LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – The first must-see fight of 2025 takes place this coming Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena as power-puncher David Benavidez takes on boxing savant David Morrell to determine the next in line at 175-pounds, as mandated by not only two of the sport’s sanctioning bodies, but by the public as well. Fighters for Saturday’s event weighed-in this morning, but reenacted their trips to the scale before a large gathering on Friday afternoon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand. 

Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Phoenix, Arizona has appeared motivated and agitated in the lead-up to Saturday’s fight, something that looked to be missing in his debut at 175-pounds. If the Arizona native unleashes “The Monster” of previous fights, Morrell will have his hands full once the bell rings. 

Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) of Minneapolis, Minnesota by way of Santa Clara, Cuba has been waiting for an opportunity at one of the big names at 168 or 175-pounds to agree to put him on the big stage. When a fight with Canelo Alvarez, which has eluded Benavidez as well, was not forthcoming, Morrell’s team switched their focus to the Arizona puncher. Morrell, like Benavidez, did not look like his best self in his debut at the weight, even while scoring a wide decision. 

To many in the boxing world, the matter of who could stake claim as the number one light heavyweight in the world was settled last October when Artur Beterbiev decisioned Dmitrii Bivol to unify the four major world titles. Finding ways to cloud up a clear situation, the WBC and WBA each had anointed additional champions at 175-pounds, prior to the unification bout last fall. Benavidez claimed the interim WBC title in his light heavyweight debut via unanimous decision over Oleksandr Gvozdyk last June. Morrell, in his light heavyweight debut, moved past a tough Radivoje Kalajdzic to claim a secondary version of the WBA title last October. 

While Beterbiev and Bivol are set to meet again later this month, the winner of Saturday’s bout will unequivocally become the clear leading contender for the winner of the rematch. Benavidez and Morrell both came in at 174.2-pounds. 

In a long awaited rematch, Brandon Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas attempts to avenge his lone career defeat while also defending the WBC featherweight title against Stephen Fulton Jr. (22-1, 8 KOs) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the co-main event of the evening. 

From the moment Figueroa heard the official cards go against him back in November of 2021, he believed he deserved the nod and wanted the rematch, but at 126-pounds, four pounds north. Figueroa made the necessary move to 126 where he would claim and defend the interim version of the WBC title, before being elevated to full-champion when Rey Vargas was demoted to the title of “champion in recess.” Now in his first defense of the full title, Figueroa will get the second chance at Fulton that he has yearned for since 2021. 

Fulton remained at 122-pounds after his victory over Figueroa, making one successful defense of his unified title before running into the buzzsaw that is Naoya Inoue and falling by way of eighth-round stoppage. Fulton, the WBC #2 ranked featherweight, made this bout a possibility by moving past veteran Carlos Castro via split decision last September here at T-Mobile Arena. Figueroa weighed-in at 125.8-pounds, while Fulton met the division limit of 126. 

Always a crowd favorite, Isaac Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico hopes to take a step back towards a world title opportunity when he takes on former regional title holder Angel Fierro (23-2-2, 18 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Tijuana, Baja California in a ten-round junior welterweight bout. 

Cruz looks to rebound from a decision defeat to Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela last August and regain the momentum he had accrued since his memorable decision defeat to Gervonta Davis in 2021. Fierro moved up to the 140-pound class two fights back and was unsuccessful in Puerto Rico, before a get-well welterweight victory back home in Tijuana last time out. Cruz scaled 138.6-pounds, while Fierro made 139. 

WBC #6/WBA #7/IBF #8 ranked junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) of Casa Grande, Arizona attempts to get his career rolling again against former champion Jeison Rosario (24-4-2, 18 KOs) of Miami, Floria by way of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in a ten-round middleweight bout to open the pay-per-view telecast. 

Ramos last saw action in May of last year when he moved past Johan Gonzalez by ninth-round stoppage in this same arena. For Ramos, that victory is the one bout he has had since coming up short against Erikson Lubin the year prior. Rosario, who claimed the IBF light middleweight title, stopping Julian Williams, in January of 2020, is attempting to resurrect his career at Ramos’ expense. Ramos scaled 159-pounds, while Rosario came in at 159.2. The bout is for the vacant WBA North America middleweight title. 

In the final appetizer before the main pay-per-view card, Mirco Cuello (14-0, 11 KOs) of Arroyo Seco, Santa Fe, Argentina will take on Christian Olivo (22-1-1, 9 KOs) of San Diego by way of Hermosillo, Mexico in a ten-round elimination bout, putting the winner further in line to securing a title opportunity against WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball. Cuello, the WBA #3/IBF #15 ranked featherweight, scaled 125.6-pounds. “Kiki” Olivo, the WBA #5 ranked 126-pounder, made 25.6-pounds.

