‘The ‘I’m Going To Rip Your Head Off’ Attitude Kind Of Describes Me A lot’ Meet Josh Byrne, Perth’s 18-year-old Boxing Talent

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: June 30, 2024 By Dragon Fire Boxing - In recent years, Perth has proven to be a major player when it comes to growing high quality fighting talent whether that be in MMA or boxing.

 

A young man who is seen to have huge potential to go all the way is Perth’s Josh Byrne.   We had the opportunity to speak to the Perth native about his journey so far.

 

Q: When did your boxing journey start.

 

JB: I was ten when I started and it was just for fitness at first, but as I got older, and had a few wins I thought I could maybe turn it into a career.

 

Q: What do you like about boxing?

 

JB: It’s a bit like an addiction, once you start and you win a fight, you get that good feeling and then when you win you just want to carry that feeling on. I love the sport, I love everything about it, once I get into it, I find it so easy to carry on and maintain my fitness.

 

Q: Where do you currently train?

 

JB: Right now, I train at Big Rigs in Malaga, the guys are really nice and my trainer Rig is a great guy.  I feel like I can talk to him about anything, they are a great bunch of guys to train with.

 

Q: For every great boxer of today, there is a background influence from one of the greats of the past.  Which boxer inspired you? 

JB: I think Mike Tyson is definitely [an inspiration], not so much his style, but just his attitude towards [boxing].   The “I’m going to rip your head off” attitude kind of describes me a lot, if someone hits me, I try and get them back for it.

 

In his professional debut, Byrne cruised to a lopsided unanimous decision victory, when he outclassed Mitch Arnold to win every round on the judges’ scorecards.

 

The win also won him the Alan Pond cup, a trophy named after a legendary West Australian fighter who was a multiple time kickboxing champion before his death in 2021.  We asked Josh about this victory.

 

Q: How did it feel to beat Mitch Arnold in your professional debut?

 

JB: It was awesome, I couldn’t have planned the fight any other way.   The result was awesome, and I can’t thank my manager/promoter Tony [Tolj] and my coach Big Rig (Dayle Phillips) enough. Tony for setting it up for me and Rig for putting the hours in and helping me train and getting me fit.  It was a phenomenal feeling being able to walk away with the trophy.

 

Q: With a debut victory under your belt, what is next in the short term?

 

JB: Fighting on the next [Dragon Fire] card is a goal in the near future, that’s already on the way for me.  For next year, maybe I’ll have another couple of fights and see where that takes me, I might possibly fight for a state title or something like that next year, we’ll see how it goes.

 

While having a vicious and dedicated approach to the sport of boxing, Perth looks set to have a real prospect for great things in the future.

 

With more experience under his belt on the local scene, Byrne will hopefully burst onto the international scene over the next few years a fly the West Australian flag.

 

Byrne is next expected to face Bima Prakosa at Thunderdome 47 on August 23.

 

 Material Courtesy and Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing  Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

“I Want To Be On That Level And I Feel Like I Need To Prove Myself” Steve Gago On WBC Title Win & Boxing Future

 Press Release: June 30, 2024 By Lewis Moss/Dragon Fire Boxing - On May 31st Perth’s Steve Gago made a massive statement at Thunderdome 46 after he knocked out International opponent Zixiang Wang in the second round.

 

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing

The knockout victory for Gago won him the WBC Australasian Welterweight title, a step closer to his ambitions for a world title.

 

In an interview conducted weeks after the fight, The Aussie expressed how thrilled he was to get the knockout victory.   

 

“It felt amazing, winning A title like that means a lot to me” Gago said.

 

“I didn’t expect it to go that quick, I knew he was going to be a tough guy and I was working with the coach, southpaw against southpaw is difficult,

 

“We came up with a good game plan and we executed it in the second round.”

 

The victory for Gago marks his second in a fourteen-month span, where prior to this, the Perth local had been relatively inactive in the boxing scene with his last fight coming in 2021.

 

When asked about the inactivity, Gago cited injuries as well as other commitments being the main reason for extended time out of the ring.

 

“I feel great, the reason behind my inactivity was that I had a couple of injuries ongoing and stuff happening with work” Gago revealed.

 

“All I did was try to recover good with my proper rehab, I would constantly go to my physio and my chiropractors to make sure everything was up to date.

