NEW YORK, NY – July 3, 2024 – Today, MVP announced that MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 7 will now be headlined by amateur national team standout and top Puerto Rican prospect Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs) vs. Atlanta, Georgia’s Justin Goodson (8-0, 8 KOs) on Friday, July 26 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, available globally on DAZN subscription with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. Rivera vs. Goodson will be an 8-round featherweight bout. Armenian-American rising prospect Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan will no longer face Robert Hall Jr. in the main event due to an injury sustained by Hovhannisyan. Most Valuable Prospects 7, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, will feature Cuban Olympian and returning Most Valuable Prospects heavyweight favorite Dainier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) in the co-main event, against Toledo, Ohio’s James “Nothing Nice” Evans (7-1-1, 7 KOs) in an 8 round heavyweight bout. On the preliminary card, the 19-year-old St. Petersburg, FL talent Damazion “Mazirati” VanHouter (6-0, 3 KOs) will also return to the Most Valuable Prospects series to face Cody Kerr (3-2-1, 1 KO) in a 6-round heavyweight fight. Also on the preliminary card will be 18-year-old WBO Youth World Champion and 18x national champion Kaipo Gallegos (5-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Armando Frausto (10-4-1, 5 KOs) in a 6-round lightweight bout, and Puerto Rican Carlos de Leon Castro (1-0, 1 KO) will make his Most Valuable Prospects debut over 4 rounds at super featherweight. 24-year-old Sean “Untouchable” Mason (11-0, 8 KOs) will take the ring in a 6-round lightweight fight. Orlando, Florida’s Adrian “Pretty Boy” Pinheiro (10-1-1, 9 KOs) will make his Most Valuable Prospects debut in a 6-round cruiserweight fight, and Orlando’s Jonathan Cortes (4-0, 4 KOs) will also make his series debut in a 4 round super lightweight bout. Friday, July 26 will also feature previously announced bouts including young Puerto Rican sensation and Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighter Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Veronika Dmitriyeva (1-1) in a 6-round bantamweight bout, and a 6-round heavyweight main card bout between Crescent City, FL’s ?David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Dominicc Hardy (6-2, 4 KOs). Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 7 are available now on Ticketmaster.com. 

Stepping up to headline a main event for the first time, following a highly successful undefeated start to his pro career, is former Puerto Rican National Team star Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs). Rivera, the 23-year-old prospect from Salinas, Puerto Rico, was a decorated member of the Puerto Rican national boxing team as an amateur, competing in over 200 bouts. His amateur accolades include winning two straight Puerto Rico Elite National Championships in 2020 and 2021, as well as the Puerto Rico Youth National Championships in 2018 and 2019. He also earned a silver medal at the AIBA Youth World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2018. Across his 8-fight professional career to date, Rivera has competed across the USA, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia, furthering his aspirations to become a global star in the sport. 

Rivera will face formidable featherweight Justin Goodson (8-0, 8 KOs) on Friday, July 26 in the main event of Most Valuable Prospects 7. The 28-year-old Goodson, who comes to the ring from Atlanta, Georgia, has built a perfect record since turning pro in 2021. He most recently took home a fifth-round knockout win over former NABO champion Rodolfo Hernandez Montoya, a fighter boasting 30 wins, 28 by way of knockout. Goodson aims to take his next step up as a hopeful contender as he returns to the ring to face the talented Puerto Rican Jan Paul Rivera over 8 rounds at featherweight. 

In the co-main event, Cuban Olympian Dainier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) will take on James Evans in an 8-round heavyweight fight. Pero makes his third straight appearance on Most Valuable Prospects, following his latest heavyweight bout vs. Jose Mario Tamez on Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024, and his February 2024 bout against Joe Jones on Most Valuable Prospects 5. Pero, the 24-year-old 6’5” talent promoted by Boxlab Promotions, showed his merit as a fighter on the fast track to heavyweight title contender in both recent bouts. His relentless series of power combos earned him a first round TKO win against Tamez, and a second round TKO against Jones. Pero comes to the ring from Orlando, Florida by way of Camaguey, Cuba. With his formidable size, Pero will present a difficult challenge on Friday, July 26, as the heavy-hitter seeks to defend his undefeated streak for the eighth time against James Evans.