In the first of the two broadcasted preliminaries, Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez (6-0, 6 KOs) of Providence, Rhode Island by way of Camaguey, Cuba will aim to get his countrymen in attendance warmed-up for the main event when he meets Angel Ruiz (18-3-1, 13 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico in a ten-round middleweight fight. Feliciano Hernandez, who scored an eighth-round stoppage of a previously unbeaten opponent last time out in October, weighed-in at 158.4-pounds. Ruiz, who in 2021 stunted the career of Kazak Bobirzhan Mominov by decision, scaled 159.6-pounds. Feliciano Hernandez’s regional WBA Continental Latin America title is at stake. 

Homegrown prospect Kaipo Gallegos (7-0-1, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas makes his second career appearance at T-Mobile Arena when takes on Leonardo Padilla (24-6-1, 17 KOs) of Petare, Venezuela in an eight-round lightweight bout on Saturday. Gallegos, reportedly an 18-time national champion as an amateur, scaled 134.6-pounds. Padilla, who scored his signature win over Andy Vences in 2023, but has struggled to see the final bell against the majority of his class opponents, weighed-in at 129.8. 

In a pairing of unbeaten super middleweights, former amateur star Daniel Blancas (11-0, 5 KOs) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin battles Juan Barajas (11-0-2, 7 KOs) of Victorville, California in an eight-round fight. Blancas, a regular David Benavidez sparring partner, scaled 166.2-pounds, while Barajas, entering the contest off of two consecutive draws, weighed-in 166.6. 

Mayweather Promotions’ budding star Curmel Moton (6-0, 5 KOs) of Las Vegas returns to the ring against Frank Zaldivar (5-1, 3 KOs) of Miami by way of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba in an eight-round lightweight bout. Moton, returning to the scheduled eight-round distance for the first time since his second pro bout, came in at 134.8-pounds. Zaldivar, who dropped a ten-round decision in his last bout, made 135.8-pounds. 

The elder of the fighting Benavidez brothers, Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) of Phoenix is back in action against former Nico Ali Walsh adversary Danny Rosenberger (20-9-4, 10 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio in an eight-round middleweight bout. Benavidez, looking to rebound from his one-sided defeat to Jermall Charlo back in November of 2023, came in at 160.8-pounds. Rosenberger, who notably fought Ali Walsh to a draw, only to have the decision changed to a no contest when the Ohio native’s random drug test came back with high levels of testosterone, scaled 159-pounds. 

Mayweather Promotions’ super middleweight John Easter (7-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas takes a step-up in class in just his second fight on U.S. soil when takes on Joseph Aguilar (6-2-1, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon in a six-rounder. Easter, in his first action since taking on award-winning trainer Bob Santos, weighed-in at 169.4-pounds. Aguilar, who has more wins than Easter’s previous seven opponents combined, made 171.8-pounds, which was 1.8 over the contracted limit. 

In a battle for Lone Star State bragging rights, Gabriela Tellez (3-0, 1 KO) of San Antonio, Texas will meet Abril Anguiano (4-0, 2 KOs) of Garland, Texas in a six-round featherweight bout. Tellez, a standout amateur before turning professional in July of last year, weighed-in at 127.8-pounds. Anguiano, who won a six-round decision in her last official bout over a solid fighter in Melissa Holguin last March, but also logged four rounds over two nights in Team Combat League last summer, came in at 125.2-pounds. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBC Interim Light Heavyweight Championship

WBA Light Heavyweight Championship

WBC Light Heavyweight Championship & WBA Light Heavyweight Championship Elimination Bout, 12 Rounds

Benavidez 174.2

Morrell 174.2

WBC Featherweight Championship, 12 Rounds

Figueroa 125.8

Fulton Jr. 126

Light welterweights, 10 Rounds 

Cruz 138.6

Fierro 139

WBA Continental North America Middleweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Ramos Jr. 159

Rosario 159.2

WBA Featherweight Championship Elimination Bout, 10 Rounds

Cuello 125.6

Olivo 125.6

WBA Continental Latin America Middleweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Feliciano Hernandez 158.4