 

“ Everything was looking good and feeling good so I thought I could give it another crack again.

 

“I’ve fought two people in the top five in the world and I did pretty well and that’s where I thought I should try and aim to be.”

    

Before his long layoff Gago’s last fight was a decision loss to current undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion Liam Paro, who won his title earlier this month after defeating Subriel Matias.

 

Gago praised the current champion, claiming that he learned a lot from their fight.

 

“[Paro] has done an amazing job” Gago said.

 

“He’s got a good team behind him and he’s dedicated. from that fight I had with him I learnt a lot, there’s definitely levels to the sport.

 

“I want to be on that level and I feel like I need to prove myself, going 10 rounds with him I proved to myself that I kind of belong in that area.

 

“With Liam, every fight he’s getting better, there’s obviously levels I need to try to keep up.”

  

Along with the Australasian title, Gago’s victory last month earned him a place in the WBC’s world rankings at Welterweight.

 

Gago said that the ranking means a lot to him and despite being 35 years old, he still has ambitions to one day fight for a world title while he is in his athletic prime.

 

“[The ranking] means a lot” Gago said, “when I was active I got around to the top 15-20 in Australia.”

 

“In the top sanctions I think I was top 15 at one point, now to be WBC 39th in the world it’s a bit of a shock to me, but I want to get into the top 10.     

 

“Right now, I am a little bit older, I’m 35 but I feel like I’m probably in my prime, not just physically but mentally aswell.

 

“I’m a little bit more experienced and wiser, I want to get a couple more titles and at least a shot at a world title aswell.

 

“Right now, I just want to get the numbers up and get the rankings up higher, Not only just WBC maybe get back into the IBF as well.” 

 

After two impressive victories since his return to the sport Steve Gago looks to be on the right path, with more fights under his belt it will be interesting to see how his world title quest plays out.

 

 Material Courtesy of: Lewis Moss/Photo Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing  Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Fulghum Defeats Alexander In Indio, CA

 Undefeated Light-Heavyweight Darius Fulghum scored an uneventful ten round unanimous decision over veteran Vaughn Alexander on Thursday night at the Fantasy Springs Hotel and Casino in Indio, CA. Alexander, who was a late replacement for Super-Middleweight contender Ronald Ellis, who had to withdraw from the planned Super-Middleweight bout with Fulghum due to illness, spent the majority of the fight trying to stay in close to Fulghum, but only sporadically letting his hands go throughout the ten round bout. When he did let his hands go, however, he landed clean shots that were easy to see. It was what Alexader did not do in the rest of the bout that was the story as the crowd in attendance frequently and unapologetically voiced their dissatisfaction over what was taking place inside the ring.  

What frankly at times resembled little more than a sparring session was controlled by Fulghum, who simply was able to win rounds by being the more active of the two fighters. Fulgham, who had scored knockouts in ten of his eleven professional fights before this encounter did indicate to his corner midway through the bout that he was having problems with his right hand. Whether he did injure his right hand is something not confirmed as of this writing. The official scores were: 99-91, and 98-92 (On two scorecards) in favor of Fulghum. Darius Fulghum advances to 12-0, with 10 Knockouts. Vaughn Alexander falls to 18-12-1, with 11 Knockouts. 

Also on this card:

Cruiserweight Tristan Kalkreuth scored a workmanlike ten round unanimous decision over Anthony Hollaway Oficial scores were: 99-91 (On all three scorecards in favor of Kalkreuth. Tristan Kalkreuth advances to 14-1, with 7 Knockouts. Anthony Hollaway falls to 7-6-3, with 6 Knockouts.

Undefeated Jr. Middleweight Gabe Flores scored the third victory of his young and unbeaten career by scoring  a third round knockout of Josaias Gonzalez. Flores landed hard, thudding shots from the opening bell and gradually battered the “Game” Gonzalez down. The end came when a left hook to the body sent Gonzalez down in a corner of the ring Official time of the stoppage was 2:34 of round three. Gabe Flores advances to 3-0, with 3 Knockouts. Josaias Gonzalez falls to 2-3-1, with 0 Knockouts.

Lightweight Leo Sanchez scored a fourth round knockout of Jenel Lausa to remain unbeaten. Sanchez scored three knockdowns of Lausa between rounds three and four and got the knockout with a left hook to the body that forced Lausa down on his knees for the count. The official time of the stoppage was 1:08 of round four. Leo Sanchez advances to 7-0, with 6 Knockouts. Jenel Lausa falls to 11-4-1, with 7 Knockouts. 

