MVP’s HOLLY HOLM, THE GREATEST TWO-SPORT ATHLETE OF ALL, WILL CHALLENGE FOR A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AGAINST MVP’S UNDEFEATED WBA CHAMPION STEPHANIE HAN, IN THE BLOCKBUSTER CO-MAIN EVENT OF AMANDA SERRANO VS. ERIKA CRUZ 2 AT COLISEO ROBERTO CLEMENTE IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2026, LIVE GLOBALLY ON DAZN

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – November 5, 2025 – The stage is set for one of the most star-studded nights in women’s boxing history as Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced additional bouts for the highly anticipated Amanda Serrano vs. Erika Cruz rematch taking place on Saturday, January 3, at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, live globally on DAZN. In the co-main event, MVP’s reigning WBA lightweight world champion Stephanie Han (11-0, 3 KOs), a dedicated mother of two, eight-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department, and former beauty pageant competitor will defend her title against the most dominant two-sport athlete in combat sports history, former boxing and UFC champion, MVP’s Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (34-2-3, 9 KOs) who will be looking to win a boxing world title in a fourth division. The 10-round lightweight championship bout at 135 lbs will be contested under equal rules to men with three-minute rounds, joining Serrano and Cruz in a historic statement for women’s boxing. Tickets will go on sale Friday, November 7 at 9am ET at prticket.com.

Joining the historic main and co-main event are some of the top Puerto Rican contenders and prospects. MVP’s Puerto Rican Olympian and WBA #1 and WBC #6 contender Yankiel “El Doctorcito” Rivera (7-0-1, 3 KOs) will face former WBO world champion Jonathan “Bomba” González (28-4-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round flyweight showdown at 112 lbs; MVP’s featherweight contender Jan Paul Rivera (13-0, 7 KOs) taking on San Juan native Alfredo “El Salsero” Cruz (10-3-1, 5 KOs) in an 8-round bout at 126 lbs; undefeated super featherweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (20-0, 10 KOs) against Juan “Johnny Blaze” Tapia (14-4, 5 KOs) in an 8-round contest at 130 lbs; and Aguada’s rising talent Chris “The Punisher” Echevarria (9-1, 4 KOs) facing Gabriel Bernardi (7-3, 5 KOs) in a 6-round super bantamweight bout at 122 lbs. Also on the card will be Amanda Serrano’s protege, 23-year-old sensation Krystal Rosado (7-1, 2 KOs).

MVP’s undefeated WBA lightweight world champion Stephanie Han (11-0, 3 KOs) is a proud Korean-American and El Paso, Texas native. She has elevated her boxing career to new heights while juggling the roles of devoted mother of two, including her special needs daughter with Nicolaides-Baraitser Syndrome, serving as an eight-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department, and beauty pageant competitor for Miss Sun City and Miss Texas. She launched her amateur boxing journey in July 2006, compiling a winning record before stepping away from the sport in April 2011. A decade later, she returned to boxing after helping her sister, former IBF featherweight world champion Jennifer Han, train to take on Katie Taylor. She made a powerful return to the ring in October 2021 with a unanimous decision win over Isabel Garcia. Remaining undefeated, Han quickly rose through the ranks, most recently delivering a dominant knockout victory over Hannah Terlep to claim the vacant WBA lightweight world title. In her MVP debut in August 2025, Han successfully defended her title against Colombia’s Paulina Angel. As she continues her career under the MVP banner, Han plans to continue establishing herself as one of the premier forces in women’s lightweight boxing.

“From El Paso to the world stage, now I get to fight Holly Holm, in Puerto Rico next to the island’s greatest boxer in Amanda Serrano,” said Stephanie Han. “Every sacrifice has led to this moment, and I’m grateful and excited for the opportunity. Equal opportunity at that, with 3-minute rounds.”