Ruiz 159.6

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Gallegos 134.6

Padilla 129.8

Super middleweights, 8 Rounds

Blancas 166.2

Barajas 159.6

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Moton 134.8

Zaldivar 135.8

Middleweights, 8 Rounds

Benavidez Jr. 160.8

Rosenberger 159

Super middleweights, 8 Rounds

Easter 169.4

Aguilar 171.8*

Featherweights, 6 Rounds

Tellez 127.8

Anguiano 125.2

*Aguilar 1.8-pounds over contracted weight 

Tickets for the Premier Boxing Champions event, promoted by TGB Promotions, Warriors Boxing Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com 

Photos by Ester Lin/Premier Boxing Champions 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – This coming Saturday night, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a mouth-watering light heavyweight unification bout takes center stage on pay-per-view between two former super middleweight champions that grew tired of waiting on Canelo Alvarez to return their messages and instead moved up one weight class in their last respective bouts to claim gold at 175-pounds, as David Morrell takes on David Benavidez. Morrell, previously one of the most decorated and successful amateur boxers of this generation, shares a trainer with an aspiring super middleweight that began his career from a different starting point in John “The Candyman” Easter, who will take a step-up in class on the undercard this weekend against Joseph Aguilar in a six-round bout. 

Easter (7-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas came to boxing later than some, having participated in many other athletic endeavors before finding his way to boxing somewhat out of necessity. Born in South Carolina, but raised between Texas and Nevada, Easter had trouble settling into any season long enough to play a team sport. 

“I ran track, played football, basketball and golf,” recalls Easter. “When you play those other sports, you have to make the team and I moved around a lot growing up, so boxing was the way I could live my life through my athletic ability without the things that I could not control. There isn’t a team you have to make in boxing.”

Easter’s desire to utilize his athleticism led him to the sport of boxing, but from the beginning, the young athlete was not interested in taking it up as just a hobby. Easter got into boxing to become a paid professional. 

“I wanted to make something of myself and I didn’t want to be another statistic,” explains Easter. “I wanted to become something and change my family’s lives.” 

Despite not being a loyal follower of the sport, there was one professional pugilist that stood out and reached Easter’s awareness. By the time Easter reached elementary school, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had reached the pinnacle of the sport and was widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. An undeniable crossover star by the time he beat Oscar De La Hoya in 2007, Mayweather was someone that Easter revered. 

“Floyd was definitely somebody that was doing great things and I knew who he was and he was somebody that I did look up to,” recalls Easter. “Absolutely I did, because he was doing something great and I look up to greatness.” 

Fast forward in life and John Easter would find himself under the tutelage of the man himself, Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather Promotions has handled many fighters dating back to when Mayweather was still actively fighting, but in recent years the company has scaled back the roster of fighters it oversees. Easter finds himself as one of the few that Mayweather has a vested interest in these days, and it is not lost on the young fighter what a gift that relationship is to his career. 

“More than anybody would know,” says Easter when asked how involved Mayweather is in his fistic journey. “Any question I have or anything I want to go over, he is hands on. It is really a blessing that he is there for me in any way I need.” 

While Mayweather retired after his 50th career win, which came over Conor McGregor in 2017, he has followed a path paved by great fighters from years-gone-by in taking up exhibitions in different parts of the world. On the undercard of one such bout, taking place last August at Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico, Easter was able to notch his seventh pro victory over Jesus Villa Miranda, before witnessing his mentor show off before a raucous crowd. 

“The experience was a great experience,” recalls Easter. “It was my first time opening up for Floyd, so that is always going to be amazing, to be able to say that I opened up for Floyd Mayweather. It was awesome. It was a great overall experience. The people embraced me when I went into the crowd to show love, the people loved me. Also, the magnitude of the event was perfect for me, because I am a big dreamer.” 

With Mayweather’s guidance, Easter made a change to his corner last year, replacing the trainer that started him, Kofi Jantuah, and joining up with multiple-time trainer of the year, Bob Santos. Saturday’s bout will be the first the new duo embarks on together since joining forces around six months ago. 

“Obviously, I’ve always had a good relationship with Floyd Mayweather, going back a long, long ways and Floyd is his promoter,” explains Santos. “Floyd gave his blessing to move him over here with me. He thought they needed to make a change. I think Kofi Jantuah did a great job with him, but for whatever reason, and I’m not privy to all the details, they thought they needed to make a change. Floyd thought I would be the best possible guy, moving forward with his career.”

 “Bob has been phenomenal,” says Easter. “I’ve found a great place to be. It is a great home and I am very thankful that I crossed paths with Bob. I’ve learned a lot and he really believes in me. That is what matters to me.”