 Jr. Welterweight Cayden Griffiths, a recent high school graduate, began the evening by successfully making his professional debut by scoring a second round knockout of Juan Romero. Griffiths began the fight by looking to land his left hook and in the first round, he was able to drop Romero with a body shot. In the second round, a left hook to the body would drop Romero for the count. The official time: of the stoppage was :43 of round two. Cayden Griffiths advances to 1-0, with 1 Knockout. Juan Romero falls to 0-2, with 0 Knockouts. 

A scheduled eight round Super-Middleweight bout between unbeaten prospect Eric Priest and Janer Gonzalez was scratched prior to the card taking place due to Gonzalez not being cleared by the California State Athletic Commission. (CSAC) No further details are available at this time as to why the commission would not allow the bout to go on as scheduled or if there will be an attempt to reschedule at some point in the future. 

This card, which was promoted by Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions showcased some fighters to keep an eye on as they look to progress in their young careers. This observer was particularly impressed with the performance of Cayden Griffiths in his pro debut. 

As for Darius Fulghum, he simply did what he had to do and the old adage of “A Win Is A Win” should apply here. While he had scored many quick knockouts on his way to this point, a fight like what he had against Vaughn Alexander though not crowd-pleasing will serve him better in the long-term in regard to his overall development as a fighter. The circumstances in which this fight came about should not be ignored in that Fulghum’s original opponent for what was to be a bout contested in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division fell out on short notice due to an illness, and in that opponent’s place stepped in a veteran who not only knew how to survive, but also how to make a fight ugly both in terms of the action in the ring as well as what it looked like from a viewer’s perspective. Although if Vaughn Alexander were consistently more active throughout this fight, it may have been more competitive, the silver-lining for Fulghum is he was able to adjust to the change in opposition and got the job done. In doing so, Fulghum learned a valuable lesson that all young fighters have to learn and understand at some point. Even if you are a fighter who is blessed with the ability to end a fight quickly, there are times where you are going to come across a veteran who knows how to survive, knows a few tricks, and will take you the distance. Those fighters who eventually learn that lesson more often than not, come to see fights like this as a benefit in the long-term because it provides a crucial element that all fighters need. “Experience.”

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Tanori-Irwin II to Headline BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting’s Returns to Denver, CO September 21 for BYB 31 Stockyard Brawl

 Press Release: June 27, 2024 By BYB Extreme Fighting Series – June 27, 2024 – 

Former BYB Lightweight champion Mark “The Shark” Irwin looks to regain his title against the man who took it from him, Julio Tanori, in a rematch of the 2023 Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame Fight of the Year.

Credit: BYB Extreme Fighting Series

Denver, CO – BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series announced today that it will return to Denver’s Stockyards Event Center September 21 for BYB 31 Stockyard Brawl. Headlining the card will be a rematch for the BYB Lightweight championship between champion Julio Tanori (3-0, 2 KOs) and former champion Mark “The Shark” Irwin (3-1, 2 KOs). The pair put on a showstopping performance last December at the same venue in what was awarded not only the BYB 22 Fight of the Night, but was honored by the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame’s 2023 Fight of the Year. In that fight, Tanori bested Irwin by 6-round majority decision and, in turn, at 21 became the youngest active world champion in both boxing and bare knuckle. Tickets are on sale now at bybtickets.com.

Credit: BYB Extreme Fighting Series

Never short on confidence, Irwin says: “This ain’t over. It’s just getting started. I’m getting my belt back. Get ready for the rematch of the greatest fight in bare knuckle history.”

The usually soft-spoken Tanori didn’t mince words when it came to defending his title:  “They should have stopped the first with that big ass hematoma on his head. I’ll make sure he won’t feel much pain in this one. I’ll tuck him in and put him to sleep. One-punch KO. Like It happened in our first fight. Literally, the first punch to land.”

BYB Hall of Fame Matchmaker Mel Valenzuela also announced the co-main event matchup between BYB Lightweight Women’s Champion, Denver’s Paty Juarez, and Parker, Colorado’s Khortni Kamyron in a Super Lightweight non-title fight. 

