MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS’ MVPW-05 POST-FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – AUGUST 9, 2026 – Most Valuable Promotions’ (MVP) MVPW-05 took place on Saturday, August 8, at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, delivering a historic night of championship boxing live on ESPN and the ESPN App. Headlined by MVP and Denmark’s undefeated Dina Thorslund (25-0, 9 KOs), who claimed undisputed bantamweight champion status with a dominant unanimous decision victory (100-90 x3) over MVP and Australia’s Cherneka Johnson (19-3, 8 KOs), the event also saw MVP’s two-time Canadian Olympian and amateur world champion Tamm Thibeault (5-0, 3 KOs) make history with a unanimous decision victory (100-90 x3) over MVP’s Desley Robinson (12-4, 4 KOs) to become the unified WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine middleweight world champion in just her fifth professional fight. With the victory, Thibeault became the fastest professional boxer in history to win a Ring Magazine world title, surpassing Lauren Price’s previous record of seven professional fights. Thorslund and Thibeault were each recognized for their dominant championship performances, splitting MVP’s $20,000 Performance of the Night bonus presented by Caribe Royale Resort. The card also featured MVP’s Amanda Galle (13-1-1, 1 KO), who earned a commanding unanimous decision victory (78-74, 80-72 x2) over fellow MVP fighter and former IBF bantamweight world champion Shurretta Metcalf (15-6-1, 2 KOs) in Galle’s first outing at 115 lbs.

At the press conference following the fights, Thorslund, Thibeault, Galle, and MVP’s Head of Boxing Mike Leanardi reflected on a legendary night of victories and performances at MVPW-05. For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions.

MIKE LEANARDI QUOTES

On Thibeault becoming unified WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine middleweight world champion in her fifth professional fight:

It’s not a surprise to me that she was able to do this in her [fifth] fight. Honestly, I think Tamm [Thibeault] probably could have won a world title in her first or second fight depending on the opponent. Obviously there’s a maturation process getting there. 

On Thibeault’s road to becoming unified:

She [Tamm Thibeault] was supposed to fight in April, as you know. Her opponent had a visa issue. So, it would have been one more fight than this, but still, she’s the real deal. She’s a special fighter.

DINA THORSLUND QUOTES

On her journey to becoming undisputed:

I had a miscarriage. I had to give up my titles. Now I have a friend in the hospital. I have a son who didn’t want to be with me because I’m hangry. So, it’s been a lot. It really has. But when you’re standing here, it’s all coming together and has been worth it. 

On collecting belts:

I have been collecting belts for many years. I’m undefeated as well and have been world champion for seven years, but everyone has been avoiding me. So it’s been difficult to collect them all.

On accomplishing her dream:

I love the sport. I’ve been here for so many years, and I worked my ass off to get here. This has been the dream all the way. 

On what her win means to her:

Every belt has been satisfying, and when I was unified as well, but because of this whole year, this has just been the greatest satisfaction. It’s the past year looking back that’s made it so much bigger than the other things. Especially with Raven [Chapman], it’s more than boxing. It’s honoring a friend and honoring the connection we have and the work we did together. 

On showing her improvement since her last fight vs. Almudena Alvarez in January 2026:

I really wanted to show I’m back at the top level because my last fight, my comeback fight in January, wasn’t good. Like it wasn’t me, and I felt that something was wrong. 

On thanking her supporters:

Thank you, and it’s been an amazing evening. I just hope everyone enjoyed the fight because Cherneka [Johnson] brought the fire and I brought the fireworks, as I said. It was just amazing being up there.

On feeling relieved:

It was just overwhelming relief that everything has been worth it. The work I did, the energy I put into it, and the sacrifices I made,

On being signed to MVP:

MVP has been good to me all the way and treated me well. It’s been an amazing journey, even just seeing from the outside when I was not fighting. 

TAMM THIBEAULT QUOTES

On if she thought she’d become unified champion after five professional fights:

Most people don’t know this, but as women when we box, we’re told to get an education. We’re told to think of plan B. We’re told to think very quickly about a life after boxing, and this is just as an amateur because the opportunities aren’t there. But now that’s significantly different. So I didn’t think I’d be here this fast, but I’m very grateful. 

On her experience going into the bout:

I have a significant amount of boxing experience, and that counts for something. Also, me being the type of person I am, I don’t go into things unprepared.

On MVP’s impact on her career trajectory:

Do you know what’s crazy is that before MVP, women’s boxing was different. The opportunities and the visibility weren’t the same. So for me, Olympic boxing was it because that’s where I thought the prestige was. Since I’ve been on the platform with MVP, it’s kind of allowed me to have new dreams. So to answer your question, no, I didn’t think it would happen this quick. I didn’t think that this was possible. It’s only possible because we have MVP here putting us on a platform and allowing us to dream big.

On being headbutted during the bout:

I’ve been headbutted before, but this one kind of sucked. It was a lot of blood, and I was like, “Oh, well, suck it up, girl.” 

