LAS VEGAS (May 10, 2024) — Another chapter in Mexico’s historic saga of intra-national showdowns is set to unfold.
 
Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Sergio Chirino on Friday, June 21, inside BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Espinoza-Chirino will mark the 161st all-Mexican world title fight and the 20th at featherweight. 

The 10-round junior lightweight co-feature will see Andres “Savage” Cortes and Abraham “El Super” Nova collide in a high-stakes battle presented in association with Murphys Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotion. 
 
In a 10-round special attraction, unbeaten middleweights Troy Isley and Javier Martinez will reignite a fierce amateur rivalry.

Espinoza-Chirino, Cortes-Nova and Isley-Martinez headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ and Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 14, at 12 p.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com.
 
“From top to bottom, this is a truly great card that promises action, and we’re thrilled to be doing our first show at the beautiful Fontainebleau Las Vegas,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Espinoza can be Mexico’s next great champion, but he has a tough assignment in Chirino. Andres Cortes and Abraham Nova is a great grudge match, and the winner will be in great position to challenge for a world title.”
 
“Espinoza-Chirino is one of this year’s most anticipated fights, and we could not be prouder to host it at BleauLive Theater, a sports fan’s paradise where you will feel the intensity of every punch no matter where you’re seated,” says Fontainebleau Las Vegas Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Fedor Banuchi. “Espinoza-Chirino title bout underscores Fontainebleau’s 70-year legacy of delivering premier entertainment to our guests and solidifies our status as a top-tier destination for live events.”
 
Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) devoted over a decade to his pro career before capturing the WBO featherweight world title in a Fight of the Year contender against Robeisy Ramirez last December. Despite being knocked down in the fifth after taking an early lead, Espinoza rallied late and dropped Ramirez in the twelfth, nearly stopping him before the final bell. Espinoza earned a majority decision in a stunning upset. Standing at 6’1,” he is the tallest world champion in featherweight history, a division that has included Mexican greats such as Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera.
 
Espinoza said, “I’m excited to return to the ring. I’m training very hard like always. I know that I’ll be facing a Mexican compatriot who is coming to win. I will be ready to defend my title with a lot of grit and heart. And that’s what I’ll do in the ring, fight with a lot of heart and win my first title defense.” 

Chirino (22-1, 13 KOs) went 9-0 before an early loss to eventual world titleholder Mauricio Lara in August 2018. Since then, he has remained unbeaten, tallying wins in different parts of Mexico. Last year, he decisioned Ally Mwerangi and Sebastian Tinoco Chavez before making his 2024 debut in February by stopping Dennis Contreras with a body shot in the third round. The 29-year-old hopes to make history by becoming the first world champion to come from the Mexican state of Oaxaca.  
 
Chirino said, “We Mexicans are known for having a lot of heart. And whenever there are two of us in the ring, it’s a battle. I’m happy for the opportunity, but at the same time, I know I’ve earned it. I’m coming for that belt. I have a lot of experience. There will be a problem in the ring, and that problem is Espinoza. But I will solve that problem and take home the victory.”
 
Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) had an impressive amateur career spanning almost 200 fights, with notable wins against Frank Martin, Richardson Hitchins, and Nahir Albright. As a pro, he went 17-0 before entering a co-promotional agreement with Top Rank in early 2020. He suffered his first professional setback in June 2022 via a one-punch knockout against Ramirez at featherweight. Following the loss, Nova moved back to junior lightweight, notching victories over Adam Lopez and former world champion Jonathan Romero before a split decision loss in his first world title shot against O’Shaquie Foster in February.
 
Nova said, “We’ve been on a collision course for a long time. It was eventually going to happen. Andres has been nipping at my heels for a while, calling me out and running his mouth at press conferences. Well, on June 21 in Las Vegas, he’s going to get a taste of what he’s been craving. Be careful what you wish for. No Fear! No Doubt!”
 
Cortes (21-0, 12 KOs), a Las Vegas native, made his mark in July 2020 by overcoming a visit to the canvas to secure a decision victory against Alejandro Salinas at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. In 2021, he maintained his momentum by outpointing Eduardo Garza in May, knocking out former world title challenger Genesis Servania in the first round in August and vanquishing Mark Bernaldez in three rounds in November. The 26-year-old inked a deal with Top Rank the following March and has since gone 5-0 with three knockouts, including last July’s seventh-round stoppage win over Xavier Martinez and February’s fourth-round TKO against Bryan Chevalier.

“This is going to be a painful night for Abraham Nova. He thinks I’m his ticket to another title shot, but I am going to plant him on the canvas,” Cortes said. “I’m ready for a title shot, and nobody, especially not Nova, will stop me from achieving my dream.”
 
Isley (12-0, 5 KOs) kicked off his pro career in February 2021 and notched his first 10 wins before joining forces with 2023 Trainer of the Year Brian “BoMac” McIntyre. Since then, the Olympian has excelled, registering a dominant points verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez last November on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos bill before knocking out Marcos Hernandez in round seven in March. Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs), a five-time national champion, started his professional journey in July 2020. He only has one blemish, a split draw against Joeshon James. The Milwaukee native is coming off his most significant victory, an eight-round decision over Raul Salomon in February.

Isley and Martinez are familiar foes, having fought four times as amateurs. Isley bested Martinez in the finals of the 2016 and 2017 U.S. National Championships. Martinez responded with victories at the 2018 U.S. National Championships and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

“This isn’t the amateurs anymore,” Isley said. “Javier is going to see the difference in skill when we fight on June 21 in Las Vegas. He’s a tough fighter with a lot of heart, but that won’t be enough for him to win the fight.”
 