MVP’s Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (34-2-3, 9 KOs) is widely regarded as the most dominant two-sport athlete in combat sports history. A pioneer in women’s boxing and a trailblazer in MMA, Holm is the only fighter to hold world titles in both disciplines, cementing her legacy as a generational talent and global icon. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Holm won the IKF national amateur championship title in 2001 before making her pro boxing debut in January 2002, winning by TKO. Holm won her first title, the IBA super lightweight crown, in December 2004. After three successful title defenses, she moved up to 147 lbs and secured the WBA welterweight title in June 2006. In June 2008, Holm stepped up to 154lbs in the super welterweight division to win the IBA and WBAN super welterweight titles. In December 2011, Holm was defeated by Anne Sophie Mathis for the vacant IBA female and WBAN welterweight titles. Holm faced Mathis in a rematch in June 2012, avenging the loss with a UD victory to add the WBF, IBA, and WBAN titles to her collection. Holm then moved back down to the super lightweight division to win the vacant WBF and IBA titles. In May 2013, Holm cemented her legacy as she defended the WBF and IBA super lightweight titles against Mary McGee. Holm pivoted into MMA in 2014, signing a multifight deal with the UFC. Her MMA career culminated in her headlining megafight against then-undefeated bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in November 2015, the most highly attended UFC event in history at the time. Rousey was the overwhelming favorite going into the bout, but Holm leveraged her southpaw stance and boxing skill to control the opening round before landing a sensational knockout in the second round—and handing Rousey her first loss. As she earned the title, Holm became the first person to win championships in both boxing and MMA. She is currently ranked Boxrec’s #2 greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time and remains the most dominant two-sport athlete of all time. After signing with MVP in May 2025, she faced then-undefeated Yolanda Vega on the Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. card in June 2025, winning by unanimous decision. She will now make her 24th world title fight appearance, almost thirteen years after her last title reign, as she contends for the WBA lightweight title against Stephanie Han.

“I feel great,” said Holly Holm. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to fight for a fourth weight division title and add to my legacy on Saturday, January 3. I’m thankful for MVP and this opportunity and look forward to fighting in Puerto Rico, an island with a deep boxing culture.”

“Holly Holm is back challenging for a boxing world title, 12 years after leaving the sport and doing it with MVP,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of MVP. “She is facing a multi-faceted athlete in Stephanie Han who is a champion, a mother, and a police officer. And they are doing it with 3-minute rounds like the men. Joining them are an array of Puerto Rican standouts, including MVP’s own Yankiel Rivera, Jan Paul Rivera, and Krystal Rosado, representing the island’s next generation of greatness and demonstrating MVP’s commitment to pushing the sport forward through equality, opportunity, and world-class fights for fans around the globe, live only on DAZN.”

MVP’s Puerto Rican Olympian and WBA #1 ranked flyweight contender Yankiel “El Doctorcito” Rivera (7-0-1, 3 KOs) will face former WBO junior flyweight world champion Jonathan “Bomba” González (28-4-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round flyweight bout at 112 lbs. Rivera, a 28-year-old sensation from Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, has rapidly become one of the island’s brightest stars, holding the WBA Continental, WBC Silver, and WBO Intercontinental flyweight titles at 112 lbs. A 2020 Olympian and five-time Puerto Rican national champion, Rivera has impressed with his speed, precision, and composure, most recently earning a majority draw against Angelino Cordova. Facing him on Saturday, January 3, is González, a Caguas, Puerto Rico resident and former WBO light flyweight world champion, who has represented Puerto Rico on the world stage since turning professional in 2011 after a decorated amateur career that included gold medals at the 2008 Youth World Championships and 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games. 

“Although fighting a fellow countryman is not something I especially enjoy, this is my profession. I will fight anyone, anywhere until I reach my goal,” said Yankiel Rivera. “Bomba is a great fighter with great boxing capabilities. The fact that he is a former world champion says it all. But he simply will not be able to stop me from my goal. I have come too far for him to take away my dream. I will do my job, which is to take him out. He will try to do the same. He is in for a tough night. I am elated to have the opportunity to fight at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. All the all-time greats have fought there, and being able to fight there is always an honor. To all my fans, get your tickets for an exciting night of boxing. You will see the best version of myself taking care of business. See you there. Don’t miss it. Puerto Rico!!!”

On the preliminary card, MVP’s #7 WBA and #14 WBO featherweight contender Jan Paul Rivera (13-0, 7 KOs) will take on San Juan native Alfredo “El Salsero” Cruz (10-3-1, 5 KOs) in an 8-round featherweight bout at 126 lbs, showcasing two of Puerto Rico’s finest rising talents in a can’t-miss showdown. Rivera, the 24-year-old sensation from Salinas, Puerto Rico, was a decorated member of the Puerto Rican National Boxing Team, compiling over 200 amateur bouts and earning two consecutive Puerto Rico Elite National Championships in 2020 and 2021, along with a silver medal at the 2018 AIBA Youth World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Since turning professional, Rivera has quickly risen through the ranks, displaying exceptional technical skill, power, and composure while remaining undefeated across fights in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. Most recently, he secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over Daniel Bailey at MVP Fight Night in August 2025. His opponent, 28-year-old Alfredo “El Salsero” Cruz, is a San Juan, Puerto Rico native, who comes to the ring after taking a unanimous decision win over Carlos Arrieta-Torres in October 2025. 

