Jaime Munguia remained undefeated by stopping Jimmy Kelly in round five of a scheduled 12-round super middleweight bout at The Toyota Arena in Anaheim, California.
In round five, Mungua dropped Kelly with a left hook. A second knockdown occurred when Munguai sent Kelly down with an uppercut. Munguia was able to finish off Kelly with a hard right that was followed by a left that sent Kelly down for a third and final time and the bout was stopped at 2:57.
Munguia, 165 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 40-0 with 32 knockouts. Kelly, 164 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 26-3.
Duarte Stops Bernaldez in
Oscar Duarte stopped Mark Bernaldez in round eight of their scheduled 10-round super lightweight bout.
In round eight, Duarte landed a hard right that buckled Bernaldez. Duarte followed up with a big flurry and the fight was stopped at 2:05.
Duarte, 136.4 lbs of Perral, MEX is 23-1-1 with 18 knockouts. Bernaldez, 135.6 lbs of Vatabeto, PHL is 23-6.
Valle Decisions Villalobos; Retains Minimumweight Title
Yokasta Valle retained the IBF Minimumweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Lorraine Villalobios.
Valle, 104.6 lbs of San Juan, Costa Rica won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 25-2. Villalobos, 104.8 lbs of Los Angeles is 5-4.
Carlos Ortiz scored a stunning fifth round stoppage over previously undefeated prospect Evan Sanchez in a scheduled eight-round super welterweight fight.
The fight was a war for most of time, and in round five, Ortiz hurt Sanchez with a chopping left. Ortiz landed six unanswered punches which included another flush chopping left that sent Sanchez down and out at 2:59.
Ortiz, 151 lbs of Torreon, MEX is now 13-5 with 13 knockouts. Sanchez, 152,4 lbs of Parlier, CA is 11-1.
Former world title challenger Carlos Ocampo stopped Vincent Rodriguez in round one of their eight-round middleweight bout.
In round one, Ocampo dropped Rodriguez with a left hook to the body, and he could not beat the count at 2:06.
Ocampo, 156 lbs of Ensenada, MEX is 34-1 with 22 knockouts. Rodriguez, 154.2 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 40-11-1.
Pin-Pon Reyes stopped Moises Flores in round two of their scheduled six-round welterweight bout.
In round two, Argel dropped Flores with an overhand right. Reyes then landed several hard shots, and the fight was stopped at 55 seconds
Reyes, 139.8 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is now 8-0 with four knockouts. Flores, 147 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 25-7-1.
Japhethlee Llamido won a six-round unanimous decision over Saul Hernandez in a lightweight bout.
In round two, Llamido was cut over his right eye due to an accidental headbutt.
In round six, Llamido dropped Hernandez with a right hand.
Llamdio, 128.4 lbs of Long Beach, CA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 8-0. Hernandez, 132 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 17-16-1.
Jorge Estrada remained undefeated with an opening round stoppage over Hassan Coleman in a junior middleweight contest.
The fighters came out throwing wild punches, and in an exchange, Estrada landed a body punch that sent Coleman down in a lot of pain and the fight was stopped at 1:51.
Estrada, 153.6 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is now 3-0 with with three knockouts. Coleman, 153 lbs of Los Angeles was making his pro debut.
VIDEO: MUNGUIA vs. KELLY WEIGH-IN
VIDEO: MUNGUIA vs. KELLY FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE
JAIME MUNGUIA VS. JIMMY KELLY FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
ANAHEIM, CA (June 9, 2022) – The pride of Tijuana, undefeated Mexican super-star Jaime Munguia (39-0, 31 KOs), and his opponent, former world title challenger, Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (26-2, 10 KOs) of Manchester, UK hosted their final press conference today. The fighters will face off at Anaheim’s Honda Center in a 12-round super middleweight fight on Saturday, June 11, live on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.
Fighters feature on the DAZN undercard Oscar Duarte (21-1-1, 17 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico, and his opponent, Mark Bernaldez (23-5, 17 KOs) of Cotabato, Philippines, were also in attendance to talk about their upcoming 10-round super lightweight fight. Additionally, Evan Sanchez (11-0, 6 KOs) of Parlier, CA, and IBF Minimumweight World Champion, Yokasta Valle (24-2, 9 KOs) of San Jose, Costa Rica, also participated in the festivities to promote their upcoming events.