James Evans (7-1-1, 7 KOs) comes to the ring from Toledo, Ohio. He first took up boxing after high school, finding his natural power and athleticism well-suited to the sport. These natural talents allowed him to rise in the amateur ranks before eventually competing in the US amateur national tournaments in 2017, 2018 and 2019. After turning pro at the end of 2019, Evans’ seven wins have each come by knockout. He fought to a draw with fellow prospect Steven Torres, and suffered his one loss by stoppage when the pair rematched on short notice in July 2023. Evans is trained by Andy Bell, the father of unbeaten Toledo featherweight “Prince” Albert Bell. Coming to the ring fresh off his latest second-round KO victory in March 2024, Evans will match Pero’s 6’5” size, looking to surprise the local Orlando favorite with a quick knockout on Most Valuable Prospects 7. 

Joining the preliminary card will be the young local talent Damazion “Mazirati” Vanhouter (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Cody Kerr (3-2-1, 1 KO). The 19-year-old Vanhouter, fighting out of St. Petersburg, Florida, returns to the series after making waves on the Serrano vs. Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects 3 undercard with a decisive UD victory over Nafys Anas Garner. Vanhouter will put his undefeated record on the line in a 6-round heavyweight fight against the 6’3” 24-year-old Kerr, who comes to the ring from Spearfish, South Dakota. 

Also joining the card for a 4 round super featherweight bout will be 19-year-old Carlos De Leon Castro (1-0, 1 KO). Born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, De Leon Castro is a promising young talent in the boxing world. Starting his boxing journey at age six, he is guided by his father and trainer, Carlos De León Hernandez. His early start and rigorous training led him to 11 Puerto Rican national championship wins in the amateur ranks. He aims to become the next great Puerto Rican star to emerge from the island, following in the footsteps of boxing legends Tito Trinidad and Miguel Cotto. In June 2024, De Leon Castro made his spectacular entrance into the professional boxing scene, scoring a first-round knockout against Christian Reed, which showed live globally on DAZN and drew attention to his potential and skill in the ring.

Alongside Vahouter vs. Kerr and Carlos De Leon Castro’s preliminary bouts will be a 6 round lightweight bout featuring 18-time national champion and WBO Youth World Champion Kaipo Gallegos (5-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Armando Frausto (10-4-1, 5 KOs). Gallegos, the Las Vegas native, is currently ranked #16 in the world by the WBO at just 18 years old and is promoted by Shuan Boxing and Boxlab Promotions. Frausto comes to the ring from La Marque, Texas by way of Fresno, California. The 24-year-old prospect Sean “Untouchable” Mason (11-0, 8 KOs) will also join the card. The Belgian-born rising talent Mason comes to the ring from Leesburg, Florida and will compete in a 6 round lightweight bout. Adrian “Pretty Boy” Pinheiro (10-1-1, 9 KOs), coming to the ring from Orlando, Florida by way of Poland, will also make his Most Valuable Prospects series debut in a 6 round cruiserweight fight. Jonathan Cortes (4-0, 4 KOs), coming to the ring from Orlando, FL by way of San Juan, Puerto Rico, will also make his debut on the series in a 4 round super lightweight bout. 

Rounding out the card will be the young Puerto Rican sensation and Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighter Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Russia’s Veronika Dmitriyeva (1-1) in a 6 round bantamweight bout, and a 6 round heavyweight main card bout between Crescent City, FL’s ?David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Dominicc Hardy (6-2, 4 KOs).

“Friday, July 26 is shaping up to be one of our most exciting Most Valuable Prospects events to date, featuring our new main event from the exceptionally talented Puerto Rican prospect Jan Paul Rivera vs. an undeniable knockout puncher in Justin Goodson,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of MVP. “We’re pleased to welcome Boxlab Promotions’ Dainier Pero back for his third appearance, following his stunning back-to-back knockouts in Most Valuable Prospects 5 and 6 earlier this spring. This will be another spectacular night of fights in Orlando, and we are excited to continue building young fighters from Puerto Rico through our partnership with Boxlab and Amanda Serrano.”

