NEW YORK (September 25, 2023) – Khalil “Big Steppa” Coe remained undefeated as he stopped Kenmon Evans in round two of their eight-round light heavyweight bout.

The bout took place at The Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

At the beginning of round two, Coe dropped Evans with a right hook. Coe ended things when he landed a right to the side of the head and the bout was stopped as he fell to the ground at 1:21.

Coe, 179.6 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is 7-0-1 with five knockouts. Evans, 179.8 lbs of New Smyrna Beach, FL is 10-2-1.

Coe is is co-managed by Split-T Management Keith Connolly, and is promoted by Matchroom Boxing.

Richardson Hitchins remained undefeated with a 12-round unanimous decision over Jose Zepeda in a junior welterweight bout at The Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Hitchins, 139.8 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 120-109 twice and 119-109 and is now 17-0. Zepeda, 140 lbs of La Puenta, CA is 37-4.

In round seven, Zepeda was cut on his forehead from a headbutt.

Conor Benn came back after an 17-month layoff to win a 10-round unanimous decision over Rodolfo Orozco in a junior middleweight bout.

Benn was suspended for failing an anti-doping test before his bout with Chris Eubank Jr. looked aggresiver throughout the contest.

In round two, Orozxo was bleeding under his right eye.

Benn, 153.6 lbs of Ilford, ENG won by scores of 99-91 twice and 96-94 and is now 22-0. Orozco, 154.4 lbs of Sinaloa, MEX is 32-4-3.

“We didn’t want a walk in the park,” said Benn. “I needed the rounds after 18 months out, he’s a true Mexican, my first Mexican I’ve fought, and we knew he was durable. Credit to him, he’s never been stopped before and he’s one tough man and I hope he progresses.
 
“They are stronger and take shots more, I don’t think there was ring rust, I was going through the gears after going through hell.
 
“Britain is my home and it’s only right I fight back there, sooner rather than later.”

WBA/WBC Welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill and WBO champion fought to a split draw in their unification bout.

Scores were 97-93 for McCaskill, 96-94 for Ryan and 95-95.

McCaskill, 136.4 bs of Chicago is 12-3-1. Ryan, 146.4 lbs of Darby, ENG is 6-1-1.

Austin Williams won a 10-round unanimous decision over veteran Steve Rolls in a middleweight. bout.

Williams, 160 lbs Houston won by scores of 97-93 on all cards and is now 15-0. Rolls, 159.2 lbs of Tornoto is 22-3.

Orestes Velazquez stopped Mohamed Soumaoro in round seven of their scheduled 10-round super lightweight fight.

In round eight, Velazquez landed a big and relentless flurry of punches that forced a referee stoppage at 2:19.

Velazquez, 140 lbs of Miami, FL is now 8-0 with seven knockouts. Soumaoro, 1396 lbs of Montreal is 13-2.

Khalil Coe remained undefeated as he stopped Kenmon Evans in round two of their eight-round light heavyweight bout.

At the beginning of round two, Coe dropped Evans with a right hook. Coe ended things when he landed a right to the side of the head and the bout was stopped as he fell to the ground at 1:21.

Coe, 19.6 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is 7-0-1 with five knockouts. Evans, 179.8 lbs of New Smyrna Beach, FL is 10-2-1.

Jeovanny Estela stopped Gerardo Carabello in the opening round of their eight-rround super welterweight clash.

Estela dropped Carabello with a vicious uppercut and the fight was stopped at 2:10,

Estela, 153.5 lbs of Orlando, FL is 13-0 with four knockouts. Carabello, 153,4 lbs of Trujillo Alto, PR is 6-2-1.

Jasmine Artiga remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Josefina Vega in a featherweight bout.

At the end of round three, Artiga dropped Vega with a long left.

Artiga, 116 lbs of Tampa, FL won by scores of 80-71 on all cards and is now 11-0-1. Vega, 114 lbs of Quito, ECU is 9-7.

NEW YORK (September 23, 2023) – Undefeated light heavyweight Khalil “Big Steppa” Coe will take on Kenmon Evans tonight at The Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Coe of Flemington, New Jersey is 6-0-1 with four knockouts. The 27-year-old will be making his third start of 2023. Coe has already racked up wins over Dylan O’Sullivan (1-0), Bradley Olemda (5-0), James Quiter (6-1-1) and his last outing where Coe was impressive in taking out previously undefeated Buneet Bisia (7-0) in seven rounds on June 24th in New York.

Evans of New Smyrna Beach, Florida is 10-1-1 with three knockouts. Evans has a win over previously undefeated Isaiah Thompon (5-0-1)..