To watch the whole stream, including a press conference with fighters on The Golden Boy Fight Night: Munguia vs. Kelly Prelims: Japhethlee Llamido (7-0, 3 KOs), Alejandro “Pin-Pon” Reyes (7-0, 3KOs), and Carlos Ocampo (33-1, 21 KOs), click HERE.
JAIME MUNGUIA, FORMER WORLD CHAMPION, AND UNDEFEATED CONTENDER:
“I feel excited to be back in Anaheim. I want to thank everyone for being here. I am happy with my training camp. I think we are well prepared, and we will show it off this Saturday.”
“There have been some opportunities that didn’t happen; let’s hope that they do happen in the future. Jimmy Kelly is a great fighter, he has all my respect, but I think I will raise my hands in victory on Saturday.”
“I moved to Big Bear for more sparring opportunities, mostly due to my size. There is more variety and available fighters [to go spar in Big Bear], so it helps me more. It’s beautiful, a great place to train, and we are there 100% to work.”
JIMMY KELLY, FORMER WORLD TITLE CHALLENGER:
“At the end of the day, it’s me in the ring. I’ve been to Australia and got robbed, and I came back and beat Kanat Islam. I got an opportunity here, and I’m looking forward to it. I’m going up against one of the best, and I’m confident I will get the job done. I also want one of those Rolexes.”
“I’ve been at a good level. My camp was great, a little short, but I was in preparation anyways. I’m looking forward to the fight.”
“[Other fighters] probably don’t give me a chance because I’m quiet; I keep things to myself. I’m a family man at first. That’s my most important job. It’s my daughter’s birthday on the day of the fight. So I’m going to do it for her. I’m not a flashy person and don’t have too much on my name, but I come to fight. I’m going to be fighting my ass off.”
OSCAR DUARTE, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I am very excited. I am ready to win this Saturday. I am happy to be back in [Southern California]; it’s been about three years since I fought here last. I am very motivated, well prepared, and hungry for victory. I will dedicate this fight to all the Mexican fans to show them who Oscar Duarte is.”
YOKASTA VALLE, IBF MINIMUMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION:
“I feel very excited to fight in a Munguia undercard. It’s a dream come true to be fighting here in Anaheim. I won’t let you guys down! I’m going to defend my title for the fifth time. First, I want to defend my title, then I would like to unify, and you guys know who has the belts. I want to fight all the champions in my weight.
EVAN SANCHEZ, SUPER WELTERWEIGHT PROSPECT:
“I feel honored. This is my fourth time opening for DAZN on a Golden Boy card. I feel ready. This training camp was amazing. I fixed many things I did wrong in my last fight and am ready to perform. I always put on a show. I have been progressing and learning. I’m learning from every fight.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, GOLDEN BOY:
“It’s going to be an entertaining fight. I’ve been studying Kelly for a while now. He’s the real deal. He’s coming back from an amazing win, and I strongly feel that when you’re from the hotbed of boxing overseas in the UK. You have a chip on your shoulder. Whenever Jamie Munguia fights, it is going to be an action-packed fight. It’s a great fight on paper, and once the bell rings, it will be a war.”
“In terms of Charlo, we were ready to make the fight. We were ready to do whatever it took to give Jaime Munguia the fight he wants, and everybody has been asking for. One thing about Charlo and the whole PBC stable is that they hide behind Al Haymon; that’s the bottom line. We don’t want to make ordinary fights; we want to make the best fights. I hope Charlo grows some balls and tells his promoter to fight the very best. These are the fights boxing needs and the fights the fans deserve.”
“I’m not going to exclude our partner DAZN from any type of negotiation. There’s always room for negotiation. Meet us halfway; we can walk across the street; we can meet in the middle of the street. There is no protection; Mungia is ready for anyone. They’re hiding behind Al Haymon, and that’s the bottom line. If the fighters really want to fight, they have to stop saying, ‘talk to my promoter/manager.’ The fighters have a voice, and they need to use it.”
