Joshua Pagan remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Haskell Rhodes in a lightweight fight at The Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico

In round five, Rhodes began to leak blood from his nostrils.

Pagan, 135 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI won by scores f 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 11-0. Rhodes, 135 lbs of Las Vegas is 31-7-1.

“It was amazing tonight, and the entire crowd was filled with just so much energy,” Pagan said. “I wanted to get the knockout, but he was just so experienced. I give him a lot of credit.

“I wish I would’ve had a couple more rounds,” Rhodes said in defeat. “It was a good fight. My hat’s off to Joshua. He fought a clean, smart fight. I love boxing and getting up every day and going to the gym. So I can’t wait to see what’s next for me.

Juan Carrillo won a 10-round unanimous decision over Lenin Castillo in a light heavyweight bout.

Carrillo, 174 lbs of Barranquilla, COL won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 13-0. Castillo, 174 lbs of Santo Domingo DR is 25-6-1.

“I was looking for the knockout and tried to get him out of there, but he was a tough opponent,” Carrillo said. “Hopefully, what’s next for me is an opponent with a big name.”

Kiria Tapia remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Beata Dudek in a super featherweight bout.

In round one, Tapia landed a little right to the body the bent Dudek over that was wrongly ruled a knockdown.

Tapia, 130 lbs of San Juan won by scores of 60-53 on all cards and is now 5-0. Dudek, 124 lbs of Miskoic, HUN is 4-5.

“I was happy to have all the support of my family and fans in attendance,” Tapia said. “I want to keep improving and progressing and my team and I are confident it could lead to a world title shot someday. The early knockdown set the tone for what I was able to do for the rest of the fight.”

Da’Velle Smith stopped Gilberto Santos in the opening round of their six-round super middleweight bout.

Smith dropped Santos with a wide right hand as Santos tried to boar in. Smith scored a second knockdown with a left. Smith landed another flurry that forced a stoppage at 2:28.

Smith, 166 lbs of Detroit is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Santos, 170 lbs of Goisa, BRA is 16-16.

“I felt amazing, and it was fun out there,” Smith said “It didn’t last long but I don’t get paid extra for overtime. I was able to show the fans in Puerto Rico and around the world just a bit of what I can bring. He came in overweight, but we didn’t complain. We just show up and win.”

DETROIT – March 28, 2024 – 2016 Colombian Olympian Juan Carrillo continued his undefeated tear through the light heavyweight division with a commanding two-shot KO over Virginia’s Quinton Rankin in the 10-Round main event of Salita Promotions’ “Big Time Boxing USA” event on Thursday, March 28, at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit and streamed live on DAZN.

Carrillo (12-0, 9 KOs) overcame a light wobbling at the fists of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Rankin in the first round to come back and stop Rankin (21-9-2, 16 KOs) with a pair of powerful uppercuts.

Despite Rankin’s ferocity at the weigh-in, Carrillo kept his cool and weathered an early storm to allow his superior technique to win the day.

Fighting along the ropes, Carrillo smashed Ranking with a pair of chin shots that ensured his workday was over. The time was:27 of round three.

Current IBF #14-ranked Shohjahon Ergashev (24-1, 21 KOs), of Detroit via Uzbekistan, returned to winning form with an easy demolition of proven veteran Juan Huertas (17-5-1, 13 KOs) Panama City, Panama, in the night’s 10-Round super lightweight co-main event.

To the delight of his many local fans, the powerful Ergashev moved forward behind his trademark clubbing shots and quickly wobbled the out-gunned Huertas. A southpaw left sent Huertas reeling and a follow-up bodyshot made sure the night’s work was over.

Coming off the first loss of his career, Ergashev reasserted himself as a premier power puncher at 140 lbs. with his impressive KO 1 at 2:00 of the round.

Dearborn Heights, Michigan’s Husam Al Mashhadi (9-1, 8 KOs) made quick work of journeyman Daulis Prescott (34-20, 26 KOs) Barranquilla, Colombia, in their scheduled-for-six-round super welterweight bout.

Al Mashhadi hurt Prescott badly with a right, then followed up with a barrage. Despite the wobbling Prescott’s protests, it was waved off at 1:47 of the very first round.

In a minor upset, William Townsel (now 7-1, 5 KOs) Portsmouth, Virginia, had too many more-refined skills for ambitious up-and-comer Nadim Salloum (12-1, 6 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York, via Lebanon, in an eight-round super middleweight fight.