For more information and latest news, visit bybextreme.com and follow on social media @bybextreme.  

ABOUT BYB

Originating in South Florida with backyard legend Dada 5000, whose backyard fights gained worldwide popularity online, BYB was founded to harness the excitement of bare knuckle into a more structured product for a broader, more mainstream audience. Since 2015, BYB has worked diligently to grow the reach of bare knuckle on both a domestic and international level, hosting events in Wyoming, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, Colorado, London, and Dubai, and is continuing to work with athletic commissions throughout the United States globally to expand the fanbase growing sport of bare knuckle. 

For more information about BYB Extreme Fighting Series please visit: www.BYBExtreme.com. 

Material and Photos Courtesy of:BYB Extreme Fighting Series  Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Can Claggett Upset Lopez?

The career of two-division world champion Teofimo Lopex has been one marked by highlight reel knockouts and an expedited rise up that saw him go from rising star, to a world champion, to an undisputed world champion rather quickly. As most know, his reign as an undisputed world champion was short in losing the title in his first defense following successfully unifying the crown with a decision victory over Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020, to then unbeaten top contender George Kambosos in November 2021. As the rise up of Lopez was quick, so too would be the rebuild process.

A rebuild process, which began in August 2022 and saw him move up in weight to the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division, to win two bouts before defeating the previously unbeaten Josh Taylor in June of last year to win the WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship. Lopez’ second reign as a world champion began with his first title defense of the WBO crown earlier this year when he scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Ortiz. Unfortunately for Lopez, the victory over Ortiz was not one that could be considered as a crowd pleaser. This was due to Ortiz simply not being willing to engage with Lopez and thus the result was a dreadful fight to watch where the champion simply did what he had to do. 

Now with that victory over Ortiz in February behind him, Lopez prepares to return to the ring on June 29th against current WBO number ten rated contender Steve Claggett at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, FL, which can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. Claggett, who will enter the bout unbeaten since 2021, is a former Canadian Welterweight champion, a veteran of forty-seven professional fights, and will come into what will be his first shot at a world title riding a nine fight winning streak.

Despite having more experience than the twenty-one fight veteran Lopez, Claggett, who has won thirty-eight of his forty-seven fights, is likely viewed as a significant underdog going into this fight. In addition to being a former Canadian Welterweight champion, Claggett, a native of Calgary, Alberta, has won several regional titles in the Jr. Welterweight division including the North American Boxing Association (NABA) and WBO international titles in his career, Although these titles are not given much of a platform or credibility by some, the really is those titles do serve as a means of elevating a fighter into the world rankings amongst Boxing’s respective world sanctioning organizations and could lead to an opportunity like the one that Clagget has now. 

The main hurdle at least on paper for the challenger is he has not had the opportunity to show what he can do against fighters that would be deemed on world level and as such, this is viewed as a significant step up in caliber of opposition again Lopez, who despite being at a disadvantage in terms of overall experience, does have a significant edge in terms of experience at the top level of the sport. While Claggett does have seven defeats and two draws coming into this fight, he has only been stopped once in his career and that could prove to be an asset against a fighter known for his punching power such as Lopez.

How can Claggett find success and potentially score an upset in this fight? Claggett is a well-balanced boxer/puncher that has shown the ability to do a little of everything in his fights. Though the challenger has scored twenty-six knockouts in his career, the best strategy in this fight might be to implement a tactical strategy with an emphasis on counter punching. This was something that George Kambosos was able to do against Lopez and was able to score a knockdown of Lopez in the first round of that fight on the way to scoring a split decision over him. 

Claggett must keep in mind even if he is able to have some success and potentially win some rounds early in the fight that Lopez does have the power that can turn and end a fight suddenly. Simply put, he needs to be both cautious and tactical from start to finish and should also try and avoid trading punches with Lopez given the champion’s power. Something the challenger should also keep in mind is though he is not known for his Boxing ability, Lopez has also shown the ability to be a very skilled boxer on occasion, such as in his bouts against Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor. Neither Lomachenko nor Taylor were prepared for Lopez to implement a tactical Boxing strategy and were unable to make adjustments in the midst of battle. With Lopez’ ability to also box having been displayed more than once, Claggett needs to be prepared for that approach in addition to being leary of the champion’s power. 

