to go through. This is what it’s going to be.”

“This is when you realize who the real people are around you, who are loyal to you and got your back. I realize that my family is number one and also my team. I have to thank everyone on my team, {including} my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my trainer, Eddy Reynoso. My father has always been there with me. Just everyone who has been around supporting me during these tough times because it has been difficult. They had my back, and we know we did nothing wrong. We’re going to be real concentrated for this fight.” 

“{Our amateur bout} was a back-and-forth fight, but I lost. I always took my losses very seriously. Everybody hates losing, and I’m one of them. I’m a sore loser. Now that I get the chance to fight him as a professional, I’m taking this fight very seriously like all the fights. I’m defending my title, and I’m going to do whatever it takes and whatever I got to defend my title and avenge my loss.”

Robson Conceicao

“When I fought him {as an amateur}, it was a tough fight. I fought him and the crowd, and it motivated me a lot and made me happy. Here we have the same thing. I fight against two opponents, him and the crowd… and I will be the winner.”

“This is a very important moment for me, the most important moment in my life. I’m happy I’m here and not alone. I’m here for the Brazilian crowd, for my family, my team, and we’ll be great.” 

“About the problem with the champion, what is done is done. There is no explanation, but I’m here to do my best and fight the greatest fight of my life.” 

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“Every fight that goes on, I learn. Each fight, I get better and better. It’s a fact. You’re seeing it each fight. This training camp was a long training camp, a longer one because I was supposed to fight on the {Fury-Wilder 3} card, but that got postponed. And now I’m on this card. We took a positive out of a negative. We got sharper. The sparring was great and everything. All my confidence comes from my training. I sparred with real good people that helped me out for this fight. Gervonta Davis. Mark Magsayo. {Yuriorkis} Gamboa. So I’m extremely ready.”

“Lopez is going to get knocked out. He’s going to live up to his name. They call him the deer. He’s going to look like Bambi in there.” 

“I always look at the big picture. I know who I am. I started off early in the pros. I was 17 fighting, so that was me figuring out who I am. I know who I am. I’m comfortable. He just bit off more than he can chew. Friday night, he’s going to choke.”

Luis Alberto Lopez

“It was a great fight that night {against Vences}. Fans that night saw just half of what ‘Venado’ can do. I suffered a fracture in the sixth round, but we got the win. It was a big victory, and I wasn’t 100 percent.”

“He has a lot of flaws. He’s just a kid.”

“There’s a lot of talk, but I have proven I am on this level. He might be a future champion, but I’m here to demonstrate I’m on this level, too.”

FRIDAY, September 10, 2021

ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao, 12 rounds, Valdez’s WBC Super Featherweight World Title

Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT

Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, 12 rounds, Nakatani’s WBO Flyweight World Title

Raymond Muratalla vs. Jose Angulo, 8 rounds, lightweight

Omar Aguilar vs. Carlos Manuel Portillo, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

TUCSON, Ariz. (July 20, 2021) — WBC super featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez authored a title-winning knockout for the ages in February over Miguel Berchelt. For his encore — and the first defense of his title — the undefeated two-time Mexican Olympian will make his desert homecoming.

Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) will look to make it 30 for 30 against undefeated 2016 Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição on Friday, Sept. 10 from the AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona.

A native of Nogales, Mexico, Valdez moved to Tucson as a young child and spent his elementary school years there before returning to Mexico.

In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated junior lightweight star Gabriel Flores Jr., from Stockton, California, will fight Mexican veteran Luis Alberto Lopez. Valdez-Conceição and Flores Jr.-Lopez will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $25 go on sale Tuesday, July 27 at 10 a.m. MST and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.

“Oscar Valdez is coming off a career-best performance and wants to put on a spectacular showing in front of the great Tucson fans,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Conceição has been waiting for this shot ever since he turned pro, and having promoted him for his entire career, I know he’ll be at his very best. We have a great co-feature, as the young Flores wants to prove he is a contender to watch, and he can do that by beating a tough Mexican in Luis Alberto Lopez.”

Valdez cemented his status as one of the faces of Mexican boxing with his 10th-round knockout over longtime champion Berchelt. He is 8-0 in world title fights, including six defenses of the WBO featherweight world title he won in July 2016. Valdez and Conceição fought as amateurs in the gold medal match of the 2009 Pan American Games, with Conceição prevailing by a single point. Valdez turned pro nearly four years before Conceição (16-0, 8 KOs), who made history as the first Brazilian boxer to capture Olympic gold. A native of Bahia, Conceição made his pro debut in November 2016 on the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas undercard and knocked out four of his first five foes. Last October, he survived an early knockdown to edge Louie Coria by unanimous decision. He last fought April 10 in Tulsa and knocked out Jesus Antonio Ahumada in the seventh round.

“I am very excited to fight in my second home, Tucson, Arizona, where I will have my first defense of the WBC super featherweight world title,” Valdez said. “It motivates me to know that I will defend the title in front of my friends and my family, and I will be willing to put it on the line as in all my fights. I’m coming to give a great show to my people, and I can’t wait to see you on Sept. 10.”

Conceição said, “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this opportunity, and that’s why I’m training with great determination. I will represent my family and Brazil. I already won a gold medal for my country and now I will bring home a world title. With great determination, I will deliver a great performance. It will be a true spectacle!”

Flores (20-0, 7 KOs) made history in 2017 when, at 16 years old, he became the youngest fighter ever to sign a promotional contract with Top Rank. He went 3-0 in 2020, including a shutout decision over Matt Conway on the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II undercard. Flores performed three times inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, punctuated by a sixth-round stoppage over former world title challenger Jayson Velez in February. Lopez (22-2, 12 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, has won five straight bouts since a 2019 decision loss to Ruben Villa. He notched his signature win last July with a split decision over Andy Vences.

“This is the next step in my journey towards a world title, and I will convincingly defeat Lopez,” Flores said. “I’m going to prove once again that I’m ready for the next level.”

Lopez said, “I appreciate matchmaker Brad Goodman and Top Rank for the opportunity to fight Gabriel Flores Jr. I know he’ll be prepared to give everything on Sept. 10, but so am I, and I guarantee nothing but my very best. I’m a man of few words, and I’ll let my actions do the talking inside the ring.”

The undercard, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+, will feature Japan’s undefeated WBO flyweight world champion Junto Nakatani (21-0, 16 KOs) defending his title against Puerto Rican former world champion Angel “Tito” Acosta (22-2, 21 KOs). Nakatani, who has never fought outside of Japan, knocked out Filipino contender Giemel Magramo in eight rounds last November to win the vacant world title. A former Japanese flyweight champion, Nakatani has won four straight bouts by stoppage. Acosta, who made three successful defenses of the WBO light flyweight crown, has won two fights since a debated 12th-round stoppage at the hands of Elwin Soto. Acosta was leading on all three scorecards when he was stopped on his feet early in the round.