On if Claressa Shield might be next for her:

What’s next for me is to go home, be with my animals, be with my other half. I think I’m going to get some rest, and I’m going to evaluate and see what’s next for me.

On inspiring the youth:

I hope that I can continue to inspire people and young women. I am very aware of the impact that I can have on little girls or little boys. That’s why I carry myself the way that I do. I want to make people proud, and I want people to see boxing as something that they could get into and something that’s attainable.

On her courageous nature:

I’m someone who is brave. I don’t do things and think, “Oh, yeah, it’s going to be easy.” I do things I’m thinking, “Oh my god, this is going to be so hard, but I’m going to do it anyway.” I think that’s what courage is. Just to step up to the plate and step up to the challenges even though it might seem a bit big and crazy sometimes.

On thanking her supporters:

First and foremost, I want to say thank you to everybody who’s helped me on this journey so far. For the people who are here, the people who weren’t here today, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did today without that support, and I am forever grateful.

AMANDA GALLE QUOTES

On her thoughts on her performance vs. Metcalf:

As soon as we got out of the ring, I said to my corner that it was my worst pro performance. 

On her thoughts on Metcalf’s fighting style:

She was an awkward dancing partner, and I was awkward as well. 

On advice from her corner:

My corner told me from the beginning that it doesn’t need to be pretty. Just get the job done. 

On why she decided to fight at 115 lbs:

I wanted to open up more doorways for myself to go after world title matches. By

kind of steering towards 115, I just hope that this is going to give me the opportunity to see whatever doorway opens and I’ll walk through it. This was a stepping stone, and I’m ready for whatever is next.

On her thoughts after fighting at 115 lbs: 

Watching every single thing that went into my system brought out the absolute best in me, and I really, really like this weight class.

On how she feels at 115 lbs:

I felt amazing. I definitely felt like the bigger, stronger fighter. You guys saw tonight the undisputed world champion. They’re big girls. I don’t hulk up and fuel up to get to that size. There’s strategy involved in boxing. One of them is sacrificing with the nutrition plan and staying away from pizza and pasta and all kinds of good stuff for weeks at a time.

On what’s next for her:

I’m going to do whatever MVP asks of me to achieve world title fights. I hope that is next and in the works. 

On if she’d do MMA:

I have been doing karate since I was 6 years old. I do have my fourth-degree black belt. I do have a blue belt in jiu-jitsu. I can kick. I can punch. I can work the ground game. I would need to put a little bit more time in that. I’m open if the money was right, but it’s something I could foresee in the future, not at this moment, because my calling and my road right now is undisputed in the boxing world.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is a global combat sports and entertainment company built for the next generation of athletes and fans. The company operates across boxing, mixed martial arts, live events, media, content, athlete development, and global distribution, with a fighter-first philosophy centered on equitable compensation, maximum visibility, and long-term brand building.

Led by co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian and Chief Executive Officer John Martin and backed by founding investors 885 Capital & Knighthead, MVP promotes some of the world’s biggest combat sports events and represents a roster of nearly 400 elite athletes, including world champions, titleholders, contenders, and emerging stars. MVP’s portfolio includes MVP, MVPW, and MVP MMA, bringing together premier boxing and mixed martial arts properties under one global brand.

Through partnerships with leading media and distribution platforms including Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports, and an extensive international network reaching fans across more than 170 countries, MVP delivers world-class competition and entertainment to audiences worldwide. By combining elite athletes, premium live events, compelling storytelling, and global media reach, MVP is building the future of combat sports.




Thorslund Decisions Johnson; Wins Undisputed Bantamweight Title

Dina Thorslund won the Undisputed Bantamweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Cherneka Johnson at The Caribe Royale Resorr in Orlando, Florida.

In round nine, Johnson was bleeding from her nose.

Thorslund laned 150 of 558 punches. Johnson was 89 of 404.

Thorslund, 117.6 lbs of Denmaek won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 25-0. Johnson, 117 lbs of Australia is 19-3.

Thibeault Decisions Robinson to win Unified Middleweight Titles

Tamm Thibeault won the IBF/WBO Middleweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over Desley Robinson

In round five, Thibeault was bleeding from the nose.

Thibeault landed 117 of 287 punches. Robinson was 37 of 332.

Thibeault, 159.4 lbs of Shawingan, QUE, CAN won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 5-0. Robinson, 159 lbs of Logan City, AUS is 12-4.

Galle Decisions Metcalf

Amanda Galle won an eight-round unanimous decision over former world champion Shurretta Metcalf in a super flyweight bout.

Galle landed 126 of 385 punches. Metcalf was 64 of 357.

Galle, 114.8 lbs of Mississauga, ONT, CAN won by scores of 80-72 twice and 78-74 and is now 13-1-1. Metcalf, 114.8 lbs of Dallas is

Rosado Decisions Hernandez

Krystal Rosado won an eight-round unanimous decision over Alondra Hernandez in a bantamweight bout.