Easter came to boxing after competing in other sports and then opted to gain ring experience less from amateur bouts and more by sparring before turning professional in Mexico in May of 2021. While some may see the lack of amateur pedigree as a disadvantage, Easter and his trainer Santos are of like mind that is not necessarily the case. 

“I didn’t train to be an amateur,” explains Easter. “I trained to be a pro. At the end of the day, there is not an advantage or disadvantage [in regards to having an amateur background]. At the end of the day, it is a fight. You have to go out there and punch. A lot of that stuff doesn’t make a difference. You have to go out there and fight. I think some fighters that have bigger amateur backgrounds are better than those that don’t, but then there are some fighters that don’t have that much of an amateur background that go on to be legends.” 

“Roberto Duran didn’t have very many amateur fights and you saw what he did with his career,” says Santos. “There’s been a lot of guys [without amateur backgrounds] that ascended to the top. We’ve also had guys that won gold medals and never won a world championship. In the perfect world, would you like the amateur background? Yes. But sometimes, guys can’t transition from the amateurs to the pros because they are so stuck in one pattern they are not even coachable.” 

Santos speaks from prior experience, pointing to a success story from his past as a prime example of what can be accomplished without the long amateur pedigree. 

“I worked with a guy named Hector Lizaaraga that won a world championship from Fresno that had only 20 amateur fights, so this isn’t my first rodeo working with guys that don’t have a plethora of amateur fights and taking them to the top,” explains Santos. “We did it with Lizaaraga and I know we can do it with John Easter.”

Long before any designs can be made on winning world championships, Easter must pass the test at hand, this coming Saturday, in the form of Joseph Aguilar (6-2-1, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon.

“I don’t really know too much about him or know what to expect from him,” admits Easter, without apologies. “I didn’t do my research on him. I am going in there to be the best me. I am not going in there to be the best opponent for my opponent. I know he is going to bring something to the table, but at the end of the day, I know that I can box.”

While Easter seems less-than-concerned about what Aguilar may bring to the table, his team does recognize that the Oregonian represents a step-up in class from prior opposition for their young charge. 

“No doubt about it, it is a step-up in class from where he has been fighting,” admits Santos. “But John is coming along really, really well and I am expecting for us to have a great performance and be victorious.” 

Easter, known as “The Candyman,” is ready to put on a show for those who decide to arrive early to T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. 

“I am very excited to be fighting in Las Vegas on Saturday,” says Easter. “It is a blessing. I wish it was a different magnitude, but my time will come. You can expect to see me using my athleticism. Me going out there, being smart, listening to my team and having a victory with a big smile.” 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – It can be debated when Vegas became the boxing capital of the world. Of course, New York was once the city the boxing world revolved around, but when hotel-casino moguls needed something to pull patrons to the desert to visit their City of Lost Wages, big time boxing became one of the major drawing cards. By the time George Foreman exchanged knockdowns with Ron Lyle, before a national television audience, in the 1976 Fight of the Year, from the Sports Pavilion at Caesar’s Palace, big time boxing had found its new permanent home. Despite that fact, it took 37 years before Ishe Smith defeated Cornelius Bundrage for the IBF light middleweight title to become widely recognized as Las Vegas’ first homegrown world champion. Very few have followed in the years since, but one young rising star, in super featherweight Kaipo Gallegos, aims to make certain that drought does not last much longer. 

The 18-year-old Gallegos (7-0-1, 6 KOs) returns to fight in his hometown for just the second time as a professional, taking on well-traveled veteran Leonardo Padilla (24-6-1, 17 KOs) of Petare, Venezuela in an eight-round bout this coming Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena on the undercard of the light heavyweight unification bout between David Benavidez and David Morrell. For the aspiring 130-pound wunderkind, it will be his second time fighting at the big arena in his hometown, a moment that is not lost on Gallegos. 

“It feels good, because ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to fight in my hometown, in front of my family and just put on a good show for them,” says Gallegos. 

Gallegos’ family is as deeply involved in the sweet science as a family can be. His father, Jayson, is his trainer and the long-time proprietor of the Las Vegas Fight Club, a gym that serves young school-age boxers-to-be, as well as professionals, such as Kaipo and his older brother Jayson, an undefeated 130-pound pro as well. 

“It has been a long journey,” explains Kaipo’s father-trainer. “I was a really bad kid growing up, so I guess I am giving back. I give back to the kids that I work with everyday, almost 80 kids a day and adults. God put me in this situation to give back after all the bad I did.” 