The ESPN+ undercard will also see undefeated Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas (9-0, 7 KOs) in a six-round junior middleweight bout against an opponent to be named and lightweight sensation Raymond Muratalla (12-0, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Also scheduled to appear in eight-round bouts: 2016 Mexican Olympian and junior welterweight prospect Lindolfo Delgado (12-0, 11 KOs), rising junior lightweight René Telléz Girón (15-1, 9 KOs) and Mexican junior welterweight knockout artist Omar Aguilar (21-0, 20 KOs).

About ESPN+
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Oscar Valdez had a star-making performance as he brutally knocked out Miguel Berchelt to win the WBC Super Featherweight Title at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Valdez showed he was the quicker fighter from the outset as he landed some hard and flush left hooks from the outset.

In round four, Valdez landed a left hook to the head that wobbled Berchelt. Later in the round, it was two more left hooks that sent Berchelt into he ropes which was correctly ruled a 10-count.

Valdez continued to dominate as he busted up Berchelt, and at the end of round 10, he landed a vicious left hook to the head and Berchelt slowly crumpled over his legs and face-first to the canvas. The fight was stopped immediately at 2:59.

Valdez, 130 lbs of Nogales, MEX is 29-0 with 23 knockouts. Berchelt, 130 lbs of Cancun, MEX is 30-2.

Valdez said, “There’s nothing better in life than proving people wrong. I have a list of people who doubted me. My idols doubted me. Boxing analysts doubted me. They said Berchelt was going to knock me out. I have a message to everybody: Don’t’ let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do.
 
“I want to take this belt home, and I’m happy for that. Any champion out there… I heard Shakur Stevenson wants to fight. Let’s do it. I just want to keep on fighting and give the fans what they want.”

Gabriel Flores Jr. stopped former world title challenger Jayson Velez in round six of a scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.

In round six, Velez dropped Velez with a hard left hook. Flores then wobbled Velez badly with another counter shot, and Velez was in all kinds of trouble. Velez ended the bout with another left that put Velez down and the fight was topped at 1:40.

Flores Jr.132 lbs of Stockton, CA is 20-0 with seven knockouts. Velez, 132 lbs of Juncos, PR is 29-8-1.

Flores said, “I could’ve done it earlier. I was playing with my food. {Trainer Gabriel Flores Sr.} told me I just gotta press it. Nothing was really going on those first five rounds, to be honest. I was just feeling him out. 

“I would love to get the winner of Jamel Herring and Carl Frampton. I’d love that. I’m going to keep on working, and my performances are going to get better and better.”

Esquiva Falcao stopped Artur Akavov after round four of a scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

Falcao controlled the bout until Akavov’s corner stopped the fight in the corner as Akavov cited a possible broken nose.

Falcao, 162 lbs of Visoria, BRA is 28-0 with 20 knockouts. Akavov, 162.5 lbs of Pskov, RUS is 20-4.

Elvis Rodriguez remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Alberto Veron in a junior welterweight bout.

Rodriguez landed 97 of 342 punches; Veron was 71 of 348

Rodriguez, 13 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 11-0-1. Veron, 142 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 18-3-2.

Rodriguez said, “This was my first scheduled eight-round fight, and I actually think I got a lot of good experience. Each fight, you acquire something different, and for this fight, I think the experience of going the rounds actually helped me out.
 
“It’s a great experience going the full eight rounds. It’s back to the gym to work on several things, specifically I know I needed to let my hands go a little more. When I did do that, I was able to hurt him. But in the end, I think it was a great experience. He’s a natural welterweight. He’s never been stopped, so I knew it would be a tough challenge, but you know I will go back to the gym and work harder to continue to grow in this sport.

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over James Martin.

Zayas, 146 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 7-0. Martin, 146 lbs of Philadelphia, PA is 6-2.

Zayas said, “As a young fighter, you need these types of fights. I haven’t been out of the first round in nearly a year, so for me to get six round in, that was important.”

Javier Martinez made short work of Billy Wagner by stopping him in the opening round of their four-round middleweight bout.

Martinez landed a booming right hook that buckled Wagner, and three ripping punches later, the fight was stopped at 1:51.

Martinez, 161 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 3-0 with one knockout. Wagner, 160 lbs of Great Falls, MT is 3-2.

Omar Rosario stopped Uriel Villanueva in round two of their scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout featuring undefeated fighters.

In round two, Rosario dropped Villanueva with a left hook to the body. Seconds later, It was another left hook to the body that sent Villanueva to his knee and he did not beat the count of 10 at 2:38.

Rosario, 140 lbs of Caguas, PR is now 3-0 with one knockout. Villanueva, 140 lbs of Anaheim, CA is 1-1.

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

    •     Miguel Berchelt 130 lbs vs. Oscar Valdez 130 lbs 
(Berchelt’s WBC Super Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

•   Gabriel Flores Jr. 132 lbs vs. Jayson Velez 132 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT)

•   Esquiva Falcao 162 lbs vs. Artur Akavov 161.5 lbs 
(Middleweight — 10 Rounds)

•      Elvis Rodriguez 143 lbs vs. Luis Alberto Veron 142 lbs 
(Jr. Welterweight  — 8 Rounds)

•        Xander Zayas 146 lbs vs. James Martin 146 lbs 
(Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•        Sonny Conto 221.5 lbs vs. Waldo Cortes 255.5 lbs 
(Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)

•         Javier Martinez 161 lbs vs. Billy Wagner 160 lbs 
(Middleweight — 4 Rounds)

•         Omar Rosario 140 lbs vs. Uriel Villanueva 141 lbs 
(Jr. Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

LAS VEGAS (February 18, 2021) — The Battle for Mexico is almost here. WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt and former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez shared the stage Thursday two days before one of the most highly anticipated all-Mexican showdowns in boxing history.

Berchelt is seeking his seventh successful title defense, while Valdez hopes to fulfill a lifelong dream of capturing a WBC world title. After fits and starts, including Berchelt’s COVID-19 diagnosis last year, the fight is finally happening. 

Berchelt-Valdez and a junior lightweight showdown between Gabriel Flores Jr. and Jayson Velez will air live Saturday on ESPN and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET. 

At Thursday’s final press conference, this is what Berchelt, Valdez, Flores and Velez had to say.

Miguel Berchelt

“I’m very happy to be here. I’ve been following Oscar since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, since that was an opportunity I wanted for myself. I respect him. We know the quality of the opponent we have in front of us, but I’m here to get the win and {retain} my title.”

“Styles make fight, and I believe my style and Oscar’s style will make for a great fight, so we’ll see what happens.”

“I want to tell my fans not to miss this fight. This is going to be a great fight. I know what it’s taken me to get this title, and I’m sure I will defend this title successfully again.”

Oscar Valdez

“This is a difficult fight. There’s a reason he’s holding that belt. He’s a great champion inside the ring and outside the ring. Nothing personal, but I want that belt. It’s a dream I’ve had ever since I was 8 years old, 9 years old. My idols have held it: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera. They all held this belt, and that is something I’ve wanted to hold since I was a kid. This is my opportunity.”