Rosado landed landed 120 of 420 punches. Hernandez was 79 of 382,

Rosado, 117.6 lbs of Carolina, PR won an all cards by an 80-72 tally and is now 10-1. Hernandez, 117.4 lbs of Mexico City is 11-3.

Jan Paul Rivera won a eight-round unanimous decision over Ruben Garcia in junior welterweight bout.

Rivera landed 141 of 517 pinches. Garcia was 80 of 432.

Rivera was by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 16-0. Garcia is 25-8-2.

Danier Pero remained undefeated with a third round stoppage of Aleem Whitfield in a 10-Garround heavyweight bout.

Pero battered Whitfield for the whole fight and the fight was stopped at 2:20,

Pero, 232.8 lbs of Orlando is now 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Whitfield, 233.8 lbs of Geneva, NY is 10-2.

Sa’Rai Brown-El won a six-round unanimous decision over Sheyla Moreno in a light flyweight bout.

In round five, Moreno was deducted a point for leading with her head.

Brown-El landed 52 of 239 punches. Moreno was 36 of 209.

Brown-El, 107.8 lbs of Marietta, GA won by scores of 60-53, 59-54 and 58-55 and is now 2-0. Moreno, 106.8 lbs of Hemosillo, MEX is 5-1-1.

Angelo Hernandez won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Fernandez in a featherweight bout.

Hernandez landed 28 of 165 punches. Fernandez was 18 of 106.

Hernandez, 125.4 lbs of Brandon, FL won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 2-0. Fernandez, 125.2 lbs of Caracas, VEN is 2-2.

Sebastian Juarez won a six-round unanimous decision over Rance Ward in a middleweight bout.

Juarez, 157.6 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 60-54 on a all cards and is now 12-0. Ward, 157.4 lbs of Houma, LA is 9-7-1.

Jadden Addison stopped Dionne Ruvalcaba in round one of their four-round lightweight bout

Seconds into round one, Addison dropped Ruvalcaba with a left hand. Addison continued the assault until the fight was stopped at 2:27.

Addison, 136 lbs of Tampa is 3-0 with two knockouts. Ruvalcaba, 133.8 lbs of Brownsville, TX is 2-3.




AUSTRALIA’S DESLEY ROBINSON VS. CANADA’S TAMM THIBEAULT UNIFIED WORLD TITLE SHOWDOWN SET AS CO-MAIN EVENT OF MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS’ MVPW-05 ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 AT CARIBE ROYALE RESORT IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, LIVE ON ESPN AND THE ESPN APP

NEW YORK, NY – June 18, 2026 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that MVP’s and Australia’s unified IBF and WBO middleweight world champion Desley Robinson (12-3, 4 KOs) will make her next 10-round title defense against MVP’s #1 WBA, IBF, WBC and #2 WBO contender, 2x Canadian Olympian, and amateur world champion Tamm Thibeault (4-0, 3 KOs) in the co-main event of MVPW-05 on Saturday, August 8 at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, live on ESPN and the ESPN App. Robinson joins fellow Australian champion Cherneka Johnson as co-headliner, as Thibeault, one of the fastest-rising boxers in history from pro debut to #1 contender, now readies for her first world title challenge in just her fifth professional fight. Also joining the main card, MVP and Dallas, Texas’s former world champion and current WBO, IBF, and WBA #4 contender Shurretta Metcalf (15-5-1, 2 KOs) will face off with MVP and Ontario, Canada’s #7 IBF and #8 WBA contender Amanda Galle (12-1-1, 1 KO) in an 8-round super flyweight battle at 115lbs. Metcalf and Galle each look to prove themselves as top contender in the new weight division following their recent challenges against Cherneka Johnson for the undisputed bantamweight title. The fifth installment of MVP’s new year-round global platform for women’s boxing is headlined by MVP’s and Australia’s undisputed bantamweight world champion Cherneka Johnson (19-2, 8 KOs) vs. MVP’s and Denmark’s former unified champion and Boxrec’s #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world Dina Thorslund (24-0, 9 KOs) in a potential Fight of the Year contender. MVPW on ESPN showcases the sport’s most elite female fighters with championship bouts on every card and will always feature a main card composed entirely of female fighters, with an undercard including a mix of female and male bouts. Tickets for MVPW-05 are on sale today at 11am ET on Ticketmaster. All media wishing to be credentialed for MVPW-05 must apply HERE.

Unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson has emerged as one of Australia’s top boxing talents. Originally stepping into the ring to improve her fitness, Robinson quickly proved she belonged at the elite level. Following over 50 amateur fights that saw her capture multiple Queensland and Australian titles, Robinson turned pro and earned her first title shot in just her seventh pro fight, resulting in a narrow majority decision loss against Lani Daniels in December 2023. Just one year later, Robinson rebounded in heroic fashion, fighting through a fractured foot to capture the vacant IBF female middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Kaye Scott in December 2024. She returned to the ring in April 2025 to unify the division, successfully defending her IBF belt and winning the vacant WBO title with a dominant performance against Chloe Chaos. Robinson, who fights out of Logan City, Queensland by way of Maranbah, Queensland, Australia, defeated challenger Logan Holler by second round TKO in her promotional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 16 in October 2025, before returning with an emphatic win over Canada’s Mary Spencer on the main card of MVPW-03 live on ESPN in May 2026, earning the $20,000 Performance of the Night bonus for her outstanding victory. She is also a single mother of three children. 