FERNANDO BELTRAN, CEO ZANFER BOXING & JAIME MUNGUIA’S CO-PROMOTER:
“It’s a real honor to be here and co-promote another great event with Golden Boy. I think Jaime is one of the best fighters in the world and absolutely is the one fighter representing Mexico right now.”
“The last fight [at the Honda Center] was very exciting, very electric, and this fight is going to be sensational. It will be a great party, a great fiesta for all the Mexican and Mexican-American boxing fans. I really believe it’s going to be a night to remember.”
Tickets for Munguia vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $150, $100, $50, and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, HondaCenter.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. Remaining tickets will go on sale Monday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. at the Honda Center Box Office.
Munguia vs. Kelly is a 12-round super middleweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions and ProBox Promotions. Valle vs. Villalobos is a 10-round fight for the IBF Minimumweight World Championship, presented by Golden Boy in association with MarvNation. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, June 11 at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
YOKASTA VALLE VS. LORRAINE VILLALOBOS: PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
ANAHEIM, CALIF. (June 9, 2022) IBF Minimumweight World Champion Yokasta Valle (24-2, 9 KOs) participated in today’s Munguia vs. Kelly press conference ahead of her title defense against Lorraine Villalobos (5-3, 2 KOs).
Valle’s fight will take place this Saturday, June 11 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.
Below is what the champ had to say at today’s press conference:
“I feel very excited because this is a dream come true, to be fighting here for Golden Boy on a great Jaime Munguia card. And believe me, I will not disappoint any of you.
“I am going to defend my world title for the fifth time. I’m very excited about what’s to come. But I have to take things step by step. My defense comes first. God willing everything goes well. What we want is to unify world titles, and you all know who the other champions are.
“I want to fight Nguy?n Th? Thu Nhi, who is the WBO champion from Vietnam. I would also like to fight Seniesa Estrada, who is the WBA champion. I’ve always wanted to fight her. I know that at some point we are going to have that fight. And, I also want to fight Christina Rupprecht again. I’d fight any of them. Fighting the best is what excites me and more so now with Golden Boy.
“I want all the belts. I have mine, but I want them all. God willing, this Saturday I am going to give everything for Costa Rica.
# # #
About MarvNation
MarvNation Promotions was founded in 2014 by Marvin Rodriguez and was created with a vision to not only create concerts or boxing events, but to also create experiences for the fans. In 2018, after noticing a lack of support for many young and hungry prospects without an extensive Olympic and amateur background, MarvNation involved itself in the sport of boxing with a mission to make a way for these young prospects and develop them into top contenders and champions in the sport. Established both on a national and international level, MarvNation is here to bring you the best of boxing and live entertainment.
JAIME MUNGUIA VS. JIMMY KELLY FIGHTER WORKOUT QUOTES
ANAHEIM, CA (June 8, 2022) – Former world champion and undefeated Mexican super-star Jaime Munguia (39-0, 31 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, and his opponent Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (26-2, 10 KOs) of Manchester, UK hosted a media workout today to kick off fight week. On Saturday, June 11, the fighters will face off at Anaheim’s Honda Center in a 12-round super middleweight fight, live on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.
As part of the festivities, the co-main event fighter Oscar Duarte (21-1-1, 17 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico, was also onsite to show off his hard work for the media in attendance. He is set for a 10-round fight against Mark Bernaldez (23-5, 17 KOs) of Cotabato, Philippines. Additionally, fighters featured on the undercard, Evan Sanchez (11-0, 6 KOs) of Parlier, CA, and Carlos Ocampo (33-1, 21 KOs) of Ensenada, Mexico, were also in attendance to speak about their upcoming events. Sanchez will participate in an 8-round, super welterweight, DAZN live stream opener against Carlos Ortiz (12-5, 12 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico. Ocampo will fight Vincent Rodriguez (40-10-1, 21 KOs) in an 8-round super welterweight part of The Golden Boy Fight Night: Munguia vs. Kelly Prelims on DAZN and the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube page starting at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET.