“Everywhere I go in Mexico, I get asked that question: ‘When are you and Berchelt going to fight?’ It would be an honor for me to show them a great fight with a warrior like Miguel Berchelt.”

“This is my opportunity. I’m not going to go in there and not give it my all. I’m going to do whatever it takes. If I have to box, I’ll box. If I have to bang it and brawl it out, then I’m willing to do that, too.”

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“The hard work is paying off. My team is working. We’re going to put that on display Saturday night.”

“Saturday night, I’m going to take control of the fight. I’m going to be in there, and I just can’t to be in the moment and show you guys that I’m ready for a world title shot.”

“Jayson Velez has fought some contenders and good people. He’s the best on paper, but my job Saturday night is to make him not look like my best opponent thus far.”

Jayson Velez

“{Flores} has the skills. He has the talent. This is what I need to prove I can be at the top level. I like to bring action to the fans. This is going to be one of the great fights.”

“He is a technical fighter. He has skills, but sometimes he stops to fight. He’s a very complete fighter, and I like that because some time in the fight he will have to stop {and fight}. And that’s what I want. That’s what I like, and that’s what people like. I expect him to use his skills for a few rounds. Eventually, we will bring the action to the fans.”

FIGHT WEEK SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, February 19, 2021Official Weigh-In
5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
LIVE on ESPN2

Max on Boxing
5:30 p.m ET/2:30 p.m. PT
ESPN2
ESPN’s boxing series, hosted by Max Kellerman, will air immediately following the weigh-in and include interviews with Berchelt and Valdez.

SATURDAY, February 20, 2021

ESPN & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Miguel Berchelt vs. Oscar Valdez, 12 rounds, WBC Super Featherweight World Title

Gabriel Flores Jr. vs.. Jayson Velez, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Esquiva Falcao vs. Artur Akavov, 10 rounds, middleweight

Elvis Rodriguez vs. Luis Alberto Veron, 8/6 rounds, junior welterweight

Omar Rosario vs. Uriel Villanueva, 4 rounds, jr. welterweight

LAS VEGAS (January 14, 2021) — Undefeated super featherweight standout Gabriel Flores Jr. will fight former world title challenger Jayson Velez in a 10-round tilt Saturday, Feb. 20, as the co-feature to the highly anticipated all-Mexican showdown between WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt and former featherweight kingpin Oscar Valdez.

Velez replaces former world champion Andrew Cancio, who suffered a back injury.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Velez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Velez (29-7-1, 21 KOs), from Juncos, Puerto Rico, makes a quick comeback to the ESPN airwaves following his spirited effort against Valdez last July. He lost via 10^th-round TKO after suffering a pair of knockdowns in that round. A 14-year pro, Velez has victories over former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel Lopez, former WBC super bantamweight world champion Victor Terrazas and then-unbeaten prospect Alberto Mercado.

Use the hashtag #BercheltValdez to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

LAS VEGAS (January 6, 2021) — The 2021 Fight of the Year race has officially started, as Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez will face off in one of the most anticipated all-Mexican fistic showdowns in years.

Cancun’s Berchelt will defend his WBC super featherweight world title against Nogales native Valdez in a special Top Rank on ESPN telecast Saturday, Feb. 20.

The 10-round super featherweight co-feature will see rising 20-year-old Gabriel Flores Jr. against former world champion Andrew “El Chango” Cancio.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Cancio will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez are two proud Mexican warriors who will give boxing fans a memorable fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Top Rank promoted all three bouts between Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, and I view Berchelt-Valdez as this generation’s Barrera-Morales.”

Berchelt (38-1, 34 KOs) has held the WBC super featherweight title since January 2017, when he knocked out Francisco Vargas in the 11^th round. His last five title defenses have ended via the quick route, including a ninth-round TKO over Miguel Roman, a sixth-round TKO over Vargas in their May 2019 rematch, and a fourth-round knockout over former world champion Jason Sosa. He fought last June in a non-title bout and knocked out Eleazar Valenzuela in six one-sided rounds.

“This fight is the one that I dreamed of since we were both amateur fighters,” Berchelt said. “Valdez is a great fighter, and it will be a great fight. I am preparing with everything to win by knockout and leave no doubt that I am the best super featherweight in the world.”

Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) is a two-time Mexican Olympian who vacated the WBO featherweight world title last year after six title defenses, which included scintillating 12-round barnburners against the likes of Scott Quigg, Genesis Servania and Miguel Marriaga. He suffered a severely broken jaw against Quigg in March 2018, returned 11 months later, and has since won four consecutive bouts. Since moving up to 130 pounds, Valdez has scored stoppage wins over Adam Lopez and Jayson Velez.

Valdez said, “Whenever there are two Mexicans in the ring, it is a guaranteed war, and it will be an honor for me to bring a great war to my fans.”

Flores (19-0, 6 KOs), from Stockton, Calif., signed a professional contract with Top Rank at 16 years old and went 3-0 in 2020 as he graduated from prospect to contender. He started the year Feb. 22 on the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury II undercard and dominated Matt Conway over eight rounds. Flores shined on a pair of occasions inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, winning decisions over Josec Ruiz and Ryan Kielczweski. Flores now steps up against Cancio (21-5-2, 16 KOs), a fellow Californian who formerly held the WBA super featherweight world title. Cancio knocked out Alberto Machado in February 2019 to win the title and repeated the deed with another knockout over Machado that June. Rene Alvarado ended Cancio’s ascension with a seventh-round knockout in November 2019, and early last year, Cancio inked a promotional contract with Top Rank.

“My main goal is to win a world title,” Flores said. “Dominating a former world champion will put me in a great position to challenge for a title soon.”

Cancio said, “I’m very excited to return to battle on February 20 against Gabriel Flores Jr. I’m working hard in the gym, and I know that this fight is the first on my path to becoming a two-time world champion. I would like to thank my fans, who have been so incredibly supportive. I’ve heard you loud and clear and can’t wait to put on another great show for you.”

Use the hashtag #BercheltValdez to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

Jose Zepeda stopped Ivan Baranchyk in round five of a classic eight-knockdown fight that each guy hit the deck four times. The fight was a junior lightweight elimination bout at The MGM Grand Cinference Center in Las Vegas,

In round one, Baranchyk dropped Zepeda with a hard right over the top. Towards the end of the round Baranchyk sent Zepeda down for a 2nd time with a right hand that was followed by a left hook. In round two, Zepeda dropped Baranchyk with a left hand. Baranchyk came right back and sent Zepeda down for a 3rd time with his own hard right. In round three, Zepeda put Baranchyk down for a 2nd time with a left over the top. In round four, Zepeda drilled Baranchyk with a hard straight left that made the former champion fall on his back. In round five, Baranchyk landed a hard right that sent Zepeda into the corner for which referee Kenny Bayless ruled the corner post held him up. It was seconds later where Zepeda landed a right hook that followed by a short left hand that knocked Baranchyk out on his feet. Baranchyk buckled over his knee and was out cold for several minutes until he was able to get to his feet. The end came at 2:20.