“We believe this card is stacked with some of the best young prospects and future champions in boxing,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “Caribe Royale is proud to bring these events to the local Orlando fans and our guests alike. These shows just keep getting better and better which is great to see.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The seventh event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About MVP

MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

About Caribe Royale Orlando Resort

Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando. A TripAdvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels worldwide to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $140 million renovation that includes fully remodeling all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. Being privately-owned, Caribe Royale offers meeting planners faster approval cycles and more flexibility to create stand-out events. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow the all-suite convention hotel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(@cariberoyale), LinkedIn and Pinterest. #cariberoyaleorlando

NEW YORK, NY – June 11, 2024 – Today, MVP announced that MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 7 will take place Friday, July 26 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, available globally as part of the DAZN subscription package with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. The main card of Most Valuable Prospects 7, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, will be headlined by the 8-round heavyweight showdown between Armenian-American rising prospect Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Robert Hall Jr. (14-3, 11 KOs). Also on the card, the young Puerto Rican sensation and Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighter Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) will take on Veronika Dmitriyeva (1-1) in a 6 round bantamweight bout, marking Rosado’s next step up in competition across additional rounds. Friday, July 26 will also feature a 6 round heavyweight bout between ?David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Dominicc Hardy (6-2, 4 KOs), as Crescent City, FL’s Garcia returns to the Most Valuable Prospects series fresh off his dazzling KO of Henry Richard at Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024. Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 7 are available now on Ticketmaster. 

Armenian-American Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (6-0, 6 KOs) will take the ring in the main event, set to be an 8 round heavyweight bout as Big Gug looks to send yet another fighter into early retirement following his latest matchup in May 2024 against Luis Pascual, in which Pascual quit on his stool after the second round. Hovhannisyan, the 26-year-old 6’7” talent fighting out of Los Angeles, CA by way of Yerevan, Armenia, burst onto the world amateur scene in 2016, facing off with numerous top amateur fighters. His 2021 bout with Bakhodir Jalolov, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist at super-heavyweight, resulted in a narrow split decision loss. Feeling his power would be a better fit for the professional ranks, Hovhannisyan turned pro later that year. Following an unlucky streak in 2022 where multiple matches fell through at the late stages, Hovhannisyan’s eye-catching knockout of prospect Michael Polite-Coffee in October 2022 made his mark as a serious future title contender. Now, Hovhannisyan seeks to show off his intimidating power again against the more experienced Robert Hall Jr. Gurgen, ready to prove his unshakeable poise in the ring despite being so early on in his professional career. Hovhannisyan is trained by legendary trainer Joe Goosen. 

Facing off against Hovhannisyan will be Robert Hall Jr. (14-3, 11 KOs), who brings 10 years of professional experience to the ring on Friday, July 26. The 6’3” talent out of Johnson City, Tennessee is ready to step up against the larger Hovhannisyan, focused on reestablishing his win streak at Most Valuable Prospects 7. As an amateur, he competed multiple times in the USA Boxing national tournaments. After turning pro, Hall won the Tennessee state cruiserweight title and a WBC regional title. As with many fighters, the COVID-19 pandemic halted Hall’s progress as a pro, stalling him at a 12-1 record for nearly three years before returning to the ring. Seeking to become a full-time professional boxer, Hall seeks to overcome the challenge of Hovhannisyan in both size and talent. He is trained by Brad Austin. 

Joining the preliminary card ahead of Hovhannisyan vs. Hall will be Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighter, the 21-year-old Puerto Rican sensation, Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) in her highly anticipated return to the ring. Previously, the Carolina, Puerto Rico native made her MVP and professional debut at MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 2 show in August 2023, stunning fans with a ferocious second-round KO against Tarrethia Dixon. Rosado went on to compete on MVP’s historic Serrano vs. Ramos card in October 2023, earning her decisive second win over Hungary’s Kata Pap, before making her most recent appearance in front of her home fans at the legendary Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan as part of MVP’s main card marquee event in March 2024. In front of her home fans, Rosado put on a ferocious show, displaying her championship potential against her most experienced opponent to date, Mexican-American talent Alyssia Lopez. Rosado took home a unanimous decision win and now seeks to continue her undefeated streak against Veronika Dmitriyeva (1-1). The fight marks Rosado’s first event competing over 6 rounds, and the young talent will test her endurance and power against Dmitriyeva. Dmitriyeva, who competes in both bare knuckle and traditional boxing, comes to the ring from Sheridan, Wyoming by way of Russia and aims to serve Rosado her first professional loss in the ring on Friday, July 26. 