“This is the end of the rivalry. We fought some great battles as amateurs, and this one is the tiebreaker,” Martinez said.  “I’ve wanted this fight ever since I turned pro, and on June 21, I will show Troy that our last two amateur fights were not a fluke. I was the better fighter then, and I am the better fighter now.”
 
The undercard includes a pair of Las Vegas natives and the Top Rank debut of a fast-rising prodigy:
 
·      Bantamweight prospect Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) makes his second 2024 appearance in an eight-round tilt versus Francisco Pedroza (18-11-2, 10 KOs). The Las Vegas native shined with an eight-round decision over Puerto Rican vet Edwin Rodriguez in March. Pedroza, after giving stiff tests to Gary Antonio Russell and Jason Moloney, bested three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren over six rounds in August 2022.
 
·      Junior lightweight southpaw DJ Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs), also a native of Las Vegas, will face Jose Antonio Meza (9-9, 2 KOs) in an eight-round contest. The 21-year-old earned two victories in 2023, dispatching Jesus Abel Ibarra in three rounds in March and decisioning Nikolai Buzolin across eight in July.
 
·      Junior bantamweight phenom Steven Navarro (1-0, 1 KO) will make his Top Rank debut in a six-rounder against Juan Pablo Meza (7-3, 2 KOs). The 13-time U.S. national amateur champion entered the professional ranks by stopping Jose Lopez in six in April.
 
·      Albert Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs), a featherweight standout trained by Robert Garcia, takes on Conrado Martinez (9-1) in a six-rounder. Gonzalez returns after blasting out Joel Alberto Mora last month.
  

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About BleauLive Theater
BleauLive Theater is the entertainment hub of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, customizable theater capable of hosting up to 3,800 guests. More information about Fontainebleau Las Vegas dining, events, entertainment, rooms and suites can be found at fontainebleaulasvegas.com.
 
About Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a 67-story, vertically integrated luxury resort. Rooted in the 70-year history of the iconic Fontainebleau brand, Fontainebleau Las Vegas brings a legacy of timeless elegance and unparalleled service to the Strip. Certified by the Green Building Initiative with three Green Globes, the resort’s thoughtful design allows guests to move effortlessly among 3,644 luxury hotel rooms and suites, 550,000 square feet of customizable meeting and convention space, 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a collection of world-class restaurants and shops, exquisite pools, vibrant nightlife, and vitality-enhancing spa and wellness offerings. Located at 2777 S. Las Vegas Blvd., adjacent to the acclaimed Las Vegas Convention Center expansion, Fontainebleau Las Vegas is created by Fontainebleau Development in partnership with Koch Real Estate Investments.

Raymond Ford scored a dramatic 12th round stoppage over Otabek Kohlmatov to capture the WBA Featherweight title at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

It was a terrific back and forth bout that saw each fighter score throughout the contest. Ford suffered a cut under his right eye. In round 12, behind on the scores, Ford landed a straight left that forced Kohlmatov across the ring. Kohlmatov was left wide open to eat under flushh left hand that forced referee Charlie Fitch to stop the bout at 2:53.

Ford, 125.9 lbs of Camden, NJ is 15-0-1 with eight knockouts. Kohlmatov, 125.8 lbs of Sirdaryo, UZB is 12-1.

Luis Alberto Lopez Stops Abe in 8; Defends IBF Featherweight Title

Luis Alberto Lopez made the third defense of the IBF Featherweight title with an eighth round stoppage over Reiya Abe.

Lopez dominated the action by coming forward and not letting Abe getting rhythm.

In round two, the right eye of Abe began to swell badly to the point where ringside doctors took a look at it.

In round eight, Lopez turned up the energy and landed a big punches in the middle of the ring which forced referee Mark Nelson to stop the bout at 39 seconds.

Lopez, 125.3 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 30-2 with 17 knockouts. Abe, 125.8 lbs of Yamato, JAP is 25-4-1.

Brian Norman Jr. and Janelson Bocachica battled to a no-contest at the end of round three of their 10-round welterweight bout due to excessive bleeding from Bocachica.

In round one, Norman was cut over his right eye. Later in the round, Bocachica dropped Norman with a perfect right to the head. In round two, Bocachica was cut over his right eye and then a second cut in his hairline. The cuts were due to a headbutt and elbow and was too much for Bocachica and the fight was halted after round three.

Norman, 147.2 lbs of Atlanta is 25-0. Bocachica, 146.6 lbs of Detroit is 17-2-1.

Local favorite Bryce Mills won a six-round unanimous decision over Gerffred Ngaynt in a junior welterweight bout.

Mills, 138.7 lbs of Syracuse, NY won by scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56 and is now 15-1. Ngaynt, 138.7 lbs of Buffalo is 6-2.

Troy Isley remained undefeated with a thudding seventh round stoppage over Marcos Hernandez in an eight-round middleweight bout.

In round seven, Isley landed a big right hand that put Hernandez on the canvas. Hernandez got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Isley, 159.3 lbs of Washington, DC is 12-0 with five knockouts. Hernandez, 160.6 lbs of Fresno, CA 16-7-2.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Edwin Diaz in a bantamweight fight.

Diaz, 118 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 11-0. Rodriguez, 117.8 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 12-8-2.

Rohan Polanco remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Tarik Zaina in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Polanco was credited with a knockdown after what looked like a push put Zaina on the canvas. In round eight, Polanco dropped Zaina with a uppercut.

Polanco, 142.7 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 79-71 twice and 78-72 and is now 12-0. Zaina, 142,4 lbs of Tangier, MOR is 13-1-1.

Nico Ali Walsh won a six-round unanimous decision over Charles Stanford in a middleweight bout.

Walsh, 156.9 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 10-1. Stanford, 155.1 lbs of Cincinnati is 7-6.

Brandon Moore remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Helaman Olguin in a heavyweight bout.