While some may view this as a “Stay Busy" fight for the champion and may not give Claggett much chance in the fight given that he has yet to progress beyond a regional championship level, one should keep in mind that Boxing is and has always been a sport of opportunity. It is indisputable that Claggett is taking a step up here, but it may simply be a case of a fighter not getting the benefit of getting an opportunity against notable fighters, more so than a perceived difference in skill level that may show itself in this fight. One thing Lopez should keep in mind as this fight approaches is, despite the fact that George Kambosos was unbeaten at the time he fought him, there were some who did not take him seriously even though he was a mandatory challenger at the time. 

Like Claggett, Kambosos had succeeded on the regional level of the sport prior to getting his opportunity. Kambosos was able to take advantage of his opportunity and has since become a two-time world champion in his career, with his first coming by beating Lopez. Lopez should remember what happened to him the last time he faced a fighter, who was not given much chance or regard by some fans and others in the sport. Whether Steve Claggett can have a similar outcome as Kambosos remains to be seen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Lopez vs. Claggett takes place on Saturday, June 29th at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, FL. The fight as well as it’s full undercard can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5:45PM ET/2:45PM PT. 

ESPN+ is available on mobile,tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

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Paul-Perry Set For July 20th In Tampa On DAZN Pay-Per-View

Press Release: June 18, 2024 By DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions- NEW YORK, NY – June 18, 2024 – Today, MVP announced that international superstar Jake “El Gallo” Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) will return to the ring for “Fear No Man,” a cruiserweight battle against the incredibly dangerous bare knuckle champion boxer and MMA star “Platinum” Mike Perry (5-0, 3 KOs BKFC) on Saturday, July 20 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, live on DAZN pay-per-view. Paul vs. Perry will be an eight round cruiserweight bout, as Paul faces his most dangerous opponent to date and puts it all on the line in an incredibly risky fight against the baddest bare knuckle boxer of all time ahead of his bout with the Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson. Boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) will also return to the ring against Tampa, Florida’s top-10 ranked IBF, WBO, and WBA talent and KO artist, Stevie “Sledgehammer” Morgan (14-1, 13 KOs) in the co-main event. Serrano vs. Morgan will be a super lightweight battle, contested over 10, two-minute rounds as Serrano aims to display her power at super lightweight against the powerful puncher, Morgan, ahead of her clash with Katie Taylor on Friday, November 15. Tickets for Paul vs. Perry and Serrano vs. Morgan at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL will go on sale Wednesday, June 19th at 12pm ET on Ticketmaster.com. 

Credit: DAZN/Most Valuable Promotions 

“Fear No Man” is presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy. The undercard will also feature the rematch of Crescent City, Florida’s Tony Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Orlando, Florida’s Corey “2Smoove" Marksman (9-0-1, 7 KOs) in an 8-round lightweight bout. Further undercard fights will be announced in the coming days. 

Jake “El Gallo” Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) has shown tremendous growth as a boxer on his path to becoming a world champion, and now will face his most dangerous opponent to date, Mike Perry, on Saturday, July 20. Perry’s formidable knockout power and fearless mentality will pose a true risk and test for Paul as the 27-year-old aims to prove he has what it takes in the ring against his second youngest opponent to date, the 32-year-old Perry, who is one of the world’s most feared fighters and the baddest bare knuckle boxer of all time. Paul will nevertheless put it all on the line ahead of his bout against the Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson on Friday, November 15. Since turning pro in 2020, Paul has collected multiple accolades for his commitment to the sport of boxing, including ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of the Year, Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Breakout Boxer of the Year, ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year, and was the cover of Sports Illustrated’s “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” issue, awarded specifically for his groundbreaking work to revolutionize the sport through equitable pay, providing a platform for young fighters, and his support of female boxers. Paul also recently announced a partnership with USA Boxing ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, continuing his mission to elevate the sport and its future champions. 

Since headlining his first fight, Paul has broken records at every arena he’s fought at during his professional career, including his first fight at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, Paul vs. Woodley II, which set the record for the highest combat sports gate in the arena’s history. Paul now returns to challenge his own record at Amalie Arena.