“I am very happy to be fighting again in Puerto Rico,” said Jan Paul Rivera. “Stepping back into the ring for a big event like this fills us with enthusiasm. In this fight, as in past fights, we will prepare to put on a great show and take the victory by any means necessary. We are very grateful to everyone involved in this great event.”

Aguadilla, Puerto Rico’s undefeated super featherweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (20-0, 10 KOs) is 28 years old. Lebron is currently Boxrec’s #1-ranked Puerto Rican talent at 130lbs following his most recent victory to win the vacant IBF Latino Super Featherweight title and the WBO NABO super featherweight titles in a 10-round unanimous decision over Christopher Diaz in December 2024. He is currently the IBF #6, WBO #8, and WBA #8 contender at 130lbs. Lebron will face Brownsville, Texas rising contender Juan “Johnny Blaze” Tapia (14-4, 5 KOs). The 32-year-old won his latest bout by TKO in March 2025. 

Aguada, Puerto Rico’s Chris “The Punisher” Echevarria (9-1, 4 KOs) will also return to the ring on the preliminary card. After a difficult loss in his pro debut in 2021, Echevarria has rebounded with an active nine-win streak. The 25-year-old talent most recently defeated Charlie Clemente-Andino by second round KO in December 2024 and followed the stoppage with a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over David Quijano-Garcia in June 2025. He will face Cidra, Puerto Rico’s Gabriel Bernardi (7-3, 5 KOs). The 29-year-old aims to rebound after his two latest tough fights and re-establish himself as a contender to watch in the division. 

MVP’s rising bantamweight contender and Amanda Serrano’s protege, Krystal Rosado (7-1, 2 KOs) will also join the Serrano vs. Cruz 2 card. She is currently the WBO #5, IBF #8 and WBA #9 contender. She most recently faced former 118lb world champion Shurretta Metcalf on Most Valuable Prospects 16 in October 2025.

In the main event, MVP’s first signee, boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) will make her long-awaited return in front of her home Puerto Rican fans in a unified WBA and WBO world title defense against Mexico’s #4-ranked WBO contender Erika “Dinamita” Cruz (18-2-1, 4 KOs). The 10-round, highly anticipated rematch will be contested under equal rules to men with three-minute rounds, as Serrano makes her latest statement for equality in women’s boxing alongside Cruz. Presale for Serrano vs. Cruz 2 will begin Thursday, November 6 at 10am ET. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, November 7 at 9am ET at prticket.com.

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

About MVP

MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize returns for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.

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




Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz Eager to Face Henry Lebron in Puerto Rican Showdown

BARRANQUITAS, PR (June 20, 2024) – Boxlab Promotions’ super featherweight contender Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (28-4, 18 KOs) is set to clash with the undefeated Henry Lebron (19-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round bout for the WBA Continental America Title. The highly anticipated matchup between two of Puerto Rico’s top fighters, will take place on July 13, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, on the undercard of Jaron Ennis (30-0, 28 KOs) defending his IBF welterweight title against David Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs). 

The event is promoted by Matchroom Boxing in association with Boxlab Promotions and will be broadcast live globally on DAZN.

Christopher Diaz, who has fought twice for a world title, is eager to make a statement against Lebron. Confident in his training and preparation going into this fight, Diaz is eager for the all-out Puerto Rican showdown.

“This fight is crucial for my career,” said Diaz with less than a month away from the fight. “A win here will put me back in the conversation for a world title fight. We both have Puerto Rican blood running through our veins, so you know this is going to be a vicious battle. I’ve been training harder than ever, focusing on my speed and technique to ensure I’m at my best on fight night.”

“Christopher has always shown tremendous heart and skill in his fights,” stated Amaury Piedra, managing director of Caribe Royale and Diaz’s promoter at Boxlab Promotions, as he believes in Diaz’s potential to come out on top. “Having competed at the championship level on multiple occasions, he knows what it takes to win big fights. I have no doubt that he will rise to the occasion and secure a victory against Lebron. Everyone should be tuning as this fight promises to deliver fireworks.”

“I’ve been sparring with top-level opponents and refining my strategy with my team,” concluded Diaz. “I’m ready to leave everything in the ring and prove myself worthy to fight for another world title.”