Moore, 242 lbs of Lakeland, FL won by sores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 14-0. Olguin, 281.7 lbs of Salt Lake City, UT is 9-7-1.

In a fight that was void of action, Shakur Stevenson became a three-division world champion as he captured the WBC Lightweight Title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Edwin De Los Santos at The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Not much happened in the fight as neither guy pushed forward. Stevenson was able to jab more effectively, while the handful of times that De Los Santos tried to press, he was ineffective as the elusive Stevenson was never in range.

Stevenson landed 65 of 209 punches. De Los Santos was 40 of 316.

Stevenson picked it up over the final six-rounds and won by scores of 115-113 and 116-112 twice.

Stevenson, 133.8 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 21-0. De Los Santos, 134.3 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 16-2.

Stevenson said, “I had a bad performance tonight. That’s all I’m really focused on. I wasn’t feeling too good, so I’ll live with it. It’s okay. I came here and got the victory, and that’s all I wanted to do.

“I just didn’t feel good. I didn’t feel good before the fight. Honestly, I had already told myself that if I feel like this in the ring and if it’s not going well, I’m going to make sure that I box and get the victory.”

De Los Santos said, “We all know what happened. He came for a track meet. He didn’t come to fight. I showed that I am on a higher level because he never stood and fought like he does with other fighters.

“I did my job. He came to survive. That’s what he did. They gifted him the title, but I’m the people’s champion.”

Navarrete and Conceicao Fight to Draw

Emanuel Navarrete and Robson Conceicao fought to a 12-round majority draw in a bout for Navarrete’s WBO Junior Lightweight title.

In round two, Navarrete had a small cut on the bridge of the nose. In round four, Navarrete dropped Conceicao with a left uppercut. In round six, Cinceicao was cut on the bridge of his nose.

In round nose, Navarrete landed a perfect right to the body that put Conceicao down.

Navarrete landed 116 of 47 punches. Conceicao was 213 of 852.

Navarrete, 130 lbs of San Juan, MEX won by a 114-112 score, while two cards were even at 113-113.

Navarrete is 38-1-1. Conceicao, 129.3 lbs of Bahia, BRA is 17-2-1.

Navarrete said, “The decision is well-deserved. Robson is a great fighter. He left his heart in the ring. There were some details with regard to technique, but we accomplished what we said we would do. We gave a great show for the fans. And, at least, I am very happy to come away with the title.
 
“He deserves the rematch, but that decision doesn’t depend 100 percent on me. But, if it does happen, I would train even better. He knows how I fight, and I know how he fights, so it would make for an excellent fight.”
 
Conceição said, “It was a hard fight. He is very strong. It was a difficult. But I know what I did tonight.
 
“It was a good fight. It deserves a rematch. If we do get the rematch, we will both train harder and will give an even better fight.”

Brian Norman Jr. remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Quinton Randall in a battle of undefeated welterweights.

In round four, Norman was cut over his right eye.

Norman landed 74 of 281 punches. Randall was 71 of 299.

Norman, 146.4 lbs of Atlanta, GA won by scores of 99-91 twice and 97-93 and is now 25-0. Randall, 145.3 lbs of Houston is 13-1-1.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated with an eight-round split decision over Max Ornelas in a bantamweight bout.

In round two, Diaz dropped Ornelas with a leaping and wide left hook. In round three, it was a jab that put Ornelas on the canvas.

In round five, Diaz began to swell over his right eye.

Diaz, 117.7 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 78-72, 77-73 and Ornelas took a card by a 76-74. score.

Diaz is now 10-0. Ornelas, 117.9 lbs of Las Vegas is 15-2-1.

Troy Isley won an eight-round unanimous decision over upset-specialist Vladimir Hernandez in a middleweight bout.

Isley, 159.7 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 77-75 on all cards and is now 11-0. Hernandez, 156.8 lbs of Ciudad, MEX is 14-6.

Emiliano Fernando Vargas stopped Brandon Mendoza in round two of their six-round lightweight bout.

Vargas, 135.6 lbs of Las Vegas is 8-0 with seven knockouts. Mendoza, 134.9 lbs of Los Angeles is 6-3.

In round one, Vargas dropped Mendoza with a left hook that was followed by a right Hand. A second knockdown was ruled after the round when a right hand made the right glove of Mendoza touch the canvas. In round two, Vargas landed a double right over the top that put Mendoza down and the fight was stopped at 57 seconds.

In a battle of undefeated heavyweights, Jackson Murray won a six-round unanimous decision over Steven Torres.

In round three, Murray dropped Torres with a right hook to the side of the head.

Murray, 230.7 lbs of Sydney, AUS won by scores of 60-53 on all cards and is now 6-0. Torres, 240.7 lbs of Reading, PA is 6-1-1.

Abdullah Mason stopped Jose Cardenas in round two of their six-round lightweight fight.

In round one, Mason dropped Cardenas with a double left. In round two, Mason dumped Cardenas with a perfect one-two and the fight was stopped at 1:55.

Mason, 134.4 lbs of Cleveland is 11-0 with nine knockouts. Cardenas, 134.6 lbs of Laredo, TX is 7-2.

Hugo Micallef stopped Sergio Odabai after round four of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

Micallef, 142.7 lbs of Monte Carlo, MON is 9-0 with two knockouts. Odabai, 141.7 lbs of Vienna, AUS 6-2-1.

Giovanni Sarchioto remained undefeated with a third-round stoppage over Lucas de Abreu in a six-round super middleweight fight.

Sarchioto dropped de Abreu twice in round three. The first coming from a series of right hands. Sarchioto finisehed off de Abreu with a hard right that put his backside and the fight was stopped at 2:06.