“This is the best fight that can be made in the middleweight division right now,” said Desley Robinson. “Tamm Thibeault is a two-time Olympian, an amateur world champion, and the number one contender for a reason. I’ve been waiting for a challenge like this. The best should fight the best, and on Saturday August 8 I’ll be ready to defend my unified world titles live on ESPN.”

MVP’s standout Tamm Thibeault is currently the #1-ranked WBA, #1 IBF, #1 WBO, and #4 WBC middleweight contender. Originally from Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, Thibeault began her boxing journey at the age of nine, inspired by seeing her father, a former CFL player, knock out an opponent during a Provincial boxing tournament. Following in his footsteps, she took up boxing at age 12 and was inspired to compete for Canada while watching the first women’s Olympic boxing competition during the 2012 London Olympics. The 28-year-old middleweight, a southpaw standing 6 feet tall, forged an outstanding amateur career. A two-time Olympian, Thibeault made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, where she advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s 75kg (165lb) event, matching Canada’s best-ever Olympic result in any women’s boxing event. She went undefeated until she returned to the Paris Olympics in 2024, earning gold medals at the 2022 Amateur World Championship, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the 2023 Pan Am Games. Thibeault, who speaks French, English, and Spanish, completed a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from Concordia University in 2023, which she earned over seven years while competing. She currently lives in Sheffield, England, where she earned a one-year Master’s degree in urban design and urban planning while training at the renowned Steel City Gym. Thibeault made her pro debut while competing under men’s rules, three-minute rounds, on the main card of MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 10 in December 2024, then returned to the ring in March 2025 as part of MVP’s first ever event in Canada, Most Valuable Prospects 11, where she again competed under men’s rules with three-minute rounds and won by knockout in the final second of the first round, proving again the impact of women competing with equal rules to men. Thibeault entered her third pro fight continuing to compete under equal rules over 8, three-minute rounds on the preliminary card of MVP’s historic Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s card against then-#1 contender Mary Casamassa, winning by TKO to become the #1 contender with both the IBF and WBA following the bout—one of the fastest-rising world title contenders in history. She most recently defeated Italy’s Christina Mazzotta by first-round TKO in September 2025.

“Saturday, August 8th can’t come soon enough. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, but more than anything, I feel ready. I’m so grateful to MVP for giving me this opportunity on my fifth fight to show what I’m truly capable of, and to become a unified world champion,” said Tamm Thibeault. “I’m preparing mentally and physically for a tough, experienced opponent, someone who knows what championship boxing looks like. I’m ready to go to war if that’s what it takes. This is not an opportunity I will let slip away.”

MVP’s Shurretta “Chiccn” Metcalf (14-4-1, 2 KOs). Metcalf has had to fight—both inside and outside the ring—all of her life. Born in Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas, Shurretta grew up in a low-income area with her two younger siblings and hard-working single mom. A talented student, she was a standout basketball player and also excelled at track and field. She had her first son at 20 years old and her second son two years later. The single mom did a variety of jobs to survive and raise her two boys, the oldest of whom is autistic. To make money, Shurretta turned to underground boxing in 2012 and fought over 100 fights, sometimes fighting as often as twice a week. In 2016 she turned pro and hasn’t stopped moving forward since—winning her first world title in October 2024 at Madison Square Garden with a unanimous decision against then-IBF champion Miyo Yoshida. Metcalf returned to MSG to compete for the undisputed bantamweight world title against Cherneka Johnson in the preliminary card headliner of MVP and Netflix’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s mega-event in July 2025 and most recently defeated fellow top 118lb contender Krystal Rosado on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 16 in October 2025. Outside her boxing career, the industrious Metcalf owns and runs a boutique and salon, works as a personal trainer, and has a mobile bartending business. She is also launching her own line of workout clothes called Elite Essence.

“Champions don’t get built by taking easy fights. They get built by beating the best,” said Shurretta Metcalf. “Amanda Galle is a former world champion coming off the biggest fight of her career, and I respect what she brings to the ring. But I’ve already beaten undefeated fighters, world champions, and former world champions throughout my career, and after I beat her live on ESPN, the road to my second world title gets even clearer.”

MVP’s Amanda Galle was raised in a proud Italian family in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. She began her combat sports journey at six, earning a black belt in karate by 11 before beginning boxing and kickboxing. At 16, she scored a 28-second knockout in her boxing debut and went on to capture three Canadian national titles between 2009 and 2018, persevering through her mother’s battle with breast cancer and her own struggles with depression. Turning professional in 2019, Galle built an undefeated record while balancing her career with family, ultimately delivering the Canadian super bantamweight title to her mother’s hospital bed before her passing in 2022. Galle rebounded with a string of victories, overcoming a broken hand and capturing the IBO bantamweight world championship in December 2023, which she defended successfully in 2024. She signed with MVP in June 2025, and earned a unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Alondra Hernandez in her promotional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 15 in September 2025. Galle most recently contended for the undisputed bantamweight world title against Cherneka Johnson on Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day in December 2025 in a bloody war that went to the scorecards. 