Zepeda, 139.9 lbs of Le Puente, CA is 33-2 with 26 knockouts. Baranchyk, 139.6 lbs of Miami, FL is 20-2.

Zepeda said, “I feel great because I won the fight. It was a hard fight, and I’m thinking, ‘Man, boxing is hard. It’s no easy game.’ Boxing, it’s tough, and you have to give it 100 percent because it’s a hard sport.
 
“Both of us are climbing up, and somebody had to stay. I was able to win the fight, and I told him, ‘Thanks for the fight. It was a great fight.’
 
“I know I’m tough. I didn’t know how tough I was. Tonight, I showed myself, too. I’ve never been in a fight like this. It was a great learning experience.”

Flores decisions Kielczweski

Gabriel Flores Jr. remained undefeated by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Ryan Kielczweski in a lightweight bout.

Flores outlanded Kielczweski 127-73.

Flores, 130.7 lbs of Stockton, CA won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 19-0. Kielczweski, 131 lbs of Quincy, MA is 30-5.

Flores said, “{I was not} buzzed at all. Not buzzed at all. I was a little bit off balance on my heel, which is rare. I’m always on my toes.
 
“I gotta stay in the pocket more. I need to stay on myself to stay in the pocket. I’m in the pocket landing shots, and then I feel like, ‘I’m bored here.’”

Vianello and Ibeh battle to a Draw

Kingsley Ibeh and undefeated Guido Vianello battled to a six-round majority draw in a heavyweight bout.

Vianello was cut in round two over his left eye. Ibeh was cut over gis right eye in the final round.

The scores read 59-55 for Ibeh and 57-57 twice.

Ibeh, 276.8 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 5-1-1. Vianello, 238.7 lbs of Rome, ITA is 7-0-1.

Ragan decisions Moraga

Duke Ragan won a four-round unanimous decision over John Moraga in a featherweight bout.

In round three, Ragan was cut over his right eye.

Ragan outlanded Moraga 53-29.

Ragan, 126.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is 2-0. Moraga, 127.7 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 1-2.

Frevian Gonzalez remained undefeated with a four round majority decision over Carlos Marrero III in a junior lightweight bout.

Gonzalez, 131.8 lbs of Cidro, PR won by scores of 40-36 twice and 38-38 to raise his mark to 4-0. Marrero, 130.5 lbs of Bridgeport, CT is 2-4-1.

Mitchell Sipe stopped Jimmy Barnes in the opening seconds of their four-round heavyweight bout.

In a wild opening seconds, Sipe dropped Barnes with a hard combination. Barnes, who clearly has not had boxing training ate more hard shots until the fight was mercifully stopped at 43 seconds.

Sipe, 248.9 lbs of Bakersfield, CA is 1-0 with one knockout. Barnes, 290.6 lbs of Pine City, MN is 1-1.

Haven Brady Jr. made a successful pro debut by stopping Gorwar Karyah in the 4th and final round of their featherweight bout.

In round Round two, Brady was deducted a point for a low blow.

In round four, Karyah was deducted a point for holding. Later in the round, Brady continued to land some hard power shots, and the fight was stopped with Karyah on the ropes at 2:27.

Brady, 125.9 lbs of Albany, GA is 1-0 with one knockout. Karyah, 124 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-2.

JJ Mariano stopped Matthew Reed in the opening round of their scheduled four-round welterweight bout.

Mariano dropped Reed. Reed was hurt and Mariano hurt him in the corner and the fight was stopped at 1:27.

Mariano, 144 lbs of Reno, NV is 3-0 with two knockouts. Reed, 149.6 lbs of Bakersfield, CA is 1-1.

LAS VEGAS (October 1, 2020) — Take two. Junior welterweight contenders Jose “Chon” Zepeda and former world champion Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk were scheduled to fight in July, but the bout was postponed after Baranchyk suffered an injured rib in training. Both men now have a clean bill of health, and the two will fight Saturday evening in a 10-round bout from the MGM Grand Conference Center (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET).

In the co-feature, unbeaten lightweight sensation Gabriel Flores Jr. will take on Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski in a 10-rounder.

At Thursday’s final press conference, here’s what the fighters had to say.

Jose Zepeda

“I have gained a lot of experience by fighting guys like {Jose} Ramirez and ‘Sniper’ Pedraza. Those guys have been world champions. It was a great experience being in the ring with them. The experience counts a lot.”

“The bubble is something new, but it doesn’t make much of a difference. I don’t mind the whole experience of the bubble. At the end of the day, it’s always the two fighters in the ring fighting each other.”

“I feel like I’m the number one at 140. I did think the Ramirez fight was pretty close, and a lot of people saw me winning. I think he is one of the best in the top 5. Both of us right here, together with Ramirez and Josh Taylor, are in the top 5. It’s very exciting. We are all good at certain things and that makes for a very exciting division.”

Ivan Baranchyk

“In my training camp, I’ve been going harder and harder and harder. I feel great. I’m ready to fight all rounds. I can go 10, 12, or 20 rounds. I’m very hungry.  You will see a good fight Saturday night.”

“I don’t feel like I’m in a bubble. I feel comfortable. The treatment has been the best. I feel good.”

“This is the best division. This fight is very important for me because it will be my next step towards a world title opportunity. If we win this fight, maybe I can get the chance to challenge Ramirez.” 

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“Everything has been great. Moving to Vegas has helped me get great sparring. We’re running up Mount Charleston. My conditioning level is outrageous. The move here really helped me.”

“I’m 100 percent healthy, thank God, because that last fight {June 18 against Josec Ruiz}, just going in and continuing to fight, it was tough going those whole 10 rounds with my lower back injury because it was a real injury. I went to a chiropractor and got it all figured out. I’ve been healthy for a while.”

“He’s experienced and everything, but I’m moving my way up the rankings. Every fight that comes, I get better and better. We fix our mistakes. We get better.”

Ryan Kielczweski

“I’m always in the gym, either holding the mitts or working people out or working out myself. It wasn’t really too hard to kick it back into gear and get right back into shape.”

“He’s 18-0. He’s obviously a very good fighter, very fast. He’s got a lot of skill. I just can’t wait to get in there and see what happens.”

“When I faced {Tommy} Coyle, I went up a couple weight classes. It was at super lightweight, and I took the fight on about three weeks’ notice. I was in shape. I fought maybe three or four weeks before that. I was still in shape, but I really didn’t have much time to set up a real game plan. We go in there and do what we do.”

“I had plenty of time to get ready for this. I’m in great shape.”

Use the hashtag #ZepedaBaranchyk to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (September 22, 2020) — Gabriel Flores Jr. returns for his MGM Grand Las Vegas “Bubble” encore Saturday, Oct. 3 against veteran contender Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski in the 10-round lightweight co-feature to the highly anticipated junior welterweight bout between Ivan Baranchyk and Jose Zepeda.
 
Flores, from Stockton, Calif., headlined on ESPN June 18 against Josec Ruiz and prevailed via shutout unanimous decision.
 