Speed Kills; Lopez Decisions Taylor to win Jr. Welterweight Title

NEW YORK–Teofimo Lopez became a two-division world champion with an emphatic 12-round unanimous decision over Josh Taylor to win the WBO Junior Welterweight title before a Madison Square Garden record crowd of 5,151.

The fight began with a fast pace with Taylor working the body. Lopez was able to land some “show me” right hands. Lopez started to foreshadow of things to come by landing quick and pinpoint right hands that was able to stop Taylor in his tracks. That assault came in rounds three through five, with round four being a big frame for “The Takeover” as he rocked Taylor. The two fighters took turns over the next four-rounds.

Lopez was terrific over the next three rounds as he dominant as hand speed proved to be too much. His right hand continuously found a home on the face of Taylor. In round 12, Lopez sealed the deal by hurting Taylor twice, with the latter being from a perfect right to the body that hurt Taylor.

Lopez, who was the undisputed lightweight champion, becomes a two-weight division champ by scores of 117-111 and 115-113 and is now 19-1. Taylor of Scotland is 19-1.

Xander Zayas remained undefeated by stopping Ronald Cruz in a eight-round junior middleweight bout.

Zayas dropped Cruz in the opening seconds with a powerful right hand. Zayas dominated the action and landed several hard flurry that had Cruz reeling on the ropes.

Zayas, 152.8 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 80-71 on all cards and is now 16-0. Cruz, 152.4 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is now 18-3-1.

Said Zayas, “Thank you to all my Puerto Rican fans and to everyone that came out. This is a dream come true. I’m very happy to have fought during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend. He was a tough guy. I was hitting him with everything. He didn’t want to go down. He was here to fight. He was motivated. He was tough. But we passed with flying colors. Unanimous decision. And we made the adjustments we needed to do.”

“He brought out the dog in me. I had to dig deep. I had to stay focused. I had to listen to my corner. And most importantly I had to have fun, which was the most important part. I had the crowd here cheering for me, so I was trying to stay as focused as possible.”

Robson Conceicao and Nicolas Polanco fought to a no-decision as a headbutt in round two deemed Polanco unable to continue.

Omar Rosario remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Jan Carlos Rivera in a junior welterweight bout.

Rosario, 139.2 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 77-75 and is now 11-0. Rivera, 138.4 lbs of Vieques, PR is 8-2.

Damian Knyba won an eight-round unanimous decision over Hiamann Olguin in a heavyweight fight.

Knyba, 261.4 lbs of Wodzyn, POL won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 12-0, Olguin, 256.8 lbs of El Dorado, MEX is 9-6-1.

Bruce Carrington battered Luis Porozo and stopped him in round eight of their eight-round featherweight bout.

Carrington hurt Porozo in round eight and the fight was stopped at 2:17.

Carrington, 126.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 7-0 with five knockouts. Porozo. 126.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 16-7.

Henry Lebron remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Rosario in a junior lightweight bout.

In round 10, Lebron dropped Ramos with a left hook.

LeBron, 129.2 lbs of Aguadilla, PR won by scores of 98-90 twice and 97-91 and is now 18-0. Rosario, 129.6 lbs Madrid, SPA is now 17-3.




PETER KAHN’S FIGHT GAME ADVISORS SIGNS WORLD RANKED JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT HENRY LEBRON!

Miami, FL (January 4, 2023) Peter Kahn and Fight Game Advisors have announced the signing of undefeated and world ranked junior lightweight Henry ‘Moncho’ LeBron. The 25-year-old native of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, currently ranked #7 by the World Boxing Organization, has compiled a stellar professional record of 17-0 with 10 knockouts.

Promoted by Top Rank, LeBron was excited to start working with the very highly respected Kahn, “I am very happy to start working with Peter Kahn. He has always provided extraordinary guidance and management for his fighter’s careers. I am very close to a world title fight and I can’t think of anyone better to manage me. This year will be very important to my career.”

“It’s an honor to be working with another great fighter from Puerto Rico,” said Kahn. “Henry is already an undefeated top 10 world title contender and I am grateful he’s entrusted me to help navigate his path to a world title. He has a great work ethic, high boxing IQ and is going to have a big 2023.”