“They say you’re only as good as your last fight,” said Amanda Galle. “Well, the last time I stepped into the ring on Jake vs. Joshua, I won Performance of the Night! I’m back, live on ESPN, to remind everyone why and ready to put the 115lb division on notice to watch out for Amanda Galle.”

“Desley Robinson vs. Tamm Thibeault is one of the most compelling championship fights that can be made anywhere in the sport today, matching a unified world champion with a two-time Olympian and amateur world champion who has accomplished something almost unheard of by rising to become the number one contender across multiple sanctioning bodies from just four professional fights,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “This is a true best-versus-best matchup between two world-class athletes in their prime. Shurretta Metcalf and Amanda Galle are both coming off challenges for the undisputed bantamweight championship and looking to prove they deserve another shot at a title, this time at 115lbs, adding another high-stakes matchup to the card. Combined with Cherneka Johnson vs. Dina Thorslund in the main event, MVPW-05 delivers three elite fights with major championship stakes and implications. MVP is continuing to build the premier home for the biggest fights in women’s boxing, live on ESPN on Saturday, August 8.”

MVPW-05 is produced and marketed by MVP and promoted by MVP and Boxlab Promotions.

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

About MVP

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) was founded in August 2021 by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian with a fighter first ethos. Since inception, MVP has produced 30 live boxing events, currently promotes nearly 60 fighters, 16 world champions, and 26 top contenders.

MVP has led boxing’s evolution in the streaming era through partnerships with the world’s leading platforms. In November 2024, MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 was the first-ever live professional sports event streamed on Netflix. Paul vs. Tyson shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event of all time with 125 million live viewers worldwide. MVP went on to partner with Netflix twice in 2025 for MVP’s Taylor vs. Serrano 3 and Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day.

Today, MVP is the global home of women’s boxing. MVP’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano in 2022 was the first female fight to headline Madison Square Garden, while Taylor vs. Serrano 2 in 2024 saw 74 million viewers globally on Netflix and became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history with 47 million AMA in the US. Their 2025 trilogy on Netflix topped an all-women’s megacard that set the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most world championship belts ever contested on a single fight card, male or female, with 17 world titles, earning nearly 6 million viewers globally. 

About ESPN

ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a limited time offer for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months. For more visit stream.espn.com.




Lourdes Juarez Decisions Nery Plata To Retain Light Flyweight Title

Lourdes Juarez retained the WBC Light Flyweight title with a 10-round majority decision over former champion Yesica Nery Plata at The Convention Center in South Padre Island, Texas.

Juarez, 107.4 lbs of Mexico City won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is now 31-4. Nery Plata, 107.4 lbs of Mexico City is 30-3.

Juarez Decisions Rosario

Omar Juarez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Omar Rosario in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Rosario was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Rosario was deducted a point for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Juarez, 139;8 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 99-89 twice and 97-90 and is now 20-2. Rosario, 138.4 lbs of Caguas, PR is 14-3.

Robinson stops Holler in 2to Retain Unified Middleweight Titles

Desley Robinson retained the WBO/IBF Middleweight Titles with a second round stoppage over Logan Holler.

In round two, Robinson landed a huge right hand that rocked Hiller that was ruled as a knockdown. When the fight resumed, Robinson landed a really hard combination and the fight was stopped at 1:08

Robinson, 158.8 lbs of Logan City, AUS is 11-3 with four knockouts. Holler, 158.4 lbs of Columbia, SC is 11-4-1.

Alvarez stops Pola in 5

Ronny Alvarez stopped Bruno Pola in round five of their six-round super middleweight bout.

In round four, Pola began to bleed from his forehead. Pola was bleeding badly and in round five, Alvarez just continued to lay on the punishment and the bout was stopped at 2:28.

Alvarez, 167 lbs of Providence, RI is 5-0 with four knockouts. Pola, 167.8 lbs of San Antonio is 10-4-1.

Former world champion Shurretta Metcalf won a eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Krystal Rosado in a bantamweight fight.

Metcalf, 117.6 lbs of Dallas won by scores of 78-74 twice and is now 15-5-1. Rosado, 117.6 lbs of Carolina, PR is 7-1.

Alexis Chaparro remained perfect by stopping David Gutierrez in the final round of their six-round middleweight bout.

In round six, Chaparro landed a hard right that hurt Gutierrez. Chaparro landed three vicious left hooks with the ird hitting an exposed Gutierrez that sent him to the deck and the fight was stopped at 25 seconds.

Chaparro, 162.4 lbs of Ridgewood, NY is 6-0 with six knockouts. Gutierrez, 162.6 lbs of Juarez, MEX is 4-1.

