Taylor-Serrano 3 To Headline July 11th Card On Netflix In Madison Square Garden

Press Release: March 6, 2025 By Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix - Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix today announced Taylor vs. Serrano 3, the highly anticipated trilogy bout between Ireland’s pound-for-pound great, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs), and Brooklyn’s Puerto Rican boxing trailblazer, unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs). This historic fight, an MVP event, will stream live globally, exclusively on Netflix at no additional cost to its 300+ million subscribers on Friday, July 11 from Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City. Taylor vs. Serrano 3 headlines the first-ever all women’s professional boxing card at the iconic venue, airing live on Netflix as the MVP continues its commitment to elevating women in the sport.

Taylor vs. Serrano 3 marks the third chapter in one of boxing’s fiercest rivalries, pitting the sport’s two biggest female stars against each other once more in a women’s super lightweight undisputed championship fight contested over 10, two-minute rounds. Their first clash in April 2022 made history as the first women’s fight to headline Madison Square Garden, earning global acclaim and winning Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year for 2022. Taylor vs. Serrano was also nominated for Sports Business Journal’s Event of the Year, a testament to the global reach and power of the event. Their rematch at AT&T Stadium in November 2024, streamed on Netflix, shattered records with 74 million average viewers globally, becoming the most-watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history and was named the 2024 Women’s Fight of the Year by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and Boxing Scene. Now, ESPN’s pound-for-pound #2 Taylor and #3 Serrano return to The Garden where their rivalry began, with all of Taylor’s undisputed super lightweight belts on the line again. This event, promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, underscores a groundbreaking commitment to women’s boxing during Women’s History Month, not only featuring the first-ever all-women’s card in MSG history but also setting a new financial standard for female fighters with Taylor and Serrano set to receive record-breaking purses, continuing to raise the benchmark as the highest-paid female fighters of all time. Pre-sale ticket signups are available now HERE, with the official on-sale date to be announced soon.

Irish sensation Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs) looks to add another remarkable chapter to her incredible boxing career as she takes on Amanda Serrano for the third time in a historic trilogy. Taylor, a Matchroom fighter and Olympic gold medalist from Bray, Ireland, defeated Serrano at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in April 2022 in a stunning fight of the year contest that saw Taylor successfully defend her then-undisputed lightweight title. The fight cemented Taylor and Serrano as the two highest-paid women in combat sports history, each earning seven-figure purses. Taylor’s reign continued as the pair faced off again in their November 2024 rematch, where she edged Serrano in a close decision again setting viewership records. Taylor first won the undisputed lightweight title at Madison Square Garden against Belgian Delfine Persoon in 2019, then became a two-weight undisputed champion in November 2023, overcoming Chantelle Cameron in a rematch of their first closely fought battle in April 2023, with both fights taking place at a sold-out 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Taylor first got her hands on world honors in her seventh pro fight, claiming the vacant WBA Lightweight title in Cardiff against Anahi Sanchez in October 2017, and has been in 18 straight world title contests since that night. Her trilogy fight with Serrano now promises to elevate women’s boxing further, headlining an all-women’s card that reflects her long-standing mission to grow the sport.

“I want to thank everyone at Matchroom, MVP and Netflix for getting the trilogy over the line and I can't wait to headline at MSG again in July,” said Katie Taylor. “I’m 2 and 0 against Amanda but it's obviously a very special rivalry that delivers every time we step in the ring so I think it's only right that we have the trilogy. The atmosphere for the first fight there was amazing and I'm sure it won't be any different this time around. The numbers that got to see the last fight in November were incredible so hopefully those people will all want to tune in for the trilogy fight as well and we can deliver another great fight.”

Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs) is the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion and the most decorated fighter in women’s boxing history, recognized by the Guinness World Records for the most boxing world championships won by a female in different weight classes. Serrano is Most Valuable Promotions’ first signee, who recently signed the first ever lifetime combat sports contract with MVP and will become Chairwoman of MVP’s women's boxing initiatives to lead the company’s efforts in identifying, signing, developing and marketing the promotion’s growing roster of female athletes post her in-ring retirement. Serrano faced off against Katie Taylor for the first time at Madison Square Garden in 2022. Following the historic bout, Serrano defeated Sarah Mahfoud and Erika Cruz en-route to becoming the undisputed featherweight champion. She successfully defended her undisputed title in August 2023 against Heather Hardy before making history again, defeating Danila Ramos in October 2023 in the first-ever women’s unified world championship contested over 12 three-minute rounds — equal to a men’s championship fight. She threw a career-high 1,103 punches in the bout, solidifying her status as a trailblazer for gender equality in boxing. In recognition of her achievements inside and outside the ring, Serrano was named the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Female Fighter of the Year for 2023, as well as Sports Illustrated’s and Boxing Scene’s 2023 Women’s Fighter of the Year. She continued her dominance in July 2024, scoring a second-round knockout victory over Stevie Morgan in a super lightweight bout.

Serrano went on to face Katie Taylor in the most anticipated women’s boxing rematch in modern history in the co-main event of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson card on Netflix in November 2024. The undisputed super lightweight title fight ended in a razor-thin decision victory for Taylor — sparking global debate and skyrocketing Serrano’s social following by over 1.2 million, making her the most-followed female boxer in the world. #Serrano also trended at #2 on X in the U.S., Brazil, Spain, and Canada post-fight, further cementing her status as a global icon. Serrano now brings her relentless power and unparalleled resume back to Madison Square Garden to command the world’s attention once again on Netflix, breaking barriers for women in combat sports and setting the stage for this historic trilogy atop an all-women’s mega-event.

“I promised my fans they would see this trilogy, and I’m incredibly grateful that we get to complete our journey where it all began — at Madison Square Garden, live on Netflix for the world to see,” said Amanda Serrano. “I’m disappointed that Katie Taylor did not keep her word and make the trilogy 12 three-minute rounds, equal to the men. This is a record-setting payday for both of us, and we owed it to the fans to honor the handshake deal we made. She didn’t. But make no mistake, every time we share the ring, it is war, and I know Friday, July 11, will be the greatest yet because I will finally get the official W I deserve. Headlining an all-female card at MSG, representing both New York and Puerto Rico, is something I never thought would be possible, and it wouldn’t be without Nakisa Bidarian, Jake Paul, and MVP’s commitment to elevating women’s boxing. I’m proud to stand alongside all the talented women on this card, and I hope our fight inspires young girls everywhere to keep believing in themselves and never stop chasing their dreams.”

“This is more than just a fight — it’s a celebration of the unmatched talent of women in boxing,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have already shattered barriers and inspired millions, and this trilogy fight at the iconic Madison Square Garden will be another historic step forward for women’s sports. This all-women’s card is not only a testament to how far the sport has come but also the beginning of an even greater push from MVP to elevate the next generation of female fighters. Unlike other incumbents in boxing, we have, are, and will always champion women as equals to men, treating them with supreme respect and we will never compromise on those values. Thank you to Netflix and MSG. We’re honored to bring this groundbreaking event to life and remain steadfast in our mission to build and invest in lasting opportunities for women in boxing. This event is the definition of W.”

"Taylor-Serrano 2 was not just one of the most thrilling fights I've ever witnessed; it also made history as the most-watched professional women's sports event in the US," said Bela Bajaria, Netflix's Chief Content Officer. "At Netflix we're proud to continue to elevate the profile of women athletes and to bring another historic event to our global audience with MVP."

"Madison Square Garden has been home to the biggest boxing matches in history – including the ‘Fight of the Century,’ and the 2022 bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano,” said Joel Fisher, Executive Vice President, Marquee Events and Operations, MSG Entertainment. “We are proud to welcome these extraordinary athletes back to The World’s Most Famous Arena for another historic moment with our first-ever all-female professional boxing card.”