Known for his exciting style and excellent counter punching, LeBron continued his impressive run of victories on September 23, 2022 with a dominant unanimous decision over fellow contender Andy Vences. The fight took place in front of thousands of Puerto Rican boxing fans at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ and live on ESPN. His 2022 campaign also included explosive victories over Luis Lebron (no relation) on June 11, 2022 and Josec Ruiz on March 19, 2022; both fights emanating from the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Prior to turning professional six years ago, LeBron was an acclaimed amateur winning the Puerto Rican National Championships four times in 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013. Highlights included amateur victories over fellow highly regarded prospects Elvis Rodriguez and Karlos Balderas. His amateur career culminated in an outstanding record of 153-7.

Details of LeBron’s next fight will be announced shortly. For more information on Fight Game Advisors, visit their website www.FightGameAdvisors.com.

Social Media / Henry LeBron

Instagram / @MonchoLeBron

Twitter / @MonchoLeBron




September 23: Keyshawn Davis-Omar Tienda Lightweight Co-Feature Confirmed for Shakur Stevenson-Robson Conceição Card at Newark’s Prudential Center LIVE on ESPN

NEWARK, N.J. (Aug. 26, 2022) — Norfolk’s Olympic silver medal star, Keyshawn Davis, now has an opponent for his long-awaited ring return. Davis, who shined for Team USA last summer in Tokyo, will fight Mexican veteran Omar Tienda in an eight-round lightweight showdown Friday, Sept. 23, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
 
Davis-Tienda will be the co-feature to WBC/WBO junior lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson’s hometown title defense against Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição.
 
Stevenson-Conceição and Davis-Tienda will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT— features an eight-round junior lightweight bout between unbeaten prospect Henry “Moncho” Lebron and Andy “El Tiburon” Vences.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $50 are available at Ticketmaster.com.
 
Davis (5-0, 4 KOs) is back following April’s sixth-round TKO over Esteban Sanchez on the Oscar Valdez-Stevenson card. His proposed July bout against Jair Valtierra was postponed, but with a clean bill of health, Davis seeks to make waves once again before Stevenson takes center stage. Tienda (25-5, 18 KOs), from Guadalupe, Mexico, has won seven straight fights — all by knockout — since a 2017 decision loss to Dennis Galarza. His only stoppage defeat came in his seventh pro fight back in 2013.
 
Lebron (16-0, 10 KOs), from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, ranks among his island nation’s top prospects, but he’s looking to notch a signature victory. In his last outing, he won a clear eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Lebron (no relation). Vences (23-3-1, 12 KOs) is a 10-year pro from San Jose, California, who has battled a slew of top-rated fighters. His July 2020 split decision defeat to Luis Alberto Lopez — now the IBF No. 1 featherweight contender — ranked among the year’s best action fights. He makes his comeback little more than one year removed from a majority decision loss to former world title challenger Jono Carroll.
 
In other undercard action, Shakur Stevenson protégé Antoine Cobb (1-0-1, 1 KO) will fight an immediate rematch against Jaylan Phillips (1-2-1, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at welterweight. Cobb and Phillips fought to a crowd-pleasing draw April 30 on the Valdez-Stevenson undercard.
 
The undercard is also scheduled to include the following bouts:
 
Jahi Tucker (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Jose Luis Sanchez (11-2-1, 4 KOs), 8 rounds, welterweight
 
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Jose Argel (9-4, 3 KOs), 6 rounds, featherweight
 
Armani Almestica (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Omar Urieta (3-1-1, 2 KOs), 6 rounds, lightweight
 
Pablo Valdez (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Noe Alejandro Lopez (11-5-1, 4 KOs), 6 rounds, welterweight
 
Orlando Gonzalez (18-1, 11 KOs) vs. Misael Lopez (13-1, 5 KOs), 8 rounds, featherweight
 
Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (6-0, 2 KOs) vs. Eduardo Diogo (3-0, 2 KOs), 6 rounds, junior featherweight




Berlanga Decisions Angulo

Edgar Berlanga remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Alexis Angulo in a super middleweight bout at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.

Berlanga, 167.6 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 20-0. Angulo, 160.6 lbs of Pitai, COL is 27-3.

Henry Lebron Decisions Luis Lebron

Henry Lebron won a eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Lebron in a junior lightweight fight.

In round seven, Luis Lebron began to bleed from his mouth.

Henry Lebron, 130 lbs of Aguadilla, PR won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 16-0. Luis Lebron, 129.8 lbs of San Juan, PR is 18-4-1.

Victor Santillan won a eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Caraballo in a junior featherweight bout,

In round two, Santillan was cut on his right eyelid from a headbutt.