Santa Ana fan-favorite Ronny Rios (33-3, 16 KOs) was also in attendance to promote his upcoming fight against Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev (10-0, 7 KOs) on June 25. Their 12-round face off for the WBA and IBF World Super Bantamweight World Championships will take place at the Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, TX and will also stream live, worldwide on DAZN.
Below are what the fighters had to say about their upcoming fights:
JAIME MUNGUIA, FORMER WORLD CHAMPION AND UNDEFEATED CONTENDER:
“I feel very good this training camp. We are all happy, we have been putting in a lot of hard work and we are ready to face Kelly this Saturday.”
“We decided to make the move to Big Bear in search of sparring partners. I am getting bigger and need sparring partners of my size. Although Otomi, does have great fighters, the issue for me is the size and also, less fighters are willing to go out there for sparring. In Big Bear we are in the boxing hub of Southern California and have more access to fighters willing to make the drive for a sparring session.”
“It’s difficult to be in a training camp away from my friends and family. But I love my job, I love boxing. I also motivate myself to work hard for my friends and family. They are the biggest and the daily motivation that I have to push harder everyday to be the best for them.”
“I have to be careful with Kelly. I know he is coming with nothing to lose and everything to gain so I have to make sure not to let my guard down on Saturday.”
JIMMY “KILRAIN” KELLY, FORMER WORLD TITLE CHALLENGER:
“I am feeling very good about my first time on the west coast. I feel settled in. I am looking forward to the opportunity.”
“Jaime has a lot of experience, he’s unbeaten, he’s a big puncher. I have trained accordingly and am looking forward to Saturday night.”
“I focus on myself. I know some fighters have taken an aggressive approach and perhaps they have played into the hands of Munguia. Perhaps a loose approach is something to look at.”
“I have been waiting for a good opportunity to happen. When the phone rang, even though it was only four weeks’ notice, I decided to do it. Fortunately I was already in training for a show so I felt comfortable saying ‘yes’”
OSCAR DUARTE, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I am happy to be back in the U.S. to fight in front of all the boxing fans in Southern California. We had a great training camp and I am excited to show all everything we have been working on.”
EVAN SANCHEZ, SUPER WELTERWEIGHT PROSPECT:
“This is going to be a big card. I have fought on two of his other cards. I know a lot of people will show up for him so I have to put on a good performance and try to take over the show. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to open another DAZN card. I feel like I belong here and I know there is more to come.”
CARLOS OCAMPO, SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I feel very good and happy to be on this card. I think my career has taken on a good trajectory and I think this fight will show that we are on the right path. After my fight with Errol Spence I have learned a lot and grown as a fighter. I am ready for a world title challenger with anyone, any time. I am ready.”
RONNY RIOS, SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE CHALLENGER (Fighting on June 25):
“This opportunity is very exciting for me and for my team. This is every fighter’s dream [ to fight for a world championship] and we are all ready to move forward with everything we got.”
“It’s been a long process. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but it has taken consistent work to get back to the top. We have never stopped grinding. My team is extremely strong right now. I have always believed in myself and my team. Luckily we are here once again trying to fulfill this dream.”
“I know my opponent is a southpaw. He has two belts. I cannot take that away from him, but I have a lot of experience. I have been in the ring with a lot of top opponents at 122lbs. I want to see where he stacks up against me.”
“I think that if I keep performing at the top level that I have been, I know we will come out on top. My team has put together a great game plan. I just have to go out there, listen to my team, and do everything with confidence.”
Tickets for Munguia vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $150, $100, $50, and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, HondaCenter.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. The remaining tickets will go on sale Monday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. at the Honda Center Box Office.