Baranchyk-Zepeda, Flores-Kielczweski and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
 
Flores (18-0, 6 KOs), the 20-year-old prodigy who signed a pro contract with Top Rank at 16, recently moved his training base from Stockton to Las Vegas and signed with manager James Prince. He shined on the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury II undercard in February, dropping Matt Conway in the opening round en route to a unanimous decision win. Flores, known as “Stockton’s King,” authored a dominating victory over Ruiz despite entering the fight with a lower back injury.
 
Kielczweski (30-4, 11 KOs), from Quincy, Mass., is the most experienced foe of Flores’ career, a 12-year pro who has won four of his last five and has never been knocked out. He last fought in March 2019 and won an eight-round decision over Nick Otieno in Melrose, Mass. He is no stranger to ESPN audiences, having fought multiple times on the beloved “Friday Night Fights” series.
 
“I want to show everyone that I’m ready for bigger and better competition,” Flores said.  “I’m prepared for a world title shot.”

“I’m excited to get back in the ring on Oct 3 against a very talented prospect. A win here will put me back where I need to be for bigger fights,” Kielczweski said. “I’d like to thank Murphys Boxing and Top Rank for giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills on such a high-level platform.”
 
In undercard action:

• Heavyweight prospect Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (7-0, 7 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian, will look to extend his KO streak against “Bubble” veteran Kingsley Ibeh (5-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder. Vianello knocked out Don Haynesworth in the opening round on June 9, while Ibeh won two bouts in the first run of “Bubble” cards. Ibeh upset the previously undefeated Patrick Mailata via majority decision on July 2.
   
• 2019 Junior Olympic gold medalist Haven Brady Jr., an 18-year-old boxer-puncher from Albany Ga., will make his professional debut in a four-round featherweight bout. Brady recently signed a long-term promotional pact with Top Rank.
   
• Featherweight Duke Ragan (1-0, 1 KO), who won his professional debut last month inside the “Bubble” with a first-round stoppage, returns in a four-rounder against an opponent to be named.
   
• Heavyweight Mitchell Sipe, a professional mixed martial artist, will make his pro boxing debut in a four-round fight against an opponent to be named.
   
• In a rescheduled six-round junior lightweight bout originally set for Sept. 19, Puerto Rican junior lightweight prospect Frevian Gonzalez (3-0, 1 KO) will fight Carlos Marrero (2-3-1).

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 
 
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

Gabriel Flores Jr. remained undefeated as he won a 10-round unanimous decision over Josec Ruiz in a lightweight bout at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

The bout was elevated to the main event after the Jose Pedraza Mikkel LesPierre bout was scrapped after LesPierre’s manager tested positive for Covid-19

Flores registered a knockdown when he landed a left hand that was followed by a barrage of punches.

Flores dominated the bout and won by scores of 100-89 on all cards.

Flores, 132.4 lbs of Stockton, CA is now 18-0. Ruiz, 132.4 lbs of Miami, FL is 21-3-3.

In a battle of undefeated bantamweights, Robert Rodriguez stopped Adrian Servin in round two of a scheduled six-round bout.

In round two, Rodriguez dropped Servin with a right hook. Rodriguez continued to land hard straight lefts that snapped Servin’s head back, and referee Robert Hoyle stopped the bout at 2:48.

Rodriguez, 120.3 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 8-0-1 with four knockouts. Servin, 118 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 9-1-1.

Clay Collard upended his 2nd straight undefeated fighter as he won a six-round split decision over Damid Kaminsky in a super middleweight clash.

In round one, Kaminsky was cut around the left eye from a punch. Collard continued to outwork Kaminsky and Collard had swelling around his right for the better part of the 2nd half of the fight.

Collard won two cards by 58-56 scores. Kaminsky took a card 58-56.

Collard, 163.6 lbs of Cache Vallet, UT is 7-2-3. Kaminksy, 164.1 lbs of Los Angeles is 6-1.

In a battle of undefeated super featherweights, Frevian Gonzalez won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Martinez.

Gonzalez, 129.4 lbs of Cidra, PR won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice, and is now 3-0. Gonzalez, 127.8 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 2-1.

Victor Rodriguez remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Justin Horsley in a super lightweight bout.

Rodriguez, 140.2 lbs of Stanton, CA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 3-0. Horsley, 140.7 lbs of Las Vegas is 0-2.

Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Tonight’s Top Rank on ESPN main event between Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after LesPierre’s manager, Jose Taveras, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this morning. The Gabriel Flores Jr.-Josec Ruiz lightweight bout has been elevated to the main event (ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 8 p.m. ET).
 
Said LesPierre: “My manager, Jose Taveras, tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the rules and regulations set forth by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, I will be unable to fight tonight as scheduled against Jose Pedraza. I understand the severity of COVID-19 because I have been working on the front lines of helping treat this virus at Mount Sinai Beth Israel—Petrie Division in Manhattan.
 
“I am devastated. This was my opportunity to showcase my talent to the world, but everything happens for a reason. This is just another roadblock in my story.
 
“I apologize to Jose and his team for any inconvenience this caused. He is a great boxer, and I hope we can reschedule the fight as soon as possible.”
 
Said Taveras: “I apologize for the inconvenience this caused. I am not exhibiting any symptoms. I am looking forward to hopefully rescheduling this fight as soon as possible. I am devastated for Mikkel.”

LAS VEGAS–Tyson Fury was spectacular in wearing down, beating down and eventually stopping Deontay Wilder to win the WBC Heavyweight title at the MGM Grand.

Fury was the aggressor and used his 42 pound size advantage to dictate the entire bout that had Wilder showing little resistance.

Fury sent Wilder to the canvas in round three when he landed a cuffing right to the ear. After that, Wilder seemed to lose his energy as the Fury continued to wear Wilder down. The punch the that sent Wilder down also caused bleeding out the right ear of Wilder. In round five, Fury dropped Wilder again, this time it was a body shot. Fury continued to land thudding shots and Wilder kept looking worse with each landed Fury punch.

After looking bad in the corner in between round’s six and seven, Fury came and landed two booming right hand that had referee Kenny Bayless and the corner of Wilder throwing in the towel simultaneously at 1:39.

Fury, 273 lbs of Winslow, UK is now 30-0-1 with 21 knockouts. Wilder, 231 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is 42-1-1.

TYSON FURY:

“A big shout out to Deontay Wilder. He came here tonight and he manned up and he really did show the heart of a champion.

“I hit him with a clean right that dropped him and he got back up. He is a warrior. He will be back. He will be champion again.

“But I will say, the king has returned to the top of the throne!”

DEONTAY WILDER:

“I’m doing good. Things like this happen. The best man won tonight, but my corner threw in the towel and I was ready to go out on my shield. I had a lot of things going on heading into this fight. It is what it is, but I make no excuses tonight. I just wish my corner would have let me go out on my shield. I’m a warrior. He had a great performance and we will be back stronger.”

“Even the greatest have lost and came back, that is just part of it. You just take it for what it is. I can make no excuses tonight. I had a lot of complications. But we’ll come back stronger next time around. This is what big-time boxing is all about, the best must fight the best. I appreciate all the fans that came out and supported the show, and I hope that everyone gets home safely.”