Santillan, 119.6 of La Romana, DR won by scores of 78-74 twice and 77-75 and is now 12-0. Caraballo, 120.4 lbs of Guayanilla, PR is 15-2.

Dakota Linger shocked Josue Vargas with a second round stoppage in a scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Linger landed a hard combination that had Vargas in serious . Linger knocked Vargas between the ropes for a knockdown. Linger was relentless until the bout was stopped at 2:06.

Linger, 142.6 lbs of Buckhamon, WV is 13-5-2 with nine knockouts. Vargas, 142.6 lbs Aguadila, PR is 20-3,

Armani Almestica remained undefeated by stopping Eliseo Villalobos in the final round of their six-round lightweight bout.

In round one Almestica dropped Villalobos with a straight left.

In round six, Almestica continued to land clean shots, and the fight was stopped at 1:47.

Almestica, 134.2 lbs of Orlando, FL is 6-0 with six knockouts. Villalobos, 134.4 lbs of Simi Valley, CA is 2-3.

Orlando Gonzalez stopped Pablo Cruz in round five of their six-round featherweight bout.

In round five, Gonzalez landed a flurry in the corner that forced referee Danny Schivone to stop the bout at 1:00.

Gonzalez, 128 lbs of Agudilla, PR is now 18-1 with 11 knockouts. Cruz, 127.8 lbs of Houston, TX is 22-5-1.

Omar Rosario remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Julio Rosa in a junior welterweight bout.

Rosario, 140.6 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 7-0. Rosa, 139.6 lbs of Bayamon, PR is 4-1.

Frevian Gonzalez won a four-round unanimous decision over Refugio Montellano in a lightweight bout.

Gonzalez, 134.6 lbs of Cidra, PR won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 5-1. Montellano, 134.8 lbs of Dallas, TX is 2-1.

Christina Cruz won remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Maryguenn Vellinga in a flyweight bout.

In round four, Vellinga was cut badly on here forehead from a headbutt.

Cruz, 111.8 lbs of New York won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 and is now 3-0. Vellinga, 110.6 lbs of Park City, UT is 3-3-2.




Berlanga Decisions Rolls

NEW YORK–Edgar Berlanga won a 10-round unanimous decision over Steve Rolls in what was a lackluster fight in front of a sold out crowd at The Hulu Theater inside of Madison Square Garden of 5,158.

Rolls came out moving and noy wanting to get into harms way of any big shots. In round four, Berlanga was cut over his left eye from what could have been an accidental headbutt. Berlanga came forward the whole night and landed the harder shots. Rolls was able to get in some counters. The packed crowd was in anticipation of a explosive performance form Berlanga, who was headlining for the first time. The crowd size bodes well for Berlanga as he looks to be a big attraction, especially in the New York region.

Berlanga landed 120 of 314 punches; Rolls was 123 of 447.

Berlanga, 167.4 lbs of Brooklyn won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 19-0. Rolls, 167.8 lbs of Toronto, ONT, CAN is 21-2.

Edgar Berlanga

You could tell that he was fighting scared. Every time I reach in or throw something, he’d pull back and was running the whole fight.”

“I was looking for the big shot. My corner was telling me to use the jab. I’m just happy we got the victory and I’m moving forward.”

“He was a scared fighter. It’s tough to land your shots when he’s scared, especially moving back. When he fought GGG, he brought it to GGG. With me, he tried to use that running tactic.”

Bob Arum (Top Rank Chairman)

“Edgar Berlanga fought a tough, defensive fighter, and he got some valuable rounds in tonight. As you saw from the sold-out crowd, the kid is a star. There are many more big nights to come.”

Zayas Decisions Lavallais

Good looking 19 year-old Xander Zayas literally pounded out a eight-round unanimous decision over iron-chinned Quincy Lavallais in a junior middleweight bout,

In round two, Bauza kept Lavallais on the ropes for much of the round and landed barrages of punches. Zayas continued to beat up Lavallais with thudding body punches that were followed by flush shots on his head. Lavallais showed a tremendous chin.

Before round seven, the ringside doctor took a look at Lavallais. Lavalais was bale to make it to the final bell, but the young Puerto Rican Phenom won by scores of 80-71 and 80-72 twice.

Zayas landed 252 of 573 punches; Lavallais was 66 of 398.

Zayas, 152.6 lbs of San Juan, PR is 13-0. Lavallais, 152.6 lbs of Kenner, LA is 12-3-1.