Munguia vs. Kelly is a 12-round super middleweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions and ProBox Promotions. Valle vs. Villalobos is a 10-round fight for the IBF Minimumweight World Championship, presented by Golden Boy in association with Marv Nation. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, June 11 at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaKelly
OSCAR DUARTE VS. MARK BERNALDEZ SET AS CO-MAIN EVENT FOR MUNGUIA VS. KELLY
LOS ANGELES, CA (June 8, 2022) – The pride of Chihuahua, Oscar Duarte (21-1-1, 17 KOs), will return to fight in the U.S. for the first time since 2019 against Mark “Machete” Bernaldez (23-5, 17 KOs) of Cotabato, the Philippines as the co-main event for Munguia vs. Kelly on Saturday, June 11 at Anaheim’s Honda Center. Also, on the undercard Yokasta Valle (24-2, 9 KOs) of San Jose, Costa Rica, will defend her IBF Minimumweight World Championship against Los Angeles’ Lorraine Villalobos (5-3, 2 KOs). Additionally, undefeated fighter Evan Sanchez (11-0, 6 KOs) of Parlier, CA, is scheduled for an 8-round super welterweight fight against the battle-tested Carlos Ortiz (12-5, 12 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico. The action-packed main card will stream live worldwide on DAZN (excluding Mexico) this Saturday beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. ET.
Ahead of that, The Golden Boy Fight Night: Munguia vs. Kelly Prelims will begin live streaming at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET on DAZN, as well as the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube page; featuring the night’s undercard, hosted by Beto Duran and welterweight rising contender Alexis “Lex” Rocha. The undercard will be headlined by Los Angeles’ fan favorite Alejandro “Pin-Pon” Reyes (7-0, 4 KOs) taking on Moises Flores (25-6-1, 17 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico, in a 6-round super lightweight fight. Opening up the fight night, undefeated super welterweight Jorge Estrada (2-0, 2 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico, will face Los Angeles’ Hassan Coleman. He will be making his professional debut in the 4-round super welterweight fight.
Tickets for Munguia vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $150, $100, $50, and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, HondaCenter.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. The remaining tickets will go on sale Monday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. at the Honda Center Box Office.
Munguia vs. Kelly is a 12-round super middleweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions and ProBox Promotions. Valle vs. Villalobos is a 10-round fight for the IBF Minimumweight World Championship, presented by Golden Boy in association with Marv Nation. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, June 11 at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
JAIME MUNGUIA AND JIMMY KELLY TO CLASH IN A 12-ROUND SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT ON SATURDAY, JUNE 11?AT HONDA CENTER IN ANAHEIM, CA
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 18, 2022) – After a triumphant homecoming in Tijuana, Mexico in February, former world champion and undefeated Mexican super-star, Jaime Munguia (39-0, 31 KOs) will return to Anaheim’s Honda Center on Saturday, June 11 to face off against former world title challenger, Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (26-2, 10 KOs) of Manchester, UK. The 12-round super middleweight fight will stream live on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.
“I am very excited to return to Anaheim and fight in front of all the fans against a high-quality English rival like Kelly,” said Jaime Munguia. “It won’t be an easy night, but we are preparing very hard. This new edition of Mexico vs. England will be very exciting for all fight fans, and I am convinced that I will pass this test and be on my way to a world title soon!”
“As a child, I dreamt of fighting in America, that dream came true when I beat the undefeated Kanat Islam,” said Jimmy Kelly. “Munguia is the number one guy at 160lbs. To be the best, you need to beat the top fighters in the world. June 11 can’t come quick enough. Munguia is in for the fight of his life.”
The ‘Pride of Tijuana’ Jaime Munguia is ranked as one of the top middleweights in the world by all sanctioning organizations. After a spectacular victory against “King,” Gabriel Rosado in November 2021 and a knock-out victory against D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard during his homecoming in February 2022, Munguia is on a mission to prove he is the best in the division and elevate his record to 40-0. A former world champion in the junior middleweight division, Munguia has successfully defended his titles and record against challengers. After defending his world title five times against fighters like Liam “Beefy” Smith, Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook, Takeshi Inoue, Dennis Hogan, and Patrick Allotey, Muguia will be ready to defend record when he faces Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly on June 11.
Undefeated since 2019, Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly stunned the boxing world last time out beating Kanat Islam via a majority decision in February. Ranked #4 in the middleweight division in the UK, Kelly will be prepared to claim another victory during his second US outing. A former world title challenger, and a former holder of the WBO Inter-Continental Super Welter Title, Kelly will be looking to elevate his profile, record, and standing in the world rankings vs. Munguia on June 11.