Sarchioto, 167 lbs of Atazio, ITA is now 9-0 with eight knockouts. de Abreu, 166.3 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA 14-5.

Vasiliy Lomachenko won a 12-round unanimous decision over Jamaine Ortiz in a lightweight bout that headlined a Top Rank show at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

In round six, Lomanchenko had swelling under his right eye. Ortiz had swelling over his left eye.

Lomachenko landed 125 of 571 punches. Ortiz landed 122.

Lomachenko, 134.6 lbs of Akkerman, UKR won by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 and is now 17-2. Ortiz, 134 lbs of Worcester, MA is 16-1-1.

Robeisy Ramirez stopped Jose Matias Romero in round five of a 10-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Ramirez dropped Romero with a straight left, In round nine, Ramirez turned up that pressure and landed a vicious flurry of punches that was capped off by a hard straight left and the fight was stopped at

Ramirez, 125.4 lbs of Cindhegos, CUB is 11-1 with seven knockouts. Romero, 127.4 lbs of Cordoba, ARG is 26-3.

Richard Torrez Jr. remained undefeated with a third round stoppage over Ahmed Hefny in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Torrez landed a chopping left that sent Hefny to the canvas. In round two, Torrez dropped Hefny with a right hook to the body. In round three, Torrez continued to land power shots, and then landed a another right to the body that put Hefny down again, and the fight was stopped at 2:32,

Torrez, 229.4 lbs Tulac, CA is 4-0 with four knockouts. Hefny, 218 lbs of Egypt is 13-3.

Duke Ragan remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Lebron in a featherweight bout.

Ragan, 128 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 8-0. Lebron, 128 lbs of Manuel Aprens, PR is 18-5-1.

Nico Ali Walsh remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Billy Wagner in a middleweight fight.

Walsh, 159 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56 twice and is now 7-0. Wagner, 159 lbs of Browning, MT is 5-3.

Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Esteban Garcia in a junior welterweigt bout.

Johnson, 141.4 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 6-0. Garcia, 139.2 lbs of El Comino, CA is 15-2.

Troy Isley pounded out an eight-round unanimous decision over Quincy Levallais in a middleweight bout.

Isley, 159 lbs of from Alexandra, VA won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 8-0. Levallais, 157,4 lbs of Panama City, FL is 14-4-1.

Good-looking prospect Abdullah Mason scored a fourth round stoppage over Angel Barrera in a scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Mason dropped Barrera with a straight left. Seconds later, Mason landed a short left on the inside that put Barrera down again. The onslaught bloodied the left side of Barrera’s face.

In round four, Mason landed shots that had Barrera bouncing all over the ring and the out was stopped at 21 seonds.

Mason, 135.6 lbs of Cleveland is 5-0 with four knockouts. Barrera, 135 lbs of Chicago, IL is 4-1.

Haven Brady Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Eric Mondragon in a junior lightweight bout.

Brady, 131 lbs of Albany, GA won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 8-0. Mondragon, 130.6 lbs of Maywood, CA is 7-1-1.

Former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion, Teofimo Lopez christened the 140-pound division with a seventh round stoppage over Pedro Campa at Resorts World Las Vegas.

That fight capped a perfect weekend for Split-T Management.

Lopez was dominant from the onset of the contest as he boxed and started to land some solid power punches as early as the second. With each ensuing round, Lopez begam to land more and more as he started to break down the Mexican warrior.  

As the second half of the fight commenced, Lopez stepped on the gas and started to hurt Campa in round six. In round seven, Lopez dropped Campa with a hard right that was followed by a left. Lopez started to emphatically beat Campa until the bout was stopped at 2:14.

Lopez moves his impressive resume to 17-1 with 13 knockouts. Campa is 34-2-1.

Lopez said, “I was at 135 pounds for nine years. It was killing my body, since I was a teenage kid, man. We want Josh Taylor. We want these guys. We want {Regis} Prograis. We want {Jose} Zepeda. We want all the belts. We want to become two-time undisputed champion.”

“If Josh Taylor is too busy with his wedding and there’s nobody else around because the WBA belt is taken and the WBC is going to be fought with Zepeda and Prograis, then so fuc*ng be it,” Lopez said.

Zayas Stops Espadas in 5

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a fifth round stoppage over Elias Espadas in a junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Zayas dropped Espadas with a left hook

In round five, Zayas landed a beautiful straight right to the head that sent Espadas down and the fight was stopped at 23 seconds.

Zayas, 153 lbs of San Juan, PR is 14-0 with 10 knockouts. Espadas, 153.6 lbsof Merida, MEX is 22-5.

Zayas said, “I feel amazing. I’m glad to be back with a strap around me, a regional title, something amazing. It’s special to me to bring my first belt to the island. It’s a step closer to my goal of becoming world champion.
 
“I promise it wasn’t intentional. I wasn’t trying to hit him low. I guess the punches were just landing there. Referee {Russell Mora}, I want to thank him. He gave me a chance. I just listened to the corner, and they told me, ‘Hey, forget about the body.’ Let’s get these head shots and then we’ll start working the body. And that’s what we did in round four on.” 

Jose Enrique Vivas pounded out an eight-round split decision over Edy Valencia in a featherweight bout.

Vivas landed 280 of 792 punches; Valencia was 257 of 750

Vivas, 127.8 lbs of Texcoco, MEX won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75. Valencia took a card 77-75.

Vivas is 22-2. Valencia, 127.6 lbs of Culican, MEX is 19-8-6.

Andres Cortes won a eight-round unanimous decision over Abraham Montoya in a junior lightweight fight.

Cortes landed 141 of 460 punches. Montoya was 108 of 427.

Cortes, 130.6 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 18-0. Montoya, 131 lbs of Mexicali. MEX is 20-4-1.