Former Heavyweight champion Charles Martin scored a one-punch knockout over former world title challenger challenger in round six of their scheduled 12-round elimination bout.

The bout was void of action until Martin landed a booming left that sent Washington to the canvas. Washington got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:57.

Martin, 254 lbs of Carson, CA is 28-2-1 with 25 knockouts. Washington, 236 1/2 lbs of Vallejo, CA is 20-4-1.

CHARLES MARTIN

“I knew that I had him hurt a few times in the fight. Every round I think I hurt him, but I just couldn’t finish him. I knew that I had to take my time in there. It took me some rounds to catch up with him, because he’s very quick on the retreat.

“This win means a lot. It shows that I’ve been working hard. The people can see it. I was never hurt at any point. This has just given me more confidence in myself. I can take the punches and give the punches.”

GERALD WASHINGTON

“The referee did what he thought was right. He’s a top notch ref so I won’t complain about the stoppage. He put me down and I got up, so I definitely wanted to get back to it.”

Emanuel Navarrete stopped Jeo Santisima in round 11 to retain the WBO Super Bantamweight title.

Navarrete dominated the action and finally was able to get Santisima out there with a brutal 11 punch flurry at 2:20 of round 11.

Navarrete, 122 lbs of Mexico City is 31-1 with 27 knockouts. Santisima, 122 lbs of the Philippines is 19-3.

Sebastian Fundora won a 10-round unanimous decision over Daniel Lewis in a junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Fundora began to bleed from the nose

Fundora, 153 1/2 lbs of Cochella, CA won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-94 and is now 14-0-1. Lewis, 153 lbs of Sydney, AUS is 6-1.

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA

“I think it was a fair decision and a good fight. There were a lot of hard punches. I knew he would be tough. When they told me I was fighting an Olympian, I knew it would be a tough fight. He probably had more experience than me, but we prepared the right way and got the win.

“I always want to use my height and my physical gifts, but it just depends on the fight. If the situation changes, we have to be ready to adapt.

“Whether we’re fighting on the inside or the outside, I always want to be the busier fighter. The more punches you throw, the more you’re going to land. It’s the way I like to fight.

“I’ll have to talk to my team, but I want to keep facing the best competition possible and continue to grow in the sport.”

Javier Molina won an eight-round unanimous decision over Amir Imam in a junior welterweight bout.

Molina, 141 1/2 lbs of Norwalk, CA won by scores of 79-73 and 78-74 twice and is now 22-2. Imam, 141 1/2 lbs of Albany, NY is 21-3.

Petros Ananyan won an upset 10-round unanimous decision over previosuly undefeated knockout artist Subriel Matias in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Ananyan landed some booming shots that hurt Matias and drove him back to the ropes. Matias seemed out on his feet and for some reason referee Robert Byrd administered an eight-count.

That was the difference in the fight as Matias won by scores of 96-93 and 95-94 twice for Ananyan, 142 lbs of Brooklyn, NY and is now 15-2-2. Matias, 142, Fajardo, PR is 15-1.

Gabriel Flores Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous over Matt Conway in a junior lightweight bout.

In round one, Flores dropped Conway with an overhand right. In round two, Conway started to swell around his right eye.

Flores, 132 1/2 lbs of Stockton, CA won by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72, and is now 16-0. Conway, 132 1/2 lbs of Pittsburgh, PA is 17-2.

Vito Mielnicki Jr. remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Corey Champion in a welterweight bout.

In round one, Mielnicki dropped Champion with a flush counter right. In round four, Champion was bleeding from his nose.

Mielnicki, 147 lbs of Roseland, NJ won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 5-0. Champion, 147 lbs of Louisa, VA is 1-3.

In a foul fest 10 featherweight fight, Isaac Lowe won a unanimous decision over Alberto Guevara.

In round four, Guevara was deducted a point for hitting on the break. Low was deducted apoint for hitting on the break and then another one for throwing Guevara down.

In round five, Lowe was deducted a point for hitting behind the head. In round six, Guevara was deducted for hitting on the break. Lowe was deducted another point in the round for hitting on the break. In round eight, Lowe dropped Guevara with a left hook.

Lowe, 125 1/2 lbs of Morecambe, UK won by scores of 96-87 twice and 95-88 and is now 20-0-3. Guevara, 126 lbs of Mazatlan, MEX is 27-6.

Rolando Romero stopped Arturs Ahmetovs in round two of a scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Romero dropped Ahmetovs twice and the fight was stopped at 1:22 of round two.

Romero, 137 lbs of Las Vegas is 11-0 with 10 knockouts. Ahmetovs, 136 lbs of Delray Beach, FL is 5-1

Jamel Herring retained the WBO Junior Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over mandatory challenger Lamont Roach Jr. at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California.

Herring, 129.8 lbs of Coram, NY won by scores of 117-111 twice and 115-113 to raise his mark to 21-2. Roach, 129 lbs of Washington, DC is 19-1-1.

“I won {the title} on Memorial Day Weekend and I defended it on Veterans Day Weekend, so it definitely means a lot to all of our troops out there defending our country and still in harm’s way,” Herring said. “This is for ya’ll. I couldn’t lose it on our weekend. It means a lot to still be a world champion.

“Like I said, Miguel Berchelt is considered number one, the best super featherweight in the world. In order to be the best, you have to keep testing yourself.”

Said Roach: “We knew we had to dig down. When I hurt him, all that was on my mind was finishing him. I’m coming into unchartered territory.”

IBF number-one ranked heavyweight Kubrat Pulev won a 10-round unanimous decision over Rydell Booker.

Pulev, 248.4 lbs of Sofia, BUL won by scores of 98-92 twice and 99-91 and is now 28-1. Booker, 248.2 lbs of Detroit is 26-4.

“It’s been eight months from my last fight. I think my opponent was not bad,” Pulev said. “I respect him. It was a very nice fight.

“I controlled the whole fight, and I was the much better boxer. I showed everyone I’m at the world level, and I must fight the winner of Joshua and Ruiz.”

Gabriel Flores Jr. won an eight-round unaimous decision over Aelio Mesquita in a junior lightweight bout.

Flores 133.5 lbs of Stockton, CA won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 16-0. Mesquita of Brazil is 19-5.

Janibek Alimkhanuly stopped Albert Onolunose in round six of a 10-round middleweight bout.

Alimkhanuly dropped Onolunose with a flurry of punches in round six. Onolunose continued by took a pounding and the bout was stopped at 2:31.

Alimkhanuly, 159 3/4 lbs of Almaty, KAZ is 8-0 with four knockouts. Onolunose, 158 1/4 lbs of Calgary, CAN is 24-3-1.

Two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Robeisy Ramirez stopped Fernando Ibarra in the 6th and final round of their featherweight bout.

Ramirez pounded Ibarra, especially to the body until he dropped him in the final round and the bout was stopped at 1:37.