Tickets for Munguia vs. Kelly go on sale Friday, May 20th at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $150, $100, $50, and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, HondaCenter.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. Remaining tickets will go on sale Monday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. at the Honda Center Box Office.
Munguia vs. Kelly is a 12-round super middleweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions and ProBox Promotions. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, June 11 at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaKelly
JIMMY KELLY DEFEATS KANAT ISLAM TO CAPTURE THE WBO GLOBAL MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 25, 2022): Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (26-2, 10 KOs) of Manchester, United Kingdom defeated Kazakh contender Kanat “QazaQ” Islam (28-1, 22 KOs) by majority decision in the ProBox Promotions’ main event Friday evening in Plant City, Florida.
Kelly, who captured the WBO Global Middleweight Championship, won with scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 95-95. The fight took place at Whitesands Event Center, one of 11 scraps put together by the Florida-based company headed by Garry Jonas.
“I thought I won every round,” said Jimmy Kelly, who admitted after that he wanted to fly home quickly to see his two kids. “I even hurt my hand and could only box with my jab during the last four rounds. Despite that, I still feel I won every round. I felt his pressure, but I didn’t feel his power. Kanat was looking for the counter all night, but I didn’t let him do it.”
In the co-main event, “Pistol” Pete Dobson (15-0, 9 KOs) of The Bronx, New York beat Mexican southpaw Jose Miguel Borrego (19-4) via wide unanimous decision. Dobson’s accuracy, movement, ring generalship, all of that added up to a long night for Borrego, by scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 100-90. Dobson has sharpened his game by getting superior sparring, against the likes of Terence Crawford, of late.
Jonathan Eniz (12-8, 2 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina scored an upset unanimous decision victory against Mark Reyes Jr. (14-2, 12 KOs) of Tampa, Florida after 10 rounds of action. The three judges scored the fight in Eniz’s favor with the following scorecards: 95-94, 95-94, 96-93.
The Argentine won over the sold-out house with this fast hands, crazy stamina and slick movement. Reyes Jr looked a step behind at times, but he drew massive cheers from locals, for his ability to slick and duck, when he avoided getting tagged hard as Eniz flurried maniacally in round nine.
Najee Lopez (3-0, 3 KOs), a cruiserweight standout of Puerto Rican nationality who represents Ellwood, Georgia, scored a second-round knockout victory against Alex “El Principe” Theran (23-7, 15 KOs) in what was his first fight scheduled for six rounds. Lopez scored two knockdowns, the latter of which ended matters at :33 of the aforementioned round. Lopez said after that he believes he’s ready for another step up, after downing a boxer who’d battled Anthony Yarde, Yunieski Gonzalezand Hot Rod Kalajdzic. “I feel like I can compete with the best of them,” Lopez said after the victory.
Marques Valle (4-0, 4 KOs) of Wesley Chapel, Florida scored a vicious stoppage win over Robbie Rose (1-2) of Richburg, South Carolina in what was a scheduled six-round welterweight battle. The older Valle brother, age 23, ended the fight at 1:29 of the very first round. His power and hand speed were on a different level.
Rising Puerto Rican knockout artist Julio Solis (6-0, 6 KOs) scored a first-round knockout against Trenton Gibson (1-1) of San Antonio, Texas in a lightweight battle originally scheduled for four rounds. The time of stoppage was 1:41 of the opening round. A healthy portion of the sold-out crowd seemed to be Solis rooters.
Floridan prospect Dominic Valle (3-0, 3 KOs) defeated Nelson Colon Torres (4-6, 3 KOs) of Aibonito, Puerto Rico via knockout in what was originally a scheduled four-round bout in the super featherweight division. Valle, the younger of the Valles, at 21, ended matters at 1:56 of the third round.
Light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (8-0, 6 KOs), a UK-born prospect who calls the United States his home, maintained his undefeated record by defeating Brandon Maddox (8-5-1, 6 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan via six-round unanimous decision. Tinker, using a persistent jab, won with scores of 58-56, 58-56, and 59-55.