“When Paul vs. Tyson was rescheduled, I knew immediately that I wanted to still fight on Saturday, July 20. Now, as I prepare for my fight against Iron Mike, there’s no better opponent for me than Mike Perry,” said Jake Paul. “He’s a proven knockout artist who has shown to be a maniac in and out of the ring. This is the perfect experience for me to gain in advance of facing Mike Tyson. But getting that experience comes with risk. Those who know me know I’m a risk taker and while ‘Platinum’ Perry might try to end me, I’m Titanium Jake Paul and I fear no man. I’m going to get the W and give everyone a preview of what I’m bringing to the ring against Mike Tyson. Tune in on DAZN PPV as I return to Tampa and send ‘Platinum’ Perry the Platypus back to bare knuckle for good.”

"Platinum" Mike Perry (5-0, 3 KOs BKFC), one of the most dangerous fighters in combat sports, steps into the ring with Jake Paul following his fearsome career across the UFC, Triad Combat, and bare knuckle boxing. Following his 14-win career in the UFC, boasting 11 wins by knockout, Perry made his Triad Combat debut in November 2021, taking on 27-3, 21 KOs seasoned boxer Michael Seals, demonstrating his ability to handle power punchers and outworking Seals to a split decision victory in the bout. Less than three months later, Perry made his bare knuckle boxing debut with BKFC, securing his first win over Julian Lane in 2022, which he followed with a thrilling win over dynamic striker Michael “Venom” Page later that year. Perry's bout with former UFC champion Luke Rockhold in April 2023 ended decisively with a second-round knockout, highlighting Perry’s striking power and relentless pressure from the opening bell. In his BKFC “King of Violence” title fight in December 2023 against Eddie Alvarez, the first-ever fighter to become a champion in both UFC and Bellator, Perry displayed his vicious power yet again with a second round TKO due to corner stoppage. Perry earned the 2023 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Male Fighter of the Year and in April 2024, he expanded his undefeated record to 5-0 with a first-round KO of UFC veteran Thiago Alves. The bout served as the latest testament to the power, tenacity and skill Perry will bring to the ring against Jake Paul on Saturday, July 20 for “Fear No Man”.

“Jake Paul claims he fears no man, but on Saturday, July 20, the world will see the truth: he just made the worst mistake of his life in trying to get through me before Iron Mike,” said Mike Perry. “I’m going to make it look easy on Saturday July 20th, and I’m going to teach Jake Paul the most he’s ever learned about fighting."

Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs), the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion, started her current featherweight title reign by defeating Heather Hardy in a brutal 10-round fight in 2019 to win the WBO belt, and has since defended her WBO belt six times. Serrano offered Hardy redemption in August 2023, but successfully defended her undisputed featherweight world champion title for the first time in a decisive 10 round unanimous decision victory. Serrano also won a blood-soaked war against WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz in February 2023, which made her the undisputed featherweight champion. Serrano’s decisive win against Cruz followed her previous win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England that added the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. Her historic clash against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 earned recognition as Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year and was further nominated for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal. Most recently, Serrano took home a unanimous decision victory against her mandatory WBO challenger Danila Ramos, making history in the first-ever women’s unified world championship to be fought over 12, three-minute rounds, equal to any men’s championship fight, and marking the first time a women’s fight has gone the full 12x3. Serrano threw a career high of 1103 punches in the bout. In honor of her trailblazing achievements inside and outside the ring, Serrano was also recently awarded the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Female Fighter of the Year for 2023. Following her bout against Stevie Morgan on Saturday, July 20, Serrano is set to face Katie Taylor in the most anticipated women’s boxing rematch in modern history, for the undisputed super lightweight women’s championship. Taylor vs. Serrano will be the co-main event of the rescheduled Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson mega-event at AT&T Stadium on Friday, November 15. 

“I’ve already been preparing for a fight on Saturday, July 20, and even though I’ll now be waiting a little longer for my rematch with Katie Taylor, this is an opportunity for me to face another tough boxer in Stevie Morgan in Tampa,” said Amanda Serrano. “My opponent has 13 KOs, more than almost every other active female boxer, but I fear no woman – I embrace the war. I look forward to seeing all my Puerto Rican fans in Tampa for my 50th professional fight to show the world my skills at super lightweight, live on DAZN PPV.” 