“I need this type of experience. Eight rounds against a tough opponent will only help me as I move forward in my career.”

“I want to dedicate this fight to my trainer, Javiel Centeno. He showed his love and commitment after what he went through yesterday.”

  • Centeno has sciatica and had to go to the hospital Friday evening.

Bauza Decisions Luis

John Bauza remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Tony Luis in a junior welterweight bout.

Bauza landed 109 of 329 punches; Luis was 90 of 449.

Bauza, 140.2 lbs of Coamo, PR won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 17-0. Luis, 140.8 lbs of Cornwall, ONT, CAN is now 29-5.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Tracey McGruder in a welterweight fight.

Tucker landed 131 of 462 punches; McGruder was 118 of 409.

Tucker, 147.8 lbs of Deer Park, NY won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice, and is now 7-0. McGruder, 147.8 lbs of Rochester, NY is 6-2.

Henry Lebron stopped Josec Ruiz in round seven of a scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout.

In round seven, Lebron wobbled Ruiz into the corner from combination and the fight was stopped at 2:23.

Lebron, 130.6 lbs of Puerto Rico is 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Ruiz, 130.4 lbs of Limon, HON is 23-6-3.

Bruce Carrington scored an explosive fifth round stoppage over Yueuri Andujar in a scheduled six-round junior lightweight bout.

In round three, Andujar was cut above the right eye. Both guys landed some hard combinations with Carrington getting the better of the action. In round five, Andujar came out guns-a-blazing, but he ate a vicious right-left combination that put Andujar flat on his back for several minutes and the fight was stopped at 51 seconds.

Carrington, 129.8 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 3-0 with two knockouts. Andujar, 129.6 lbs of San Cristobal, DR is 5-5-1.

Carrington said, “I want to thank Brownsville and all of Brooklyn for coming out to support me. Fighting as a pro at Madison Square Garden was a dream come true. This is only the beginning.”

Armani Almestica stopped Luis Valentin Portalatin in round three of their scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout.

Almestica battered Partaltin until the bout was stopped at 1:57.

Almestica, 139.2 lbs of Orlando, FLA is 5-0 with five knockouts. Portalatin, 140.2 lbs of Toa Alta, PR is 3-4.

Kelvin Davis stopped Phillip Carmouche in the opening round of their four-round junior welterweight bout.

Davis dropped Carmouche with a straight left. Davis finished things off with a hard left that drove Carmouche to the ropes and the fight was stopped as he fell again at 1:17

Davis, 143.6 lbs of Norfolk, VA is 4-0 with three knockouts. Carmouche, 144.8 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is 2-3.




Saturday: Rising Stars Bruce Carrington, Kelvin Davis and Henry Lebron Set to Shine on Edgar Berlanga-Steve Rolls Undercard at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden  

NEW YORK (March 15, 2022) — Featherweight prodigy Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, the latest standout boxer to come from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, makes his New York City debut this Saturday, March 19 in a six-rounder against Yeuri Andujar at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Carrington-Andujar, which will be contested at junior lightweight, highlights undercard action before the 10-round super middleweight main event featuring Brooklyn’s Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga against Steve Rolls.

Berlanga-Rolls, an eight-round junior middleweight bout between Xander Zayas and Quincy LaVallais, and unbeaten junior welterweight John Bauza in an eight-rounder versus Tony Luis will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Carrington-Andujar and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT.

Carrington (2-0, 1 KO) had a nearly decade-long run as one of Team USA’s star amateurs, including a victory in the 125-pound division of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He turned pro last October on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard and made his Top Rank debut in January with a stunning second-round stoppage over Steven Brown. Andujar (5-4-1, 3 KOs), from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, is coming off a six-round draw last December against Pablo Cruz (22-4 at the time).

In other undercard action streaming on ESPN+:

  • Long Island-born welterweight sensation Jahi Tucker (6-0, 4 KOs), a 19-year-old power puncher, hopes to increase his knockout streak to three when he battles Tracey McGruder (6-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder. The explosive Tucker opened eyes in January with his second-round blitzing of the normally durable Akeem Black.
     
  • Rising Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) steps up in class against Honduran veteran Josec Ruiz (23-5-3, 16 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Ruiz, a 10-year pro, has never been knocked out.
     
  • Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs), the eldest of the fighting Davis Brothers from Norfolk, Virginia, will face Phillip Carmouche (2-2) in a four-round junior welterweight bout. Davis made his Top Rank debut last December at Madison Square Garden and notched a second-round stoppage.
     