Ramirez, 124 3/4 lbs of Cuba is 1-1 with one knockout. Ibarra, 122.5 lbs of Fairfield, CA is 2-2.

“I have a new trainer, Ismael Salas, and we worked hard in the gym together,” Ramirez said. “What happened in my pro debut is in the past. I am looking forward to a bright future.”

Esquiva Falcao stopped Manny Woods in round three of their scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.

In round two, Woods began to bleed from his nose. Falcao continued to beat and batter Woods until the towel was thrown in by Woods’ corner at 2:18 of round three.

Falcao, 160.5 lbs of Votoria, BRA is now 25-0 with 17 knockouts. Woods, 161.5 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is 16-9-1.

Former world title challenger Amir Imam stopped Marcos Mojica in round four of their scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

In round four, Imam dropped Mojica with a left hook to the body.. Seconds later, Imam landed a combination that sent Mojica down in the corner and the bout was stopped at 56 seconds.

Imam, 144 lbs of Albany, NY is 22-2 with 19 knockouts. Mojica, 143 lbs of Managua, NIC is 16-5-2.

“I just have to be consistent at this point in my career. I’m coming back in January, and I need to take advantage of the opportunities that are given to me,” Imam said.

David Kaminsky stopped Travis Jerrig in round two of a scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 26 seconds after a series of unanswered blows

Kaminsky, 162 1/4 lbs of Los Angeles is 6-0 with three knockouts. Jerrig, 162 lbs of Zanesville, OH is 3-4-1.

FRESNO, Calif. (Sept. 30, 2019) — Tickets for Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring’s WBO junior lightweight title defense against No. 1 contender Lamont Roach Jr. — Saturday, Nov. 9 under the lights at Chukchansi Park — are on sale now.

Herring is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq, and this card is a celebration of both Veterans Day and the Marine Corps Birthday (Nov. 10).

Gabriel Flores Jr. (15-0, 6 KOs), the undefeated 19-year-old lightweight sensation from Stockton, California, is set to appear on the undercard.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Golden Boy, tickets are priced at $200, $96, $46 and $29 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased by visiting mpv.tickets.com, charge by phone at 559.320.TIXS (8497) or at the Chukchansi Park box office (open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m PT to 5 p.m. PT). In honor of Veterans Day and the Marine Corps Birthday, any active or retired service members will receive up to four free tickets to the event by presenting their military ID at the Chukchansi Park box office (while supplies last).

Herring (20-2, 10 KOs) won the title May 25 on Memorial Day Weekend with an upset decision victory over reigning champion Masayuki ito. A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Herring fought in Fresno last September, as a group of retired and active Marines lined the Save Mart Center walkway as he made his way to the ring. Roach (19-0-1, 7 KOs), the WBO No. 1 contender, has won three in a row since the only blemish on his record, an April 2018 draw against Orlando Cruz.

Herring-Roach and a co-feature will stream live beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service. The undercard will stream on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtag #HerringRoach to join the conversation on social media.

Lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury had to fight through a horrible cut, but still was able to retain his undefeated record and title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Otto Wallin at The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

In round three, Fury was cut over his right eye. The cut was caused by a left hand in the corner. In round six, the doctor took a look at the cut, which was worsening by the round and seriously put the perfect record of Fury in jeopardy. Fury showed his mettle as he was able to win a mjority of the rounds with his punch out put.

Wallin made a last stand in the final frame as he may have slightly hurt Fury, but it was too little-too late as Fury, 254.4 lbs of Manchester, ENG won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 to raise his mark to 29-0-1. Wallin, 236 of New York vis Sweden is 20-1-1.

The win for Fury sets up an early 2020 Showdown rematch with WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

Emanuel Navarrete retained the WBO Junior Featherweight title with a 4th round stoppage over Jose Miguel Elorde.

In round three, Navarrete landed a left that wobbled Elorde on the ropes that was ruled a knockdown. In round for, Elorde tried to make a stand as he landed a right hand, nut ate a vicious left, and the bout was stopped at 26 seconds.

Navarrete, 121.8 lbs of Mexico City is 29-1 with 25 knockouts. Elorde, 121.2 lbs of Philippines is 28-2.

Jose Zepeda scored the biggest win of his career by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza in a junior welterweight fight.

Zepeda, 139.4 lbs of La Puente, CA won by scores of 97-93 on all cards, and is now 31-2-2. Pedraza, 139.5 lbs of Cidra, PR os 26-3.

Former world champion Carlos Cuadras had a tough outing, but won a 10-round majority decision over Jose Maria Cardenas in a super flyweight battle.

Cuadras, 115 lbs of Guamuami, MX won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 to raise his mark to 39-3-1. Cardenas, 115 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 17-5.

Isaac Lowe remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Ruben Garcia Hernandez.

Lowe, 127 lbs of Morecombe, UK won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75 twice to raise his mark to 19-0-3. Hernandez, 127 1/2 lbs of Cancun, MX is 25-5-2.

Gabriel Flores Jr. remained perfect by pounding out a six-round unanimous decision over Miguel Angel Aispuro in a junior lightweight bout.

Flores, 132 lbs of Stockton, CA won by shutout scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 15-0. Aispuro, 132 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 12-9-2.

Iskander Kharson stopped Isidro Ochoa after round five of their scheduled eight-round super bantamweight bout featuring undefeated fighter.

Kharson dropped Ochoa with a hard right in the 5th frame, and after the round, Ochoa’s trainer Robert Garcia pulled the plug on the fight.

Kharson, 122 1/2 lbs of Henderson, NV is 7-0 with six knockouts. Ochoa, 122 lbs of Fresno, CA is 7-1.

Oscar Valdez dropped Jason Sanchez en-route to a 12-round unanimous decision to retain the WBO Featherweight title at Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada.

In the opening seconds of round five, Valdez dropped Sanchez with a hard left hook. The two had some nice exchanges that Valdez got the better in most of those skirmishes.

Valdez, 125.4 lbs of Nogales, MEX won by scores of 118-109 twice and 117-110, and is now 26-0. Sanchez, 124.8 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 14-1.

“I hope {to fight at featherweight again}. I also have to listen to my body. We’re going to see what’s best,” Valdez said. “Sometimes I get tired in there, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the weight loss. We’ll talk about {my next move} as a team and will do what is best. I want to fight everybody at 126, 130. Let’s do it.”

“Sanchez lacked experience, but he showed tremendous guts. Oscar Valdez fought him back and showed his championship heart,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We’re going to look for a fight later on in the year between Valdez and Carl Frampton if Frampton is successful in his next fight.”

19 Year-Old Gabriel Flores Jr.remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Salvador Briceno in a light weight bout.

Scores were 79-73 and 78-74 twice for Flores, 132.8 lbs of Stockton, California and is now 14-0. Briceno, 132.2 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 15-4.

“I want to fight in the next two, three months. If they want me to fight next month, we can talk about it,” Flores said. “I am only 19, and I am only getting better. I’m staying busy and fighting better opponents. Top Rank is developing me perfectly, and it’s about fighting all different types of fighters to get me ready for the championship level.”