Miranda Reyes won a eight-round unanimous decision over Yolanda Vega in a junior welterweight bout.

Reyes, 136.8 lbs of Houston won by scores of80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 8-3-1. Vega, 137.8 lbs of Ciudad, MEX is 10-2.

Sebastian Juarez remained undefeated with a thrilling first-round stoppage over DeMarcus Layton in a wild eight-round junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Layton dropped Juarez with a right hand. Juarez was very wobbly. Juarez was deducted a point for holding. Seconds later, he was deducted gain for the same infraction. Juarez then landed an inside left hook that put Layton on the canvas. Juarez then landed a big right that put Layton down for a second time. Juarez completed the improbable comeback with a right hand that put Layton down and the fight was stopped at 2:59.

Juarez, 155.6 lbs of Brownsville, TX is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Layton, 155.6 lbs of Fort Worth, TX is 10-8-1.

Pedro Viatia and Xavier Zuniga battled to a six-round split-draw in a junior middleweight bout,

Viatia won a card 60-54; Zuniga took a scorecard 58-56 and third caed was even at 57-57.

Viatia, 152.2 lbs of Providence, RI is 6-0-1. Zuniga, 153 lbs of Aguas Callientes, MEX is 4-0-1.

Edgar Rosales won a four-round unanimous decision over Reggie Ray Martinez in a lightweight bout.

Rosales, 132.2 lbs of Mission, TX won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 6-0. Martinez, 135.2 lbs of Harlingtfen, TX is 6-1-1.




MVP RETURNS WITH MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS 16 CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE HEADER HEADLINED BY LOURDES JUAREZ VS. MVP’S YESICA NERY PLATA FOR THE WBC LIGHT FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 AT SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER IN SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS, LIVE ON DAZN

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX – September 10, 2025 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced the company’s return to Texas for Most Valuable Prospects 16, an MVP Championship Double Header on Saturday, October 18 at the South Padre Island Convention Center in South Padre Island, Texas, available globally on DAZN. The Most Valuable Prospects 16 Championship Double Header will be headlined by Mexico’s WBC world champion Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez (38-4, 5 KOs) vs. MVP’s Mexican superstar and #1 WBA contender Yesica Nery Plata (30-2, 3 KOs), in a 10-round women’s world championship fight at 108lbs for the WBC light flyweight world title. The co-main event will feature Brownsville, Texas native Omar “El Relampago” Juarez (19-2, 7 KOs) vs. Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Omar “The New Era” Rosario (14-2, 4 KOs) in a 10-round bout at 140lbs in the super lightweight division. Also on the main card as part of the Championship Double Header will be MVP’s unified world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (10-3, 3 KOs), who will defend her unified IBF and WBO middleweight world titles against Logan Holler (11-3-1, 4 KOs) over 10 rounds at 160lbs. 

Headlining the preliminary card will be MVP and Dallas, Texas’s Shurretta Metcalf (14-5, 2 KOs) vs. MVP’s undefeated Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado (7-0, 2 KOs) in an 8-round bout at 118lbs. Metcalf and Rosado will be the latest MVP fighters to make a statement for equality in women’s boxing, competing over equal rules to men with three-minute rounds. Also on the preliminary card will be MVP’s Yolanda Vega (10-1, 1 KO), MVP’s undefeated Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (5-0, 5 KOs), MVP’s Alexander Gueche (9-0, 6 KOs), Brownsville, Texas’s Sebastian Juarez (9-0, 7 KOs), and undefeated prospect Pedro Veitia (5-0, 5 KOs). The 16th event in the series in partnership with Boxlab Promotions will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 16 Championship Double Header are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com

Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez is a two-division world champion from Mexico City. The younger sister of Mexican legend Mariana “La Barby” Juarez, she is part of one of only a few sister pairs in history to become boxing world champions, alongside the Serrano and Bermúdez sisters, and her sister Patty is also a world champion in bare-knuckle boxing. Turning pro in 2013, Juarez went undefeated for eight years, capturing the WBC super flyweight world title in December 2020 and making three successful defenses before regaining championship status in November 2024 by moving down to 108lbs to win the then-vacant WBC light flyweight crown. Ranked #3 in the world at 108 pounds by ESPN, she has faced six former world champions, balanced motherhood to her two sons, Dominik and Derek, and also trains and mentors new talent at her gym in Mexico City. She has also showcased her versatility with an exhibition win in Miami over Dutch MMA fighter Isis Verbeek. Juarez most recently successfully defended her title in March 2025, defeating Mirna Sanchez by 9th round TKO.

“I’m the world champion, and no one is taking what’s mine,” said Lourdes Juarez. “I’m determined to go to all out war on Saturday, October 18—a truly Mexican war.”