“Turbo” Townsel was too fluid on offense and too defensively sound for the cruder Salloum.

Fighting out of the “Mayweather Shell,” Townsel landed nifty uppercuts on the inside and rocked Salloum with clubbing right hands from in-close repeatedly. Salloum tried but eventually resorted to loading up on shots later in the fight against the craftier Townsel to no avail, as Townsel piled up points.

The unanimous decision for Townsel was scored 79-73 and 80-72 x 2.

In the 10-round super middleweight broadcast opener, IBF #2 and WBO #10 Vladimir Shishkin (16-0, 10 KOs) of Miami, via Russia, made easy work of journeyman Mike Guy (12-8-1, 5 KOs) Sacramento, California, breaking him down and stopping him at 2:14 of round seven.

Shishkin had too many tools for the heavily muscled but under-gunned tough guy, sticking the Californian with withering body shots and clubbing head shots to Guy’s ambitious, but wide-of-the-mark return shots.

Shishkin stayed busy and, no doubt, kept his valuable #2 IBF ranking with the victory, but didn’t produce the highlight-reel KO that would have propelled his fortunes. Guy, to his credit, was tough and a professional survivor and probably could have gone on, but without any real chance of winning.

In a four-round untelevised middleweight scrap to start the night, Detroit’s Josiah Shackleford (2-0, 2 KOs) made quick work of cross-state rival Antwion McCollough (0-4) of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Shackleford dropped McCollough twice, the final time for good at 1:28 of round one with a quick right hand high on the head.

“It was a great night of boxing in Detroit, showcasing some of boxings best talent in the most exciting divisions,” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. “Shishkin is on a verge of a world title shot, Shohjahon Ergashev put himself back in the title picture and Carrillo showed he is a force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division.”

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ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.

DETROIT – March 27, 2024 – While 2016 Colombian Olympian Juan Carrillo will be looking to continue his undefeated professional record in the night’s 10-round light heavyweight main event against veteran Quinton Rankin, two other transplanted Detroit-based fighters in the Salita Promotions stable: recent world-title challenger Shohjahon Ergashev, and super middleweight contender Vladimir Shishkin, will be fighting to regain or maintain their positions in the world rankings.

The trio of exciting fights highlight the next installment of “Big Time Boxing USA” presented by Salita Promotions this Thursday, March 28, at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit and streamed live on DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in-person at the Wayne State Fieldhouse Box Office.

“These fights are really lined up to be exciting because there are truly big fights on the horizon with victories on Thursday night,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Shishkin is deserving of a world title fight and has the skills and pedigree to beat anyone in the division, while Ergashev is eager to show that he’s still one of the best fighters at 140 pounds. Super middleweight and super lightweight are two of the deepest divisions in the sport and these fighters are right in the mix.”

IBF #14-ranked Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs), who will be entering the ring for the first time since his unsuccessful challenge for Subriel Matias’ IBF World Super Lightweight Championship last year, will take on Panama City veteran Juan Huertas (17-4-1, 13 KOs) in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event, while IBF #2 and WBO #10 Shishkin (15-0, 9 KOs) returns to battle the always tough Mike Guy (12-7-1, 5 KOs) in the 10-round super middleweight broadcast opener.

32-year-old Ergashev had looked, at times, unstoppable while dominating other then-undefeated prospects in nationally televised showdowns, including a TKO 3 over unbeaten Sonny Fredrickson and a unanimous decision over Mykal Fox, but ran into the fists of Matias, while also suffering a leg injury that hampered his performance, last November.

Ergashev, who has continued to work with renowned trainer SugarHill Steward for the fight against Huertas, will be looking to use the leverage of an impressive performance to regain the top-10 ranking he previously enjoyed.

However, if the slugger’s confidence was affected by the loss to Matias, he could be in for a rough night against Huertas, who in his nearly 11-year boxing career has held several national and regional championships, including the Panamanian Super Featherweight, WBA Fedecentro Super Featherweight, WBA Fedelatin Super Featherweight, and WBO Latino Lightweight titles.

Against Sacramento’s Guy, Shishkin will need to pull through victorious if he is to keep his valuable #2 ranking for an eventual lucrative and potentially star-making shot at Canelo Alvarez’s IBF World Championship.