Casey Dixon (1-0, 1 KO) of Atlanta, George won his first professional bout via second-round knockout against Arsenio Hall (3-6) of Chester, South Carolina in a light heavyweight clash. The brawler Dixon ended matters at :28 of round two.
Imran Haddabah (4-0, 4 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida knocked out Dominique Wiltz (0-3) of Houston, in a light heavyweight bout. The bout was halted at 2:39 of the second round as the 6-4 winner struck with a nasty hook which buzzed Wiltz badly.
Tommy Wu (1-0) made a successful professional debut with a four-round unanimous decision win against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs) of Butte, Montana. The California welterweight came out rumbling in the first, and he found a stubborn target in Curtiss. Wu won via scores of 39-36, 40-36 and 40-36. ?
#
Islam vs. Kelly was a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event took place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
About ProBox Promotions ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.
WELTERWEIGHT STANDOUT MARK REYES JR. MAKES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RETURN ON UNDERCARD OF KANAT ISLAM VS. JIMMY KELLY
PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 22, 2022): Hard-hitting welterweight sensation Mark Reyes Jr. (14-1, 12 KOs) looks to bounce back from his only defeat in a 10-round fight on the undercard of Islam vs. Kelly. Reyes’ fight is part of a 12-bout card taking place this Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.
Reyes is a 25-year-old native of Tampa, Florida who most recently faced Janelson Bocachica on ShoBox. The all-action fighter lost via majority decision, but many felt that Reyes Jr. deserved the nod.
Reyes was originally slated to face a tough challenge in Kendo Castañeda, but the native of San Antonio, Texas was forced to pull out due to illness. Reyes will nevertheless make his return to the ring this Friday, and his opponent will be announced in due course.
As previously announced, Mexican warrior Jose Miguel Borrego (19-3, 16 KOs) faces undefeated “Pistol” Pete Dobson (14-0, 9 KOs) of the Bronx, New York in the co-main event. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds in the super welterweight division.
The rest of the undercard features local favorites and members of the ProBox stable:
Najee Lopez (2-0, 2 KOs), a cruiserweight standout of Puerto Rican nationality who represents Ellwood, Georgia, has plans to rise quickly up the division. On Feb. 25, Lopez meets the rugged and experienced veteran Alex “El Principe” Theran (23-6, 15 KOs) in his first fight scheduled for six rounds.
Theran has faced the likes of Anthony Yarde and Yunieski Gonzalez, so this is a considerable step-up for Lopez.
Light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (7-0, 6 KOs), a UK-born prospect who calls the United States his home, will take on Brandon Maddox (8-4-1, 6 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan in a six-round clash.
The night will also feature a pair of brothers making heavy noise on the Florida boxing scene. Dominic Valle (2-0, 2 KOs) takes on Nelson Colon Torres (4-6, 3 KOs) of Aibonito, Puerto Rico in a four-rounder in the super featherweight division. Big brother Marques Valle (3-0, 3 KOs) battles Marklin Bailey (7-7, 4 KOs) of Durham, North Carolina in a six-round welterweight battle.
California welterweight Tommy Wu fights as a professional for the first time in a scheduled four-rounder against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs) of Butte, Montana.
Rising Puerto Rican knockout artist Julio Solis (5-0, 5 KOs) battles Trenton Gibson (1-0) of San Antonio, Texas in a lightweight battle scheduled for four rounds.
Casey Dixon of Atlanta, George will make his pro debut against Arsenio Hall (3-5) of Chester, South Carolina in a four-round super middleweight clash.
Imran Haddabah (3-0, 3 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida puts his undefeated record on the line against Dominique Wiltz (0-2) of Houston, Texas in a four-round light heavyweight bout.
Jusiyah Shirley (1-0) of Orlando, Florida returns in a four-round super lightweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.
#
Islam vs. Kelly is a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.
Tickets for Islam vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $60, $75, $100, $150, $200 and $250, excluding applicable services charges. Tickets are available for purchase at www.EventBrite.com or by clicking here.
About ProBox Promotions ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.