Former unified WBA and WBC light flyweight world champion Yesica Nery Plata turned pro in ?2011, quickly winning the WBC Youth title in 2012 and defending it multiple times before stepping into world-level clashes. In March ?2022, Plata began her title run, dethroning longtime champion Yésica Bopp via split decision to claim the WBA title at 108lbs, ending Bopp’s 13-year reign with strong body work and well?timed left hooks. Her defining moment within the division came in January?2023 in Canada, where she successfully unified the WBA and WBC belts by defeating home favorite Kim Clavel in a fierce ten?round war—dictating the pace to earn a unanimous decision in what many hailed as one of the standout women’s fights of the year. She capped off her dominance with a successful split?decision title defense against undefeated Sarah Bormann in Karlsruhe, Germany in ?December?2023. Following a layoff, Plata is now poised to make her return to the ring under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. She is recognized as one of the top pound-for-pound women’s boxers in the world and is currently ranked #2 by ESPN and #7 by the WBA at 108lbs.

“I’m excited to officially announce my next fight on Saturday, October 18 for the WBC 108lb world title, a championship I proudly held before. This time, I’ll be facing the current world champion, Lourdes Juárez,” said Yesica Nery Plata. “I’m truly grateful to be part of MVP and want to thank Jake Paul, Amanda Serrano, and Nakisa for giving me this incredible opportunity. I’m proud to be the first Mexican female boxer to join this company, which is making real, lasting changes in women’s boxing. I can’t wait to share this journey with all of you.”

Omar Juarez, the 26-year-old from Brownsville, Texas, is a rising contender following an outstanding amateur career of 120 fights that saw him develop a reputation as a devastating body puncher and winning six US national titles, including two Junior Olympics titles and two Golden Gloves. He made his pro debut in 2018 and went undefeated in his first 11 fights and has trained with 140lb champion Mario Barrios. Juarez most recently defeated Juan Alberto Castillo Garcia by 4th round TKO in August 2025. Outside the ring, he is a motivational speaker who has received recognition from the Texas State Senate, Texas House of Representatives, the cities of Brownsville and San Benito and the Cameron County Commissioner’s Court for his work at schools in his community. Omar Rosario, the 27-year-old from Caguas, Puerto Rico, will look to rise to the challenge on Saturday, October 18. Rosario returns to the Most Valuable Prospects series following his appearance on Most Valuable Prospects 9 in Caguas, Puerto Rico in October 2024. In June 2025, Rosario defeated John Bauza to earn the then-vacant Puerto Rican super lightweight title. 

“Fighting on South Padre Island is special to me—it’s my home, my people, my heart,” said Omar Juarez. “On Saturday, October 18th, the whole world gets to see what I’ve been building toward, live on DAZN. Omar Rosario is a tough, talented fighter, but I’ve worked too hard and sacrificed too much to let this moment slip away. Every round, every punch, I’ll be representing Texas, and I promise the fans an unforgettable performance.”

Unified middleweight world champion Desley “Destroyer” Robinson (10-3, 3 KOs) has emerged as one of Australia’s top boxing talents. Originally stepping into the ring to improve her fitness, Robinson quickly proved she belonged at the elite level. Following over 50 amateur fights that saw her capture multiple Queensland and Australian titles, Robinson turned pro and earned her first title shot in just her seventh pro fight, resulting in a narrow majority decision loss against Lani Daniels in December 2023. Just one year later, Robinson rebounded in heroic fashion, fighting through a fractured foot to capture the vacant IBF female middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Kaye Scott in December 2024. She returned to the ring in April 2025 to unify the division, successfully defending her IBF belt and winning the vacant WBO title with a dominant performance against Chloe Chaos. Now holding both the IBF and WBO middleweight crowns, Robinson, who fights out of Logan City, Queensland by way of Maranbah, Queensland, Australia, continues to cement her place among the best in women’s boxing. She is also a single mother of three children. 

“I am so excited for this opportunity,” said Desley Robinson. “I know this is the biggest fight of Holler’s career and she wants what I have, but there is no way she is taking it. I will arrive on South Padre Island as the champion and I’ll be leaving as the champion.”

Challenging Robinson will be Logan Holler from Davie, Florida by way of Columbia, South Carolina. Holler is the daughter of former NFL player Ed Holler, attended the University of South Carolina on a D1 Equestrian scholarship and credits her father as her hero who instilled unparalleled work ethic in her. After losing her father, she promised she would one day win a world title for him. Holler first took up boxing after college as an outlet for her mental health and has used her platform as a fighter and athlete to talk about her mental health journey. She made her pro debut in 2014, and most recently defeated Kaitlin LaVigne in February 2025 and Tekeya Farmer in July 2025.

“This is what I’ve been working for my whole career for over ten years now,” said Logan Holler. “I’m so grateful that God has blessed me with the love of boxing and the faith to trust the process. Now it’s time to fight for the championship and put all the hard-work together. I’m also very grateful to MVP for the opportunity and the support that they have been giving to women’s boxing. This is going to be a great fight!”