Coe, who is co-managed by Keith Connolly and promoted by Matchroom Boxing, weighed 179.6 lbs. Evans was 179.8 lbs.

?Photos By Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing.

Orestes Velazquez and Khalil Coe continue their journeys in the pro game with step-up fights on Saturday September 23 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, live worldwide on DAZN, as they take on Mohamed Soumaoro and Kenmon Evans respectively.

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Velazquez (7-0 6 KOs) will defend his WBA International Super-Lightweight title and look to build on his #9 ranking in the WBA in the process. The Cuban amateur standout, who had over 160 fights for the national team before defecting and moving to Florida, is in his fourth straight ten round contest and went the distance for the first time in his last outing, when vastly experienced Argentine Marcelino Lopez extended the 30 year old to the final bell in Las Vegas in March.

Soumaoro (13-1 6 KOs) will be looking to hand a first defeat to Velazquez and take his third ‘0’ in as many fights in Florida. The Canadian-Guinean comes into the bout on the back of impressive upset wins over unbeaten pair Jusiyah Shirley (PTS 6) and Angel Lupercio (TKO 8) in December and March, and the 30 year old will aim to crash into the top ten by completing a hat-trick of big victories.

Coe (6-0-1 4 KOs) continues to rise through the ranks at Light-Heavyweight, and ‘Big Steppa’ will be looking for his own hat-trick as he hunts a third KO win of 2023 in Orlando. The Jersey City man put Buneet Bisla away in the seventh round of his first eight round battle in June on New York, and the 27 year old will meet Evans (10-1-1 3 KOs) over that distance on September 23, with the Florida man looking to bounce back to winning ways. 

Velazquez will kick off the main card live on DAZN while Coe will headline the Before the Bell section of the action, and he is joined there by three Floridians looking to make an impact on the big stage, with Super-Welterweight Jeovanny Estella and Super-Flyweight Jasmine Artega tasting action over eight rounds while Bantamweight Roberto Rivera Gomez kicks the whole night off over four rounds, with all three fighters to be matched imminently.

The undercard get to shine on Matchroom’s return to the Sunshine State on a bill topped by World-rated Super-Lightweight Richardson Hitchins taking on Jose Zepeda for the WBC Silver and IBF North American Super-Lightweight titles, on a night promoted in association with Boxlab Promotions.

Hitchins (16-0 7 KOs) shone in his last outing in his home city, putting New Jersey’s John Bauza on the canvas during a shut-out win at Madison Square Garden, and the Brooklyn ace now lurks with intent at #6 with the WBO and #7 with the IBF in the 140lb rankings. 

Zepeda (36-3 27 KOs) represents a significant barrier to Hitchins’ plans to move into World title contention though, and the Californian, who has challenged for World titles at both 135 and 140lbs, will be eyeing Hitchins’ lofty standings to reignite his own World championship plans. 

The Welterweight division will move one step closer to crowning an undisputed champion on the night as Jessica McCaskill and Sandy Ryan meet for three of the belts. 

WBA and WBC champion McCaskill (12-3 5 KOs) is no stranger to undisputed status, having ripped all the hardware at 147 from long-reigning ruler Cecilia Braekhus in August 2020 and then holding onto the belts in a rematch the following March. The Chicagoan defended the belts twice more against Kandi Wyatt and Alma Ibarra before the lure of becoming undisputed champion at a second weight saw her drop down to 140lbs to take on Chantelle Cameron in Abu Dhabi in November, with the Briton coming out on top on that occasion.

WBO belt holder Ryan (6-1 2 KOs) will look to make it back-to-back losses to Brits for McCaskill, as the Derby talent puts the title she won in her last outing against Marie Pier Houle in Cardiff, Wales in April. Ryan, who holds wins over former World champions Anahi Sanchez and Erica Farias, steps straight into the biggest fight in the division in her first defense and can add two belts to take her collection up to three in just her eighth pro fight.

A third fight for the bill in Orlando sees Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams press his claims for World title action at Middleweight as he tackles Steve Rolls.

Williams (14-0 10 KOs) is back in the States having taken out River Wilson-Bent in eight rounds in London in April – his third fight in England – and the Middleweight contender is right on the cusp of landing a World title shot sitting at #2 with the WBA, #10 with the IBF and #11 with the WBC.

Rolls (22-2 12 KOs) will test those ambitions to the fullest though, having shared the ring with Gennadiy Golovkin and Edgar Berlanga in his 24-fight career, and the Canadian will look to get back into contention himself with the WBA International and IBF North American titles on the line.