Troy Isley remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Victor Toney in a middleweight bout.

Isley, 156 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 and is now 7-0. Toney, 156.8 lbs of Youngstown, OH is 6-2-1.

In a battle of undefeated featherweights, Duke Ragan took a six-round unanimous decision over D’Angelo Fuentes.

Ragan, 126.6 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56 twice and is now 7-0. Fuentes, 125.6 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is 7-1.

Omar Rosario won a six-round unanimous decision over Esteban Munoz in a junior welterweight bout.

Rosario, 140.8 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 8-0. Munoz, 140.6 lbs of San Bernadino, CA is 6-2.

In a battle of undefeated lightweights, Charlie Sheehy went the distance for the first time, but still was able to win a four round unanimous decision over Juan Castaneda.

Sheehy, 134.4 lbs of Brisbane, CA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Castaneda, 133.8 lbs of Mexico City, MEX is 2-1-2.

LAS VEGAS (July 11, 2022) — Teofimo Lopez took over the lightweight division. Now campaigning at junior welterweight, it is time for Operation: Take Back.
 
Lopez, the former lightweight champion, will face Mexican veteran Pedro “Roca” Campa in the 10-round main event Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World Las Vegas. In the eight-round junior middleweight co-feature, rising Puerto Rican star Xander Zayas steps up in class against Elias “Latin Kid” Espadas. 
 
Lopez-Campa and Zayas-Espadas will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $40 go on sale Wednesday, July 13 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at ETix.com.
 
“Teofimo Lopez has a clean bill of health and is ready to make noise at 140 pounds. It all starts with a difficult test in Pedro Campa,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Xander Zayas is a special young talent, and I expect him to put on another sensational performance. Top Rank looks forward to another fantastic night of boxing at Resorts World Las Vegas.”
 
Lopez (16-1, 12 KOs), a Brooklyn native who now resides in Las Vegas, makes his 2022 debut following a whirlwind past few years that saw him graduate from prospect to lightweight king. He became a viral sensation with a first-round, one-punch knockout over Mason Menard in December 2018. One year later, he captured the IBF world title with a second-round destruction over Richard Commey. Lopez became the unified and lineal lightweight champion in October 2020 with a unanimous decision over pound-for-pound legend Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko. Lopez’s lightweight reign came to a shocking end last November when George Kambosos Jr. climbed off the canvas to earn a split decision in what many experts called the Upset of the Year. Now at junior welterweight and fully recovered from assorted injuries, Lopez is set to conquer a second weight class.
 
 “I’m thankful to be back August 13. I’ve been looking forward to this since my last fight,” Lopez said. “I’ve had a lot of complications, but we’re looking towards the future and are on to bigger and better things. I’m here to take over the 140-pound division just like I did at 135. Like always, I’m going to bring excitement to the sport of boxing. The Takeover is still in full effect. You don’t want to miss it.”
 
Campa (34-1-1, 23 KOs), fighting out of Hermosillo, Mexico, is unbeaten in eight fights since the lone loss on his ledger. He is conducting an eight-week camp in Southern California under the watchful eye of a new head trainer, Manny Robles, who led Oscar Valdez and Andy Ruiz (among many others) to world championship glory. Campa is coming off a third-round knockout over Carlos Sanchez Valadez, who entered the bout 22-0.
 
“I am excited and thankful to Top Rank and Teofimo Lopez for this opportunity. He is a tremendous fighter,” Campa said. “I am coming to Resorts World Las Vegas ready to implement everything I have learned with my incredible trainer, Manny Robles. We’ve been in Southern California working hard and preparing for the best version of Teofimo Lopez. I believe I can be a force at 140 pounds, and it’s up to me to show that on August 13.”
 
Zayas (13-0, 9 KOs), the 19-year-old phenom from San Juan, bolstered his status as one of boxing’s top prospects after going 6-0 in 2021. He knocked out durable veterans Larry Fryers and Dan Karpency and went the six-round distance against New Mexico native Jose Luis Sanchez. Zayas made his 2022 debut in March, going eight rounds for the first time with a shutout over Quincy LaVallais. His scheduled June 11 return was scrapped after he contracted a non-COVID-related viral infection. Zayas is healthy and primed to fight Espadas (22-4, 15 KOs), a native of Yucatan, Mexico, who has never been knocked out. He has not lost since a close 2018 decision to Olympic bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao.
 
Zayas said, “I can’t wait to get back in the ring after what happened in June. That is all in the past, and I am 100 percent recovered. I want to thank all the fans for the support. That meant a lot and motivated me even more to train harder. On August 13, there will be a lot of fireworks between Puerto Rico and Mexico. You can count on that!”
 
In undercard action, streaming live on ESPN+:
 
Las Vegas-born junior lightweight contender Andres “Savage” Cortes (17-0, 10 KOs) steps up in an eight-round tilt against Abraham Montoya (20-3-1, 14 KOs). Cortes has won three straight fights by stoppage, including last August’s first-round blitzing of former world title challenger Genesis Servania. Montoya is coming off a razor-thin majority decision loss to top prospect Gabriel Flores Jr.
 
Featherweight U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (6-0, 1 KO), from Cincinnati, Ohio, returns in a six-rounder against fellow unbeaten D’Angelo Fuentes (7-0, 4 KOs).
 
Middleweight Troy Isley (6-0, 4 KOs), Ragan’s Olympic teammate from the Tokyo Games, will see action in a six-rounder against Victor Toney (6-1-1, 5 KOs). Isley knocked out Donte Stubbs in the sixth round in his last outing.
 
Lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy (3-0, 3 KOs) makes his second pro appearance at Resorts World Las Vegas in a four-rounder, while Puerto Rican junior welterweight standout Omar Rosario (7-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a six-rounder. 
 