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ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

DETROIT – March 6, 2024 – “Big Time Boxing USA”, the new series presented by Salita Promotions, will return for its second installment with a pair of matchups featuring top contenders in their respective divisions entering the ring on Thursday, March 28 streamed live on DAZN from Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit.

The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is topped by 2016 Colombian Olympian Juan Carrillo putting his unbeaten record on the line against veteran Quinton Rankin in a 10-round light heavyweight bout, plus IBF No. 2 super middleweight contender Vladimir Shishkin returns to battle the always tough Mike Guy in the 10-round co-main event.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in-person at the Wayne State Fieldhouse Box Office. This will be the second boxing event at Wayne State Fieldhouse, the home to the Detroit Pistons’ G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, after “Big Time Boxing USA” debuted at the venue in February.  Watch former world champion and “Big Time Boxing USA” analyst Raul Marquez break down the first card HERE.

“March 28 is going to feature two fighters on their way to a world title in talent packed exciting divisions,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Juan Carillo, with an outstanding amateur career, is coming off a career best win and is ready to put the division on notice. Vladimir Shishkin has been gunning for Canelo Alvarez and with all the happenings in the division, that time is coming soon.”

Representing his native Barranquilla, Colombia, Carillo (11-0, 8 KOs) has impressed since turning pro in 2019, quickly working his way up the light heavyweight ladder. His most recent outing saw the 31-year-old earn a victory over previously unbeaten Richard Vansiclen to take home the WBO Inter-Continental belt, putting him on the path to facing Dmitriy Bivol. Accumulating a record of 388-23, he was among Colombia’s most decorated amateurs and advanced to the second round at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. He also won gold medals at the 2012 Colombian National Games, 2012 Pacific Cup Tournament, 2011 Colombian National Championships, 2010 Colombian Youth National Championships, and silver at the 2014 Central American & Caribbean Games.

Rankin (21-8-2, 16 KOs) has faced a slew of big names throughout a pro career that dates back to 2011. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Rankin challenged reigning titleholder David Morrell Jr. and former longtime champion Chad Dawson in 2019 alone. Following the Morrell fight, Rankin put together an impressive six-fight winning streak, stopping four of those opponents. He most recently dropped a decision to contender Deon Nicholson in September 2023.  

In addition to his IBF ranking, Shishkin (15-0, 9 KOs) has earned acclaim as the Ring Magazine’s #6 super middleweight and If he continues his winning ways, he’ll look to earn a world title fight against current undisputed super middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez. Now fighting out of the resurgent Detroit boxing scene under the guidance of the renowned SugarHill Steward, Shishkin turned pro in 2016 following a prolific amateur career. The 32-year-old earned an impressive victory in December 2022, besting former world champion Jose Uzcategui via a unanimous decision in December in a nationally televised bout. Most recently, Shishkin knocked out Ramon Ayala in round two last September.

He will be opposed by Los Angeles’ Guy (12-7-1, 5 KOs), who owns notable victories over Denis Douglin and Marco Delgado. Guy has faced a who’s who of top contenders throughout his career, including Sergiy Derevyanchenko, John Ryder, Jesse Hart, Demond Nicholson, Ali Akhmedov and Junior Younan. Despite that resume, Guy has only been stopped once in his career, and that came in the final round of the bout.   

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ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

February 7, 2023, New York, New York – – Former world champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy will take another step to become a contender once again when she battles former Brazilian champion Taynna Cardoso on February 23 at Sony Hall, in the heart of Times Square, mid-town Manhattan.

Hardy vs. Cardoso, an eight-round super featherweight bout, is the main event of the show promoted by Boxing Insider in association with DiBella Entertainment. 

Tickets, starting at $85 for General Admission are available HERE

Featured on the undercard is a battle of undefeated knockout authorities, Colombia native Juan Carrillo and Plainfield, NJ’s Akhiem Nurse, in an eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Rounding out the card, Brooklyn’s Frederic “French Revolution” Julan will clash with South Jersey’s Decarlo “3medno” Perez in an eight-round light heavyweight bout; Dunkirk, NY’s Elon “El Leon” de Jesuswill fight in a six-round super bantamweight contest against Juan Pablo Meza; New York City’s Michael Hughes and Nelson Morales will battle in a four-round super lightweight contest; and opening the show will be Mongolia’s Tsendbaatar Erdenebat opposing Chile’s Cristian Oliveres in a six-round super featherweight bout.