“They say everything is bigger in Texas, well this will be our biggest Most Valuable Prospects card yet—a championship double header showcasing the next wave of talent and advancing our commitment to equality in boxing,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Fans will see an all-Mexican world title clash between Lourdes Juarez and Yesica Nery Plata, the return of Australia’s unified champion Desley Robinson, and and local brothers and rising stars Omar and Sebastian Juarez, while Shurretta Metcalf joins Krystal Rosado in making a statement for women’s equality by fighting three-minute rounds. This event underscores MVP’s continued investment in building the future of the sport through world-class matchups and opportunities for emerging fighters. Fans in South Padre Island and around the globe are in for something special on Saturday, October 18, live on DAZN.”

Headlining the preliminary card will be MVP’s Shurretta “Chiccn” Metcalf (14-4-1, 2 KOs). Metcalf has had to fight—both inside and outside the ring—all of her life. Born in Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas, Shurretta grew up in a low-income area with her two younger siblings and hard-working single mom. A talented student, she was a standout basketball player and also excelled at track and field. She had her first son at 20 years old and her second son two years later. The single mom did a variety of jobs to survive and raise her two boys, the oldest of whom is autistic. To make money, Shurretta turned to underground boxing in 2012 and fought over 100 fights, sometimes fighting as often as twice a week. In 2016 she turned pro and hasn’t stopped moving forward since—winning her first world title in October 2024 at Madison Square Garden with a unanimous decision against then-IBF champion Miyo Yoshida. Metcalf most recently returned to MSG to compete for the undisputed bantamweight world title in the preliminary card headliner of MVP and Netflix’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s mega-event in July 2025. Outside her boxing career, the industrious Metcalf owns and runs a boutique and salon, works as a personal trainer, and has a mobile bartending business. She is also launching her own line of workout clothes called Elite Essence.

“The unfair stoppage cut deep in my last fight, but it lit a fire in me that can’t be put out,” said Shurretta Metcalf. “I’m stepping back in the ring with a vengeance, not just to fight, but to reclaim everything I’ve worked for. This isn’t the end of my story—it’s the rise of my redemption.”

Facing her will be MVP’s rising bantamweight contender and Amanda Serrano’s protegee, Krystal Rosado. MVP’s 22-year-old sensation is a Carolina, Puerto Rico native who made her professional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 2 show in August 2023, stunning fans with a ferocious second-round KO. 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 appearing in front of her home fans at the legendary Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan as part of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland in March 2024. Rosado took home a majority decision win, which she followed with a swift knockout of Russia’s Veronika Dmitriyeva at MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 7 in July 2024. She then returned for Most Valuable Prospects 9 in October 2024 where she earned a unanimous decision win over Perla Lomeli. Following a dominant unanimous decision win in March 2025, Rosado returned to the ring to face Agustina Vazquez in a 4-round bout contested with three minute rounds—equal rules to men—during the fight week Open Workouts for MVP and Netflix’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 all-women’s mega-event, winning by unanimous decision. She is currently the WBA’s #3 contender at 118lbs.

“In my next fight on Saturday, October 18 in Texas, I will be facing a former world champion,” said Krystal Rosado. “It’s a fight with big challenges, as I’ll be going up against a very experienced woman. I’m coming with everything to show who Krystal Rosado is. I am very grateful to the team for giving me this great opportunity and for bringing out the best in me.”

Also on the preliminary card will be MVP’s Yolanda Vega, the 30-year-old from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, who made her MVP debut on Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025 in a hard-fought battle against Holly Holm. She made her pro boxing debut in July 2015 and is currently ranked as Boxrec’s #16 super lightweight women’s boxer in the world, establishing herself as a rising standout in Mexican boxing.

MVP’s undefeated Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro will also return to the ring for his fourth Most Valuable Prospects series appearance. The 25-year-old, raised in Ridgewood, New York, competed at both the 2020 and 2024 USA Boxing Olympic trials. The gifted Puerto Rican athlete is also a high fashion model, having worked for Versace, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, and Polo Ralph Lauren, among others. Chaparro landed a sensational first-round KO win in his pro debut on Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024, before scoring a stunning second-round knockout win on the preliminary card of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry in July 2024. He also earned a first-round TKO victory on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 9 in Puerto Rico in October 2024. Most recently, Chaparro defeated Daijohn Gonzalez on Most Valuable Prospects 13 in June 2025.

Also joining the card will be MVP’s 2x US national amateur champion and rising star Alexander “Alley Cat” Gueche. The 19-year-old Gueche comes to the ring from Long Beach, California, by way of Harbor City, California, and most recently defeated Vincent Avina by UD on the preliminary card of Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025. Rounding out the card will be bouts from Boxlab Promotions’ and Brownsville, Texas’s undefeated 20-year-old prospect Sebastian Juarez and Boxlab Promotions’ 21-year-old undefeated prospect Pedro Veitia (5-0, 5 KOs) who fights out of Panama City, Panama by way of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.

Most Valuable Prospects 16 is promoted by MVP and distributed globally by DAZN. The 16th event in the series in partnership with Boxlab Promotions will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. Fansly, TORKLAW, Caribe Royale Resort, and Event Tickets Center have also joined on to sponsor Most Valuable Prospects 16.

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 returns 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 has produced Jake Paul’s last six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry 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, earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and 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 the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?dazngroup.com.