Friday, July 26 will also feature a 6 round heavyweight bout between ?David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Dominicc Hardy (6-2, 4 KOs), as Crescent City, FL’s Garcia returns to the Most Valuable Prospects series fresh off his dazzling KO of Henry Richard at Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024. Garcia is a former Junior Olympic national champion, and the 24-year-old heavyweight and local fan favorite is yet-undefeated in his professional career. Dominicc Hardy, coming to the ring out of Riverside, IL by way of Chicago, was a 2017 Chicago Golden Gloves Champion. The 6’3″ talent is fresh off his latest March 2024 KO victory and will look to utilize his height advantage in the ring against a 5’8” Garcia to end Garcia’s undefeated streak.

“We’re thrilled to be returning to Orlando to showcase the future of boxing with our upcoming Most Valuable Prospects 7 card. This event will again feature some of the top young prospects in the game who are ready to prove they belong on the big stage, and we can’t wait for fans to witness the talent and heart they bring to the ring on Friday, July 26,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of MVP. “We’re particularly excited about Gurgen Hovhannisyan, whose power and precision have already made waves in the heavyweight division, and the return of Krystal Rosado, whose speed and technique are redefining the standards in women’s boxing, following in the footsteps of Amanda Serrano. Thank you to Boxlab Promotions and CELSIUS for their dedication to bringing another incredible night of boxing to Orlando, and we look forward to unveiling the rest of this exciting card soon.”

“On behalf of Caribe Royale and its entire team we welcome back MVP’s Most Valuable Prospect Series to Orlando! As usual this is a stacked card featuring the best young talent from around the world showcasing their skills in competitive fights,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “It’s going to be a great evening of boxing for the residents and visitors to central Florida and the television viewing audience on DAZN as well.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The seventh event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

About MVP

MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

About Caribe Royale Orlando Resort

Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando. A TripAdvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels worldwide to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $140 million renovation that includes fully remodeling all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. Being privately-owned, Caribe Royale offers meeting planners faster approval cycles and more flexibility to create stand-out events. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow the all-suite convention hotel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(@cariberoyale), LinkedIn and Pinterest. #cariberoyaleorlando

New York, NY (September 14, 2023) – Heavyweight contender Jerry “Slugger” Forrest (26-6-2, 20 KOs), of Newport News, VA, returns to the ring tomorrow night near his hometown headlining an event at John Marshall Hall, in Richmond, VA. He will take on Robert Hall Jr. (14-1, 11 KOs) in the eight-round main event. The card, titled “Ritz & Rumble” and promoted by River City Promotions, will be streamed live on FITE+ at 7:00pm ET.

“I’m thrilled to get back into the ring after taking some time off after my last fight. I’ve studied Hall and I know he’s not as fast as me nor can he keep up with my pressure. I believe that no one can beat me when I’m 100 percent healthy and in shape. I’ve had a great training camp with my new head coach, Eric Ash, out of his gym, Vintage Boxing Gym & Fitness, in Richmond, VA. The gym is actually down the road from where one of Lou DiBella’s MiLB baseball teams, the Richmond Flying Squirrels, play. We went to a few games and the team helped promote the event with their fans,” said Forrest.

“Last year, I was dealing with injuries going into both of my fights. Following the Jared Anderson fight, I took some time off to heal and now I am fully healthy. After I get this win, I’ll be looking to get right back into the mix. There are a lot of opportunities at heavyweight right now and I’ve already proven that I can compete at the top of the division.”

Last year, Forrest battled rising contender Jared Anderson and former world title challenger Kubrat Pulev. In 2021, Forrest engaged in back-to-back slugfests, both of which ended in controversial draws, against then-undefeated Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang and a rematch against top-rated contender Michael Hunter. Most observers felt that Forrest deserved to win both bouts.

The heavy-handed southpaw was given the nickname “Slugger” by his grandmother after he survived complications from his birth. Forrest, whose father is a master chief petty officer in the US Navy aboard the USS Nimitz, was employed as a nuclear electrician for 10 years, working on submarines and aircraft carriers at the outset of his boxing career.

Forrest’s opponent tomorrow, the six-foot-three Hall Jr., from Johnson City, TN, is a former WBC USA titlist. He is coming off of a three-fight winning streak, all by knockout, following his only defeat in 2017. He has shown that he is a dangerous adversary and is capable of causing an upset, evidenced by his 10-round unanimous decision victory against the previously unbeaten prospect Dimar Ortuz.