Robson Conceicao won an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Ruiz in a super featherweight bout.

Conceicao, 127.8 lbs of Baiha, BRA won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73, and is now 13-0. Ruiz, 127.2 lbs of Mexico City is now 16-7-2.

Sergio Vega and Diego Elizondo battled to a unanimous draw in a lightweight contest.

All three judges saw the score 38-38.

Vega, 133.6 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 2-0-1. Elizondo, 1348.8 lbs of Crason City, NV is 2-0-2.

Michael Seals scored a one-punch stoppage of Christopher Brooker in round two of their scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout.

Seals landed a right hand to the top of the head that put Brooker out and briefly out cold and the fight was stopped at 2:00.

Seals, 175.2 lbs of Atlanta is 23-2 with 17 knockouts. Brooker, 174.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 14-7.

“He’s a tough guy. I did my homework on him,” Seals said. “I knew he was crafty, so I had to take my time. I knew I was going to walk him into something.”

In a battle of pro debuting super lightweights, J.J. Mariano stopped William Flenoy in the final round of their scheduled four-round bout.

Mariano registered a knockdown in round three from a left hook. In the next round, Mariano landed some hard shots, and Flenoy bowed out of the fight citing an injured shoulder.

Mariano, 138.2 lbs of Reno is 1-0 with one knockout. Flenoy, 139.4 lbs of Fresno, CA is 0-1.

ESPN & ESPN Deportes (10 p.m. ET)

• Oscar Valdez 125.4 lbs vs. Jason Sanchez 124.8 lbs
(Valdez’s WBO Featherweight world title – 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Tim Cheatham, Eric Cheek and Glenn Trowbridge/Vic Drakulich

• Gabriel Flores Jr. 132.8 lbs vs. Salvador Briceno 132.2 lbs
(Lightweight  – 8 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Robert Hoyle, Patricia Morse Jarman and Dave Moretti/Robert Byrd

ESPN+ (7:30 p.m. ET)

• Robson Conceicao 127.8 lbs vs. Carlos Ruiz 127.2 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 8 Rounds)

• Diego Elizondo 134.8 lbs vs. Sergio Vega 133.6 lbs
(Lightweight – 4 Rounds)

• Michael Seals 175.2 lbs vs. Christopher Brooker 174.6 lbs
(Light Heavyweight – 10 Rounds)

•  JJ Mariano 138.2 lbs vs. William Flenoy 139.4 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 4 Rounds)

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 
Sign-up to ESPN+ at www.espnplus.com.
 
Use the hashtags #ValdezSanchez and #FloresBriceno to join the conversation on social media.

RENO, Nev. (May 30, 2019) — Gabriel Flores Jr., the 19-year-old pride of Stockton, California, had the night of his boxing life May 4 at Stockton Arena. More than 10,000 fans packed the venue, as Flores knocked out Eduardo Pereira Reis in three raucous rounds, establishing himself as the sport’s youngest hometown ticket-seller.

Flores will return June 8 against Salvador Briceno in an eight-round lightweight bout, which will be the ESPN-televised co-feature to Oscar Valdez’s WBO featherweight world title defense against fellow unbeaten Jason Sanchez at Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Valdez-Sanchez and Flores-Briceno will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

“I am excited to be back on ESPN, and once again, Stockton will be in the building,” Flores said. “Briceno is the toughest fight of my career, but I rise to the level of my opposition. I only fought a few weeks ago, so I am sharp and ready to put on another highlight-reel showing for the fans watching on ESPN.”

“Trust me when I say that Flores has never faced anyone like me,” Briceno said. “I am coming to Reno intent on putting on a great performance. Flores probably thinks I am a stop on the way to bigger things, but his team made the wrong decision in picking me.”

Flores (13-0, 6 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 years old and made his pro debut on May 5, 2017, four days after his 17^th birthday. His pro debut took place at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, a second-round TKO over Devon Jones. Flores went 6-0 in 2018 and will be making his third ring appearance of 2019. Briceno (15-3, 9 KOs) has fought as high as 140 pounds and is a heavy puncher whose last four victories have come via stoppage.

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

• Andy Vences (22-0-1, 12 KOs), one of the super featherweight division’s top contenders, will defend his WBC Continental Americas belt against fellow unbeaten Albert Bell (14-0, 5 KOs) in a 10-rounder that will thrust the winner into the world title conversation. Vences has made no secret of his desire to fight newly minted WBO champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring. 
• Robson Conceicao (12-0, 6 KOs), who captured Brazil’s first Olympic boxing gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will take on Carlos Ruiz (16-6-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight bout. Conceicao last fought March 31 in Mangaratiba, Brazil, where he scored a first-round TKO.
• Diego Elizondo (2-0-1, 0 KOs), who hails from Carson City, Nevada, will look to get back in the win column versus Sacramento product Sergio Vega (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round lightweight shootout.
• Big-punching light heavyweight Michael Seals (22-2, 16 KOs) will fight Philadelphia native Christopher Brooker (14-6, 5 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Brooker is coming off an upset win over Lanell Bellows (18-2-2 at the time) last September in Las Vegas. 
• Reno native J.J. Mariano will make his pro debut in a four-round welterweight contest against William Flenoy (pro debut), 
• Dmitry Yun, a former Russian amateur standout, will make his pro debut in a six-round lightweight bout against an opponent to be named. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Sign-up to ESPN+ at www.espnplus.com.

Use the hashtags #ValdezSanchez and #FloresBriceno to join the conversation on social media.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

• Artur Beterbiev 174.4 lbs vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic 173 lbs
(Beterbiev’s IBF Light Heavyweight world title – 12 Rounds)

• Gabriel Flores Jr. 132.8 lbs vs. Eduardo Pereira Reis 130.8 lbs
(Lightweight – 6 Rounds)

• Jerwin Ancajas 114.2 lbs vs. Ryuichi Funai 114.4 lbs
(Ancajas’ IBF Junior Bantamweight world title- 12 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)

• Felix Valera 175 lbs vs. Mario Aguilar 175.2 lbs
(Light Heavyweight – 10 Rounds)

• Brian Mendoza 149.4 lbs vs. Carlos Rodriguez 151 lbs
(Welterweight – 8 Rounds)

• Vislan Dalkhaev 123.4 lbs vs. Vincent Jennings 123.6 lbs
(Super Bantamweight – 6 Rounds)

• Blake McKernan 194.6 lbs vs. Joey Montoya 197.2 lbs
(Cruiserweight – 8 Rounds)

• Marco Arroyo 110.2 lbs vs. Jesus Godinez 111.4 lbs
(Flyweight – 4 Rounds)

Swing Bout
• Quilisto Madera 160 lbs vs. Osbaldo Gonzalez 160.8 lbs
(Middleweight – 6/4 Rounds)

Promoted by Top Rank, remaining tickets priced at $175, $100, $65, $40, and $25 are on sale now and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster.com or at the Stockton Arena Ticket Office Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and beginning three hours prior to event time on event days.