“Very grateful to DiBella Entertainment and Boxing Insider for going out of their way to ensure me a slot on this show that will be honoring my late trainer, mentor, and papa, Hector Roca,” said Hardy. “The day before he died, we sat in his hospital room, me on the corner of the bed. He put his hand over mine and said ‘baby, they all think you past your prime, but you didn’t hit it yet. This is going to be your year’.  I’m training hard as always and I’ll be ready and I’m excited to start 2023 off right, here in front of all my NYC fans for papa.”

“We are excited to have Heather Hardy back as she looks to honor her late great trainer, Hector Roca. The Julan-Perez fight is a true 50/50 local fight, Elon de Jesus is one of the hottest prospects to come out of New York in some time and and we are excited to showcase his skills,” said Boxing Insider’s Larry Goldberg.

Heather Hardy (23-2, 4 KO’s), Brooklyn born and raised and former World Boxing Organization Featherweight Champion, will bring “The Heat” once again after headlining Boxing Insider’s promotional debut on October 13.  Heather is a graduate of John Jay College in Brooklyn, began boxing in the gym at age twenty-four and made her professional debut in 2012 at the tender age of twenty-eight. In 2014 she won the vacant WBC International super bantamweight title and in 2016 won the WBC International featherweight title. On October 27, 2018, Heather became world champion, winning the WBO featherweight title with a unanimous decision win over Shelly Vincent at Madison Square Garden. Heather lost the title the following September in a unified title fight to WBC World Champion Amanda Serrano in a clash of women boxing stars. Most recently, Heather won a unanimous decision against Calista Silgado on October 22. Taynnaa Cardoso (5-1, 1KO) from Jundiai, Sao Paulo, Brazil made her pro debut in 2017 and won the Brazilian featherweight title in just her second fight.

Juan Carrillo (9-0, 7 KOs) from Barranquilla, Colombia is on a five-fight streak of those not going the distance. Juan made his pro debut on May 17, 2019 and won the World Boxing Association Fedecentro light heavyweight title on March 12, 2021 with a third-round stoppage. 

Akhiem Nurse (10-0, 9 KOs), from Plainfield, NJ, boasts a streak of nine stoppages, all coming after his only fight that went the distance, his 2018 pro debut. Since then his fights have ended in rounds 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 1, 4 and most recently round 3, on November 12, while winning the American Boxing Federation Intercontinental Americas super middleweight title. In this battle of light heavyweight bangers, someone’s 0 has got to go!

Frederic “French Revolution” Julan (12-2, 10 KOs) was born in Paris and now resides in Brooklyn. He made his pro debut in 2016 and won his first ten bouts. Julan is looking to rebound from two tough decision losses, most recently at Madison Square Garden. Decarlo “3medno” Perez (19-7, 6 KOs), from Atlantic City, is a former USA New Jersey State Super Middleweight Champion and a Jersey Shore fan favorite.  His last fight was a tough, majority decision loss to Nadim Salloum at Sony Hall in December.

Elon “El Leon” de Jesus (4-1, 3 KOs) from Dunkirk, NY, made his professional debut on December 18, 2020.  Elon will fight in a six-round bantamweight bout against Juan Pablo Meza (6-2, 1 KO) from Conchali, Chile, made his professional debut in 2018 and will be fighting as a pro for the first time outside his home country.

Michael Hughes (3-1, 1 KO) from New York, New York, Hell’s Kitchen born and raised, former NYC Golden Gloves Champion, is head trainer and trains at the famed Church Street Gym, will battle Nelson Morales (3-2).  The Dominican Morales now resides in Scranton, PA.

Tsendbaatar Erdenebat (4-0, 2 KOs) from Tsetserleg, Momgolia made his pro debut in 2018 and will be fighting in the USA for the first time against Cristian Oliveres (10-0, 5 KOs) from Santiago de Chile, Chile. Oliveras has been fighting professionally since 2014 and won the Chilean lightweight title in 2019.

Streaming and additional match information will be announced shortly.

ABOUT BOXING INSIDER

Established in 1997 as a premier boxing news and information destination, Boxing Insider has recently transitioned into the promotional business.  This will be Boxing Insider’s third professional boxing promotion.  It has promoted one amateur boxing event and two professional events, on October 13 and December 21, both at Sony Hall, Times Square, New York, NY.