  • Lightweight prospect Armani Almestica (4-0, 4 KOs), a 20-year-old from Orlando, Florida, returns in a six-round lightweight battle against Eliseo Villalobos (2-2, 1 KO). As an amateur, Almestica was a force, winning gold at the 2017 USA Junior Olympics and 2018 USA Youth National Championships.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.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 21.3 million subscribers. 
?? 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.comESPNplus.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).




Navarrete Outlasts Gonzalez in a war to retain Featherweight title

Emanauel Navarrete earned his 2nd title defense of the WBO Featherweight title over Joet Gonzalez at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

In round two, Gonzalez began to swell under his right eye. In round three, a cut formed under that eye from a Navarrete left hook. Gonzalez showed an extreme toughness as the swelling and cut got worse in each round, but that did nor deter him as he agressiveness made Navarrete begin to turn up his customery volume punching.

Over the 2nd half of the fight, Navarrete started taking control, but when the cut from Gonzalez seemed to worsen, he came back to land hard shots that would push Gonzalez back. In the end, the sheer volume was the difference for Gonzalez by scores of 118-110 and 116-112 twice.

Navarrete landed 272 of 979 punches; Gonzalez was 169 of 667.

Navarrete, 125.8 lbs of Mexico is 35-1. Gonzalez, 125.4 lbs of Glendora, CA is 24-2. Both of his losses were in world title bouts as he dropped a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson for the same title October 26, 2019.

“Without a doubt, I hurt him, but every single time he came back, and he also hurt me. A couple shots he landed hurt me during the fight,” Navarrete said. “It has been an exciting ride so far, and from now on, I want the bigger fights.”

Gonzalez said, “I thought I had it seven rounds to five, eight rounds to four. I was really surprised by that score of 118-110, I believe. But it is what it is, and I did my best.”

Santillan Decisions Ruiz

Giovani Santillan remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Ruiz in a welterweight bout.

Santillan was able to get the better of the fast paced fight by landing hard combinations on the inside. The fight was fought at close quarters with many exchanges that saw Santillan land more and harder.

In round seven, Santillan’s left eye began to swell.

Santillan landed 266 of 693 punches; Ruiz was 157 of 577.

Santillan, 147 lbs of San Diego won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 28-0. Ruiz, 147.4 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 17-2.

Santillan said, “This is what it’s all about, a great fight in front of my amazing hometown fans. They were cheering for me all night, and it was an honor to perform for my people in San Diego.
 
“My father and I always wanted to fight here. It was a dream come true, and credit to Angel Ruiz for going to battle for 10 rounds. He’s a true Mexican warrior. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Henry LeBron remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Rey Rojas in a junior lightweight bout.

LeBron landed 97 of 311 punches; Rojas was 37 of 232.

Lebron, 131 lbs of Puerto Rico won by scores of 80-72 scores on all cards and is now 14-0. Rojas, 130.2 lbs of Dallas, TX is 21-6.

Lindolfo Delgado remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Juan Garcia Mendez in a junior welterweight fight.

In round eight, Delgado landed a hard right that was follwed by a combination that dropped Mendez in the corner.

Delgado landed 170 of 385 punches; Mendez was 75 of 451.

Delgado, 141.6 lbs of Linares, MEX won by scores of 80-71 on all cards, and is now 14-0. Mendez, 140.2 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 21-5-2.

Javier Martinez remained undefested as he battered Darryl Jones over six-rounds to win a unanimous decision in a middleweight bout.

Martinez, 162.4 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 60-54 and 60-53 twice and is now 5-0. Jones, 161.6 lbs of Sarasota, FL is 4-3-1.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated by winning a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Ramirez in a bantamweight fight.

In round one, Diaz dropped Ramirez with an overhand right.

Diaz, 118 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 40-35 twice and 39-36 and is now 3-0. Ramirez, 116.4 lbs of Tucson, AZ is 1-1.

Antonio Mireles made a successful pro debut with a first-round stoppage over Demonte Randle in a heavyweight bout.

In round one, Mireles dropped Randle with a right hook. Seconds later, Mireles landed a hard flurry that sent Randle into the ropes for a knockdown. Mireles ended the fight with a right jook to the side of the head that sent Randle down and the fight was stopped at

Mireles, 262.2 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 1-0 with one knockout. Randle, 314 lbs of Kansas City, MO is 2-2.