Stevie Morgan (14-1, 13 KOs), the 34-year-old 5’8” lightweight talent, has established herself as a formidable force in the boxing world. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Stevie was an athlete throughout her school years, excelling in track and field, basketball, and football. Her journey into boxing began just a year before her first amateur fight, under the guidance of coach John Cassella. As an amateur, Stevie quickly rose to prominence with around 40 fights and accolades such as Outstanding Female Boxer and Florida Golden Gloves Champion. Stevie made her professional debut on June 18, 2022, with Brandi Mccain’s One One Six Promotions in Memphis, Tennessee. Under the expert training of Monyette Flowers at Flowers Boxing Lab, she has continued to build on her amateur success as a professional. Now in just her second year as a pro, she is currently ranked by the WBC and is in the top 10 of the IBF, WBO, and WBA world rankings. 

“We’ve been training for an opportunity like this, and I want to give full respect to Amanda for all she has done in her career and for women’s boxing,” said Stevie Morgan. “In this sport, though, in order to make a name, you have to take a name. I have 13 KOs and nothing will be sweeter than making Amanda Serrano number 14. Come fight night on Saturday, July 20 there will be fireworks!” 

“The stakes are high for every single one of MVP’s fighters stepping into the ring on Saturday, July 20. For Jake and Amanda, the pressure is on to emerge with a W against two very dangerous opponents in Mike Perry and Stevie Morgan,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “Jake Paul is facing a monster in Mike Perry. Amanda Serrano is going in there with a fighter who has 13KOs in 15 fights. Nothing is a given for our two superstars. We also have an incredible lineup of undercard fights coming together, the first of which features highly talented lightweight prospects Aguilar vs. Marksman. This fight will see these young talents putting their undefeated records on the line and working to set a new precedent for hopeful title contenders in the sport. We are excited to return to Tampa and put on another heart racing night of fights.”

Joining the undercard will be a battle of two of boxing’s up-and-coming lightweight prospects, Tony Aguilar (12-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Corey Marksman (9-0-1, 7 KOs). The two were longtime amateur rivals before turning pro, and now look to secure Florida bragging rights during the bout. The 25-year-old Aguilar, a Crescent City, FL native, returns to the ring off his latest three thrilling fights on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects series, including his initial bout against Marksman on Most Valuable Prospects 5 in February 2024. He proudly represents his Mexican heritage in the ring, and is a relentlessly hard-working fighter who will look to keep the action high and his opponent guessing in his eagerly-anticipated rematch against Orlando, Florida’s Marksman. In the pair’s recent faceoff, the 23-year-old Marksman matched Aguilar’s energy and met the challenge with his own aggression and power. Aguilar, promoted by boxing legend Christy Martin, and Marksman fittingly fought to a split draw, a decision each will look to right in their favor on Saturday, July 20 in their first major PPV appearances.

“It’s great to have Jake Paul back on DAZN in another action packed, high risk fight,” said Jared Kass, SVP North America of DAZN. “With an unprecedented number of top-tier fights every year of DAZN, we are pleased to be adding another huge fight to our already packed summer schedule. Watch the fight exclusively live Saturday, July 20, only on DAZN PPV.”

Paul vs. Perry and Serrano vs. Morgan: “Fear No Man” is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed by DAZN pay-per–view. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP. Additional information will be announced in the coming weeks. 

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

About MVP

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

About DAZN

DAZN is 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. 

Vinik Sports Group/Tampa Bay Lightning/AMALIE Arena:

The three-time Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning (2004, 2020, 2021) of the National Hockey League and the leasehold rights to AMALIE Arena, the 19,092-seat home in which the team plays its games, were purchased by Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment, an entity established by Chairman and Governor Jeff Vinik, in March of 2010. Since that time, the Lightning and the arena have undergone a complete brand and business transformation, featuring a $100 million dollar renovation of the publicly owned facility as well as back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2020 and 2021. AMALIE Arena serves as the centerpiece of the vibrant Water Street district of downtown Tampa, a development spearheaded by Vinik, in a partnership with Strategic Property Partners. In February of 2020, the organization announced the creation of Vinik Sports Group, which now serves as the parent company of the Lightning, AMALIE Arena and other sports and entertainment assets, including management of the Yuengling Center on the campus of the University of South Florida, as well as multi-media rights for USF Athletics. AMALIE Arena hosts over 200 events per year with over 2 million guests walking through the doors, while Yuengling Center hosts over 250 events per year with over 1 million guests. Both have the mission to provide world-class entertainment for sports fans and music enthusiasts alike.

Material and Photo Courtesy of:DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

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