Netflix is the premier home for great sports entertainment. From fan-favorite hits like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, UNTOLD, Quarterback, Starting 5, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and Tour de France to inspiring stories such as Beckham, Simone Biles Rising and Court of Gold, Netflix delivers unmatched sports storytelling. Later this year Netflix is set to debut America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys along with follow-docs covering SEC college football, MLB’s Boston Red Sox, and Rafael Nadal’s farewell tennis season. Netflix became the new home of WWE Raw in 2025, the global home of the NFL's two Christmas Day games in 2024 (through 2026), and secured the exclusive US rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for 2027 and 2031.

Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix redefined sports history in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. That event shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally, while Taylor vs. Serrano 2 averaged 74 million viewers, 56 million peak concurrent views, and claimed the title of the most-watched women’s sporting event in US history with an average minute audience (AMA) of 47 million in the US. Now, MVP and Netflix bring boxing back to the Garden with Taylor vs. Serrano 3, headlining an all-women’s card that reinforces their commitment to elevating women in sports. Additional details, including the undercard, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Taylor vs. Serrano 3 is produced, marketed, and promoted by Most Valuable Promotions and distributed by Netflix. Fans can sign up for ticket updates HERE.

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @Netflix, on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @Netflix, or on Netflix’s Tudum.

About Most Valuable Promotions (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 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 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 Taylor vs. Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix, which became 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., the 8th most-bought pay-per-view event in history.

About Netflix 

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services, with over 300 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films, and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause, and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

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

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

 

Future Hall of Famer Amanda Serrano Signs Lifetime Combat Sports Contract With Most Valuable Promotions

Credit: Most Valuable Promotions 

Press Release: March 5, 2025 By Most Valuable Promotions - NEW YORK, NY – March 4, 2025 –  In a first-of-its-kind landmark deal, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today signed boxing legend and record-breaking seven-division world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs) to a lifetime agreement. The agreement will see Serrano compete under the MVP banner for the rest of her boxing career until she retires. Post her in-ring retirement, Serrano will become the Chairwoman of MVP’s women's boxing initiatives and lead the company’s efforts in identifying, signing, developing and marketing the promotion’s growing roster of female athletes. As someone who has broken barriers throughout her career and fought for equality, Serrano will continue that mission by empowering future generations, serving as both a role model and mentor for rising female fighters.

Serrano is the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion and the most decorated fighter in women’s boxing history. Following in the footsteps of her sister, former world champion Cindy Serrano, Amanda turned pro in 2009, claiming her first title just over two years into her career. From 2011 to 2019, she captured world titles across seven weight divisions, earning recognition from Guinness World Records for the most boxing world championships won by a female in different weight classes. Serrano’s current featherweight reign began with a 10-round victory over Heather Hardy in 2019 to claim the WBO belt, which she has successfully defended six times since.

Jake Paul first met Amanda Serrano by chance in 2020, when she fought on the undercard of his pro debut. Impressed by her third-round stoppage win, Paul kept a close eye on Serrano’s career. When he and Nakisa Bidarian founded MVP, they made women's boxing a core tenet of their mission. They invited Serrano to fight as Paul’s co-main event in 2021, where she received overwhelming fan support. Recognizing her talent and potential to elevate women’s boxing, Paul and Bidarian signed Serrano one month later, working to build her brand and amplify her visibility. Their goal was clear: to disrupt the status quo and bring women’s boxing to the mainstream — with Serrano leading the charge.

Serrano’s second fight after signing with MVP, against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022, made history as the first women’s bout to headline the iconic venue. The historic clash ended in a narrow split decision in Taylor’s favor and earned global acclaim, winning Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year for 2022. The event’s impact extended beyond boxing, earning a nomination for Sports Business Journal’s Event of the Year, highlighting its worldwide reach and significance.

Following that historic bout, Serrano defeated Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England, adding the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. She then cemented her legacy with a blood-soaked victory over WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz in February 2023, becoming the undisputed featherweight champion. Serrano, the first ever undisputed champion from Puerto Rico, defended her title for the first time in August 2023, earning a decisive 10-round unanimous decision victory over Heather Hardy in a redemption bout. In October 2023, Serrano made history again, defeating Danila Ramos by unanimous decision in the first-ever women’s unified world championship contested over 12 three-minute rounds — equal to a men’s championship fight. She threw a career-high 1,103 punches in the bout, further solidifying her status as a trailblazer for gender equality in boxing. In recognition of her achievements inside and outside the ring, Serrano was named the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Female Fighter of the Year for 2023, as well as Sports Illustrated’s and Boxing Scene’s 2023 Women’s Fighter of the Year. She continued her dominance in July 2024, scoring a second-round knockout victory over Stevie Morgan in a super lightweight bout.

