SAN DIEGO (April 14, 2025) — Junior lightweight contender Andres “Savage” Cortes resumes his quest for a world title shot against Spain’s Salvador Jimenez in a pivotal 10-rounder on Saturday, May 10, at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Cortes, a Las Vegas native, is ranked No. 5 in the world by the WBO.

Cortes-Jimenez tops undercard action before a high-octane doubleheader featuring Emanuel Navarrete’s WBO junior lightweight world title defense against Charly Suarez and the interim IBF lightweight title showdown between Raymond Muratalla and Zaur Abdullaev.
 
Navarrete-Suarez and Muratalla-Abdullaev will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. 
 
Cortes-Jimenez, the previously announced welterweight fight between San Diego’s Giovani Santillan and Angel Beltran, and the rest of the undercard will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are ON SALE NOW via AXS.com.

“I’m back and ready to show everyone why I’m still a force at junior lightweight,” Cortes said. “I’m looking for a title shot this year, and it all starts on May 10 when I put on a great performance against Jimenez.”
 
Cortes (22-0, 12 KOs) was riding a wave of momentum after knocking out Xavier Martinez and Bryan Chevalier in consecutive fights. Last June, he edged former world champion Abraham Nova by unanimous decision in a verdict that had ringside observers split. Cortes and Suarez were scheduled to fight in an ESPN co-feature last September before Cortes suffered a training injury. He now turns his focus to Jimenez (14-1-1, 6 KOs), a former Spanish and European Union champion who has never been knocked out. Jimenez is coming off a decision defeat to Ryan Garner in March for the European and WBC International titles.
 
In other scheduled undercard action:

• Rising featherweight Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez (13-0, 7 KOs) looks to earn his second win in as many months when he takes on Jose Guardado (16-3-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Gonzalez won a workmanlike decision over Australia’s Dana Coolwell on April 5 in Las Vegas. Guardado, from Ensenada, Mexico, is a six-year pro who fell via seventh-round TKO to Robson Conceição on a Top Rank on ESPN card in April 2024.
   
• Lightweight Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia (15-1, 11 KOs) fights Mexico’s Cristian Medina Garcia (8-2-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder. After suffering a stunning one-punch knockout at the hands of Ricardo Fernandez last September, Garcia returned to winning ways in February with a six-round decision over Juan Centeno.
   
• Emerging Mexican junior featherweight contender Sebastian “Logan” Hernandez (19-0, 18 KOs) battles former world title challenger Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (21-5, 17 KOs) in a can’t-miss eight-rounder. Hovhannisyan is coming off a competitive decision loss to Alan Picasso, while Hernandez is riding a 17-fight KO streak.
   
• Sammy Contreras (1-0, 1 KO) makes a rapid return against an opponent to be named in a four-rounder at junior welterweight. The 14-time national amateur champion turned pro on April 5 with a first-round stoppage of Robert Jimenez.
   
• Top Rank’s newest SoCal sensation, Perla Bazaldua (1-0, 1 KO), makes her promotional debut in a four-round junior bantamweight bout against Saint Louis native Mona Ward (0-1).
   
• Briana Carrera (3-0, 1 KO), a big-punching junior welterweight, will make her Top Rank on ESPN debut in a four-rounder against fellow unbeaten Kacey Wheeler (2-0, 2 KOs). Carrera, a native of Arlington, Texas, was a top amateur before turning pro last May with a first-round knockout over Jessie Clark.

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Jared Anderson won a 10-round unanimous decision over former cruiserweight world champion Ryad Merhy in a listless heavyweight bout at the American Bank center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The bout lacked action as it seemed that Merhy was happy staying out of close range and eating jabs and right hands all fight from Anderson.

Anderson landed 128 of 662 punches. Merhy was a putrid 34 of 144. Merhy threw the third lowest amount of punches in the history of Compubox for a 10-round bout.

Anderson, 250.9 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 17-0. Merhy, 235.6 lbs of Brussels, BEL is 32-3.