In a featherweight battle scheduled for eight rounds, veteran contender Jose Enrique Vivas (21-2, 11 KOs) will take on Edy Valencia (19-7-6, 7 KOs).
 

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About Resorts World Las Vegas
Resorts World Las Vegas was developed by Genting Berhad, a publicly traded Malaysian corporation registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission. The company has affiliated operations in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas. In partnership with Hilton, Resorts World Las Vegas integrates three of Hilton’s premium brands into its resort campus, including Las Vegas Hilton, the resort’s full-service brand; Conrad Las Vegas, Hilton’s lifestyle luxury brand; and LXR, Hilton’s network of independent luxury properties, which operates as Crockfords Las Vegas, Genting’s internationally renowned ultra-luxury brand. Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506 guest rooms and suites, an innovative, next-generation gaming floor, world-class food and beverage options, a 5,000-capacity theatre, distinct nightlife venues, a curated retail collection of designer and boutique shops and more. The integrated resort weaves time-honored traditions of the international Resorts World brand into the fabric of Las Vegas, introducing a bold, fresh take on hospitality to the city with stunning design, progressive technology and world-class guest service. Resorts World Las Vegas is?Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™?with?Forbes Travel Guide,?a verification that ensures the resort has appropriate health safety procedures in place.?For?more information, visit?rwlasvegas.com?or find us on?Facebook,?LinkedIn,?Twitter?and?Instagram.

About Genting Group 
Genting Group comprises Genting Berhad (KLSE: GENTING), the holding company, and its listed companies Genting Malaysia Berhad (KLSE: GENM), Genting Plantations Berhad (KLSE: GENP) and Genting Singapore Limited (SGX: G13). Genting Group is involved in leisure and hospitality, power generation, oil and gas, property development, life sciences and biotechnology activities, with operations spanning across the globe, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, the United States of America, Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Genting Group is a leader in the global gaming and hospitality industry. Founded in 1965, Genting Group has more than 50 years of experience in developing and operating destination resorts in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas, offering an unparalleled resort experience and iconic entertainment attractions to over 50 million visitors a year. For more information, visit?www.genting.com. 

Artur Beterbiev scored an emphatic second round stoppage over Joe Smith Jr. to defend his IBF/WBC and add the WBO Light Heavyweight titles at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

At the end of round one, Beterbiev landed a short right to the side of the head that sent Smith down to a knee. In round two, it was another right that put Smith down. Seconds later, Beterbiev landed a hard combination for a third knockdown. Beterbiev finished off the fight when he landed two uppercuts and a right that wobbled Smith to the ropes and the fight was stopped at 2:19

Beterbiev of Montreal, CAN is 18-0 with 18 knockouts. Smith if Long Island, NY is 28-4.

Ramirez Knocks Out Nova in 5

Robeisy Ramirez stopped previously undefeated Abraham Nova in round five of their 10-round featherweight bout.

In round five, Ramirez landed a big left hand that put Nova flat on his back and the fight was over at 2:20.

Ramirez of Ciemfugos, CUB is 10-1 with six knockouts. Nova of Albany, NY is 21-1.

Bruce Carrington stopped Adrian Leyva after round five of their six-round featherweight bout.

Leyva was cut over his left eye in round five, and the bout was just stopped just as the sixth round was about to commence.

Carrington of Brooklyn, NY is 4-0 with three knockouts. Leyva of Guantanamo, CUB is 3-3-1.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with fourth round stoppage over D’Andre Smith in a welterweight contest.

The time was 2:27 for Tucker of Deer Park, NY who is now8-0 with five knockouts. Smith of Atlanta, GA is 10-2.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Danil Plantonovschi in a junior featherweight bout.

Diaz of Las Vegas won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 5-0. Plantonovschi of Brooklyn is 4-1.

Troy Isley stopped Donte Stubbs in the sixth and final round of their middleweight fight.

At the end of of round four, Isley dropped Stubbs with a perfect right to the jaw. In round six, Isley landed a perfect right that sent Stubbs to the canvas. Stubbs wobbled to his feet and the fight was stopped at

Isley of Alexandria, VA is 6-0 with four knockouts. Stubbs of Riverside, CA is 6-6.

Wendy Toussaint won a eight-round unanimous decision over Asinia Byfield in a junior middleweight fight.

Toussaint of Huntington, NY won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 14-1. Byfield of Reading, ENG is 15-5-1.

Jahyae Brown won a six-round unanimous decision over Keane McMahon in a junior middleweight bout.

Brown of Schenectady, NY won by scores of 60-54 and 58-56 twice and is now 11-0. McMahon of Dyblin, IRE is 7-3.

LAS VEGAS–In the last appetizer before the main card headlined by the super featherweight unification bout between Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson at the MGM Grand Garden Arena inside the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Raymond Muratalla (14-0, 12 KOs) of Fontana, California scored an impressive third-round stoppage of Jeremy Hill (16-3, 11 KOs) of New Orleans, Louisiana to claim the minor WBC USNBC silver lightweight title.

After controlling the first minute of the bout, Muratalla, 134.8, landed a clean right that appeared to drop Hill, 134, two-thirds of the way through round one. Despite motioning as such, referee Tony Weeks apparently informed the official scorers that Hill was not knocked down, as he somehow managed to keep his gloves just off the canvas. Muratalla continued his relentless onslaught throughout the second round, punishing Hill along the ropes and landing clean with his right hand.

In the third, lefts to the body softened Hill up for more punishment upstairs as Muratalla forced him to drop his hands to protect against the attack. Muratalla would land another left to the body that opened Hill up for a two-punch combination that dropped his game, but overmatched adversary hard to the mat. Weeks only got his count up to about five before deciding to call for the stoppage at 2:27 of the third round.