Whatever wrongs the elder Jayson may have had in his past, he has done many things right since, as evidenced by the success of his sons. Kaipo was one of the most decorated U.S. amateur boxers in recent years, claiming 18 national titles during his time in the unpaid ranks. All that success came with great sacrifices, as Kaipo followed his father’s instruction, giving up on many of the pleasures most of us enjoy during our youth. 

“We’ve been doing this so long, ever since he was five,” says his father. “I’m also his nutritionist, I’m his trainer, I make sure he goes to sleep on time, I make sure he recovers on time. We’ve been doing this so long, I don’t even have to tell him. He does everything on his own. He knows what he needs to do. He’s a very disciplined kid.” 

Gallegos was able to amass an incredibly full trophy collection, despite leaving the amateur game behind for the paid ranks at the ripe age of 16. With few exceptions, most commissions in the United States will not even license a fighter at that age. For Kaipo, who began fighting at the age of five, moving to the pros was just the next natural step in his progression. 

“We have been doing this since I was little,” explains Kaipo. “Through the amateurs, where I became an 18-time national champion. Now, we just are going to take it on in the professionals and keep moving forward.” 

With his long and successful amateur pedigree, Gallegos’ father and team did not take any baby steps out of the gate in the pros, despite his young chronological age. 

“He started his career off in the Dominican Republic until he had four fights, but every fight was a hard fight, it wasn’t easy,” explains Jayson. “We never went to Mexico. We never took those easy fights. They haven’t given us anybody easy. His first fight, on the BoxRec rating, he had a star-and-a-half match rating. Even in the Dominican Republic, those guys he fought were hungry. It is not like going to Mexico and they fall down or take a knee so they can get paid. In the Dominican Republic, everybody over there is hungry and they want to kill you.”

Gallegos jumped into deep waters right away during his stretch of fights in the Dominican Republic. After scoring a fourth-round stoppage in his pro debut in April of 2023, Gallegos returned and jumped up to the six-round distance against a fighter in Misael Vazquez that was eleven years older and a veteran of 17 pro fights at the time. The hometown fighter was able to force a split decision draw, which represents the only thing resembling a blemish on Gallegos’ ledger to date. Failing to come away with the victory did not slow Gallegos’ career trajectory, as he immediately jumped up to the eight-round distance for his next outing. 

“Ever since Kaipo was young, he’s had a pro style,” explains Jayson. “He takes his time and round-by-round he gets stronger, so having more rounds helps him. He had his first eight-rounder at 17, he won the WBO Youth title. He fought two eight-rounders last year and got them out of there early. He was ready for eight-rounders.” 

In his last fight, this past November, Gallegos picked up a WBA Youth title against another durable and game opponent in Iron Alvarez, who managed to hang in there in stretches, but ultimately was stopped standing in the seventh round in Orlando, Florida. 

“I felt like it was a tough fight,” says Kaipo. “He was a durable guy that was not just in there to lay down. So I feel like that was a good fight for me and a good step up in my career.” 

On Saturday, Gallegos will take on Padilla before the early arrivers T-Mobile Arena, in what could be one of his last eight-round contests before moving up to the ten-round distance.

“I feel like I am going to put on a good performance this time because I fought recently, so I am ready,” explains the young fighter. “I expect a tough fight, but I feel that I have what it takes to beat him. I feel like I am going to break him down and bring him to the later rounds and get him out of there. I picked up some stuff [from watching footage,] but once we get into the ring, I will find out more about him.” 

Having fought at T-Mobile Arena a little under a year ago, early in the night on the undercard of Sebastian Fundora’s bloody war with Tim Tszyu, should serve Gallegos well this coming Saturday. The 18-year-old fighter will know what to expect, but one thing his local following in attendance can expect is that the Gallegos family will make them proud. 

“When we were in the amateurs, people would come up to us and ask us about being from Vegas and I would say, ‘Yes, born and raised.’ We were all so proud to be representing Las Vegas,” recalls Gallegos’ father. “My boxing gym is called Las Vegas Fight Club, so we represent that with pride. This is his hometown. Family, friends will all be there. We grew up representing Vegas for his whole life. Vegas is our home, both my sons were born and raised here.” 

Those who decide to show up early for the marathon night of boxing this weekend could be treated to seeing the next step in the career of Las Vegas’ next homegrown world champion.  

“Watch out for me and tune-in on February 1st at T-Mobile Arena,” says Kaipo. “And just be ready for me to put on a great performance.”

Photo by Damon Gonzalez/Boxlab Promotions

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]