Anderson said, “Another day, another night in the office. I wanted to give the fans a better show, but what can you do when they show up to fight like him. It’s just another day in the office. We’re going to continue working.

“I stayed sharp for 10 rounds. That’s the biggest takeaway. I got to make some changes. I made some mistakes. I got hit with a few punches. I shouldn’t have gotten hit at all because he didn’t even come here to fight.

“I want all of the names. If I’m ranked with you and your name is near mine, then we can get it crackin’. We’re coming to knock everybody off.”

Ajagba Wins Split Decision over Vianello

Efe Ajagba won a 10-round split-decision over Guido Vianello in a heavyweight bput.

In round two, Vianello hurt Ajagba badly when he landed a hard right to the head. Ajagba got it together and took the middle rounds by boxing and showing off his skills. Vianello made a late push but it feel just short as Ajagba won by scores of 96-94 on two cards and a third card was 96-94 in favor of Vianello.

Ajagba landed 186 of 583. Vianello was 177 of 622.

Ajagba, 241.2 lbs of Ughello, NIG is 20-1. Vianello, 244.5 lbs of Rome, ITA is 12-2-1.

Conceicao Stops Guardado in 7

Former two-time world title challenger Robson Conceicao stopped Jose Guardado in a scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout.

In round nine, Conceicao dropped Guardado with a hard left to the body. Guardado was hurt badly and eat a barrage of punches until the fight was stopped when he was sent to the canvas for a second time at 2:27.

Conceicao, 131.6 lbs of Bahia, BRA is now 18-2-1 with nine knockouts. Guadardo, 131.5 lbs of Ensanada, MEX is 15-2-1.

Julian Delgado made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Juan Tamez in a middleweight fight.

Delgado, 159.3 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 and is 1-0. Raez, 159 lbs of Laredo, TX is 1-1.

Ruben Villa IV won a 10-round unanimous decision over Cristian Cruz in a featherweight bout.

Villa, 125.6 lbs of Salinas, CA won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 and is now 22-1. Cruz, 125.1 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 22-7-1.

John Rincon remained undefeated with a six-round majority decision over Yainel Alvarez in a welterweight bout.

Rincon, 143 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 9-0. Alvarez, 143.5 lbs of Ciego de Avila, CUB is now 3-4-2.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated with a fourth round stoppage over Ronal Ron in a scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Mason landed a perfect left that put Ron on the canvas. In round three, Mason dropped Ron with a hard body shot and then a left to the head. In round four, Mason landed a vicious barrage of head and body shots that forced referee Laurence Cole to stop the bout at 1:02.

Mason, 134.6 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 13-0 with 11 knockouts. Ron, 134.7 lbs of Guarico, VEN is 14-6.

Charly Suarez remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Louie Coria in a junior lightweight fight.

In round eight, Coria landed a left that put Suarez backed into the ropes that was ruled a knockdown. That was not enough as Suarez dominated with boxing ability through just about the whole fight.

Suarez, 131.8 lbs of San Isidro, PHL won by scores of 7-74 twice and 76-75 and is now 17-0. Coria, 131.7 lbs of Moreno Valley, CA is 15-7.

Alejandro Guerrero scored an upset by stopping previously undefeated Jalen Walker in round seven of an eight-round lightweight bout.

In round two, Guerrero dropped Walker with a straight left hand. In round four, Guerrero scored another knockdown when Guerrero landed a right to Walker’s body.

In round six, Walker was credited with a knockdown after he landed a combination that bent Guerrero over that was ruled a count. In round seven, Guerrero landed a hard uppercut that hurt Walker on the ropes and the towel was thrown in by Walker’s corner after a follow up flurry had Walker defenseless at 1:36.

Ali Feliz made a successful pro debut with a second round stoppage of Anthony Woodson III in a scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Feliz dropped Woodson with a hard left and right to the chin and the fight was stopped at

Feliz, 219.1 lbs of Danbury, CT is 1-0 with one knockout. Woodson, 280.2 lbs of Gary, IN 1-2.