Rising super featherweight prospect Andres Cortes (17-0, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas scored an exciting and impressive sixth-round stoppage of a game Alexis del Bosque (18-6-1, 9 KOs) of Dallas, Texas.

After a feeling-out first round between Cortes, 131.8, and del Bosque, 131.6, the action heated up in the second round and did not let up through the rest of the bout. Cortes opened up over the left eye of del Bosque in the fourth and had the Dallas resident in some serious trouble soon thereafter. Cortes would land a well placed body shot that dropped del Bosque midway through the fourth. Del Bosque continued to fight back off the ropes and weathered the storm for the rest of the round.

In the fifth, del Bosque sprang back to some life and found spots when Cortes would let off the gas pedal. Still, the overall momentum of the bout was Cortes’ as eventually del Bosque could not keep up with the pressure. In the sixth, Cortes landed a beautiful straight right, left, right combination directly down the middle on a weary del Bosque. Somehow, del Bosque managed to get back up on his shaky legs, but referee Celestino Ruiz mercifully called a halt to the bout 43 seconds of round six.

Cortes, who signed a promotional pact with Top Rank earlier this year, appears primed for a bout with a world ranked contender in the near future.

Former national amateur champion Troy Isley (5-0, 3 KOs) of Alexandria, Virginia dominated Anthony Hannah (3-3, 2 KOs) of Augusta, Georgia with speed and aggression en route to a second-round stoppage.

Hannah, 156.8, was in constant retreat as the classy Isley, 157.4, forced him to the edges of the ring throughout.

Isley landed a hard jab to the body to down Hannah midway through the second. Another jab to the body, followed by a glancing right, scored a second knockdown, prompting the corner to throw in the towel as referee Robert Hoyle began counting to ten. Time of the stoppage was 2:33 of the second.

18-year-old former youth national amateur champion Abdullah Mason (2-0, 2 KO) of Cleveland, Ohio punished normally tough Luciano Ramos (1-3) of Stockton, California by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina en route to a first-round stoppage victory.

Mason, 136.4, was simply too fast and too strong for Ramos, 137.8, to weather. Mason quickly forced Ramos to the ropes, landing in combination. A stiff body shot that left Ramos reeling, led to a Mason flurry along the ropes that prompted referee Tony Weeks to call a halt to the bout at 2:32 of round two.

Antoine Cobb (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Chicago, Illinois was lucky to leave Las Vegas with his “O” in tact as Jaylan Phillips (1-2-1, 1 KO) of Ebro, Florida clearly won three of the four rounds in the opening bout of the evening, but failed to convince two of the official scorers. 

Phillips, 142.4, troubled Cobb, 143.6, fighting out of the southpaw stance and applying constant pressure. Cobb woke up the sparse opening doors crowd with two solid rights to close the second round, but it would be his lone shinning moment. Phillips was again the aggressor in the third, forcing Cobb to the corners and landing clean. Phillips dominated the action in the fourth, landing flurries on a retreating Cobb for much of the round. In the end, Phillips took the dissenting card 39-37 in the majority draw. The other two judges scored the bout even, 38-38. 

Joe Smith Jr. retained the WBO Light Heavyweight title with a 9th round stoppage over late-replacement Steve Geffrard at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Smith dominated the action by landing power shots to back up Geffrard. Geffrard showed little resistance, but was able to hang around and last rounds by moving a little bit. He spent most of his time eating hard shots on the ropes.

in round nine, Smith threw a quick 15-punch flurry that put Geffrard down for the 10-count just as his corner was stopping the fight at 37 seconds.

Smith, 174 1/4 lbs of Long Island, NY is 28-3 with 22 knockouts. Geffrard, 173.5 lbs of Delray Beach, FL 18-3.

Smith said, “He really brought it today. It was a great fight. As you can see, he’s a great boxer, a good survivor. I was trying to get him out of there early, but I realized he was very tough and I wasn’t going to be able to do that. I tried to wait until the later rounds and started throwing more combinations to pick him apart.
 
“{Beterbiev} is what I want. I want to get back in the gym, work on my craft, and like I say each and every time I get in the ring, I’m going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I’ll be ready for anybody.
 
“If Canelo wants to come to 175 and fight me, I’m ready for him. That’s the fight I want. Everybody would love to see that fight. It would be a big deal.”

Nova Stops Encarnacion in 8

Abraham Nova made his featherweight debut with an 8th round stoppage over William Encarnacion.

Nova dominated the action as he landed some solid body punches early. Nova began to take his work work upstairs and started to wobble Encarnacion in round six through the rest of the fight, which was stopped at 55 of round eight after a big flurry of punches.

Nova, 126 3/4 lbs of Albany, NY is 21-0 with 15 knockouts. Encarnacion, 127 lbs of The Dominican Republic is 19-2.

Nova said, “It feels good to fight close to home a day after my birthday. I had a tricky opponent in front of me, but I got the job done.

“I want {WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete}, to be honest. Everybody thinks he’ll blow me out. Put him in there. Let’s see if he’ll do it. I know I’ll beat him. I know I have the punch output, I know I’ll knock him out, and I know I’ll be the next WBO champion.”

Omar Rosario celebrated his 24th birthday with a six-round unanimous decision over Rawkwon Butler in a junior welterweight fight.

In round six, Butler was bleeding from his nose.

Rosario landed 132 of 368 punches; Butler was 52 of 218.

Rosario, 139 1/4 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 58-55 and 59-54 twice and is now 6-0. Butler, 138 1/4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 4-2.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Akeem Black in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Tucker dropped Black after a series of hard power shots that was finished up with an uppercut. The onslaught continued in round two as Tucker continued to batter Black until the fight was stopped at 1:18.

The 18 year-old Tucker, 146 3/4 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 6-0 with four knockouts. Black, 145 3/4 lbs of Chicago, IL is 6-5.

2021 U.S. Olympian Troy Isley pounded Harry Keenan Cruz-Cubano for a six-round unanimous decision in a middleweight fight.

In round one, Cruz-Cubano was cut under his left eye.

In round six, Isley was deducted a point for a low blow.

Isley, 156 1/4 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 59-53 and 59-54 twice and is now 4-0. Cruz-Cubano, 156 1/4 lbs of Jacksonville, FLA is 6-3.

Lyubomyr Pinchuk won an eight-round unanimous decision over Jose Mario Flores in a cruiserweight fight.

In round two, Pinchuk was cut over his left eye from a clash of heads.

Pinchuk, 194.5 lbs of Lviv, UKR won by scores of 8-72 and 79-73 and is now 14-2-1. Flores, 197.5 lbs of Washington, DC is 8-3-2.

Shakur Stevenson became a two-division champion with an emphatic 10th round stoppage over reigning champion Jamel Herring to capture the WBO Junior Lightweight championship at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

Stevenson used his superior ability to dominate the action and systematically beat down of Herring.

In Round three, Herring started to swell under his left eye

In round 10, Herring was cut over the eight eye. In round 10, Stevenson landed about seven shots for which forced a referee stoppage at 1:30.

Zayas stops Karpency after 4

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a stoppage over Dan Karpency after round four of a six-round junior middleweight fight.

Zayas, 153.2 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 10-0 with eight knockouts. Karpency, 153.2 lbs of Adah, PA is 9-4-1.

Ali Walsh stops Westley II in 3

The grandson of Muhammad Ali, Nico Ali Walsh scored his 2nd consecutive knockout with a third round stoppage over James Westley II in a scheduled four-round middleweight fight.

In round two, Ali Walsh dropped Westley with a hard right.

At the beginning of round three, Walsh dropped Westley again with a right and Westley’s corner waved the towel at 2:30.

ALi Walsh, 162 lbs of Las Vegas is 2-0 with two knockouts. Westley, 159.6 lbs of Toledo, OH is 1-1.

Evan Holyfield stopped Charles Stanford in round two of a scheduled six-round junior middleweight fight.

In round two, Holyfield landed a booming left hook that was followed by a right cross that sent Stanford down and his head bounced off the canvas as the fight was stopped at 30 seconds.

Holyfield, 151.6 lbs is the son of the legendary Evander Holyfield and now raised his record to 8-0 with six knockouts. Stanford, 151.6 lbs of Cincinnati, OH is 6-4.

2021 U.S. Olympian Troy Isley stopped Nicholi Navarro in the 1st round of their four-round middleweight fight.

Isley bounced Navarro all over the ring until He landed two hard uppercuts that put Navarro down and the fight was stopped at 2:48.

Isley, 156.8 lbs of Alexandria, VA is 3-0 with two knockouts. Navarro, 156 lbs of Denver, CO is 2-2.

Eric Palmer scored an upset six-round split decision over previously undefeated Roddricus Livsey in a junior welterweight bout.

Palmer, 141 lbs of Uniontown, PA won by scores of 58-56 twice, while Livesey took a card 59-55.

Palmer is 13-14-6. Livsey, 142.4 lbs of Atlanta is 8-1-1.

Haven Brady Jr. remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Roberto Negrete in a battle of undefeated featherweights.

Brady, 127 lbs of Albany, GA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Negrete, 127 lbs of Corpus Christie, TX is 3-1.

Antoine Cobb needed just 58 seconds to obliterate Jerrion Campbell in a four-round junior welterweight contest.

Cobb landed a booming right hand hat sent Campbell under the ropes and the fight was stopped.

Cobb, 144.2 lbs of Chicago was making his pro debut. Campbell, 142.4 lbs of Jacksonville, TX is 2-2

Harley Maderos won a four-round unanimous decision over Deljerro Randle in a lightweight fight.

In round one, Maderos dropped Ravello with a right hand.

Maderos, 136 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won on all cards 40-35 and is now 2-0. Randle, 135.8 lbs of Brighton, CO is 0-2.

(January 19, 2021) —Troy Isley, a 2017 World Championships bronze medalist, is set for the next step. Isley, a 22-year-old native of Alexandria, Va., signed a multi-year professional contract with Top Rank and will make his debut Feb. 13 on the Joe Smith Jr.-Maxim Vlasov undercard. Top Rank will co-promote Isley with Antonio Leonard Promotions.
 
Isley’s head trainer is Kay Koroma, a longtime U.S. amateur coach who has guided his boxing journey since the day he entered Alexandria Boxing Club at the age of 9.
 
Said Isley, “I’m ready to turn over a new leaf. I wanted to go to the Olympics, but I did everything an amateur could possibly do. I want to hit the pro scene, showcase my talents, and pursue a world title. I naturally have a pro style. I can box when I want to box. If I have to fight on the inside, I can do that as well. I’ve fought every style, so I feel like I’ll be able to adjust to anything.”
 
“We’ve been following Troy’s progress, and we believe he’s one of the very best amateurs this country has produced in quite some time,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
 
Isley suffered a pair of close defeats in December 2019 at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which closed the amateur chapter of his career. In addition to the World Championships bronze medal, he won gold at the U.S. Championships in 2016 and 2017, a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Games, and a silver medal at the 2016 National Golden Gloves. He holds victories over 2016 Olympic gold medalist Arlen López, current junior middleweight contender Israil Madrimov, Austin “Ammo” Williams, Sebastian Fundora, Top Rank stablemate Josue Vargas, and lightweight star Devin Haney.