Serrano went on to face Katie Taylor in the most anticipated women’s boxing rematch in modern history, battling for the undisputed super lightweight championship. Taylor vs. Serrano 2 served as the co-main event of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson card on Netflix in November 2024. The fight shattered records, becoming the most-watched professional women’s sports event in U.S. history, with 74 million live viewers globally, 56 million peak concurrent views, and an average minute audience (AMA) of 47 million in the U.S. The bout, named 2024 Women’s Fight of the Year by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and Boxing Scene, ended in a razor-thin decision victory for Taylor — sparking global debate and skyrocketing Serrano’s social following by over 1.2 million, making her the most-followed female fighter in the world. #Serrano also trended at #2 on X in the U.S., Brazil, Spain, and Canada post-fight, further cementing her status as a global icon.

Amanda Serrano and her manager Jordan Maldonado previously entered a partnership with MVP in March 2024 to identify, sign, and develop Puerto Rican fighters with MVP. In 2024, this led to MVP’s first two events on the island and signing of three rising Puerto Rican stars, Serrano’s protegee and the #12-ranked WBA flyweight Krystal Rosado (5-0, 2 KOs), the WBA’s #11 featherweight and WBO Youth Featherweight champion Jan Paul Rivera (11-0, 6 KOs), and three-time US national boxing champion and high fashion model Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro (3-0, 3 KOs). MVP will continue spotlighting Puerto Rican talent and bringing further events and opportunities to the island. 

Serrano’s success has also made her a sought-after figure for brand partnerships. In 2024, she teamed up with Verizon’s Total Wireless ahead of Taylor vs. Serrano 2, securing her first-ever cell phone as part of the deal. That same year, she partnered with Subway Puerto Rico and joined CELSIUS’ roster of athletes, adding to a growing slate of corporate sponsorships across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including Dodge Puerto Rico and popular supermarket chain Econo. Serrano’s combined earnings from fights and endorsements have surpassed eight figures — an achievement she reached within just three years of signing with Most Valuable Promotions under the leadership of Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. Her groundbreaking success has not only elevated her career but also paved the way for future generations of female fighters to thrive both inside and outside the ring.

“Signing this lifetime deal with MVP means I can continue fighting — not just in the ring, but for the next generation of women in combat sports,” said Amanda Serrano. “MVP has always been committed to elevating female fighters, from being the first women to headline Madison Square Garden to breaking viewership records for women's sports or making history with 12 three-minute rounds. Together, we’ve shown the world that women deserve equal pay, equal rounds, and equal respect. I’m proud to build my legacy with MVP and excited to stay on after I retire as a fighter to deepen MVP’s impact and help create even more opportunities for women in the sport.”

“Amanda Serrano is the heart and soul of MVP. Her relentless drive, historic achievements, and passion for uplifting other fighters are everything we are looking for in both signees and as future decision makers alongside us at MVP,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Amanda has paved the way for female fighters worldwide, shattering glass ceilings and demanding equality at every step. We are so fortunate to have her as both a fighter and a trailblazer who will continue to shape the sport long after she retires from the ring. This lifetime agreement is a testament to our belief in Amanda, not just as an athlete but as a visionary leader who will help guide MVP’s future and inspire generations to come.”

"Amanda’s journey is about more than titles and accolades. It’s about breaking barriers and lifting up the next generation of fighters,” said Jordan Maldonado. “I’ve been in Amanda’s corner since the beginning as she’s fought for every opportunity, becoming the most decorated fighter in women’s boxing history and the pride of Puerto Rico as their first undisputed champion. Working with MVP has transformed her career and legacy and there is no place we would rather be. MVP isn't just a company for us, it is our family. This lifetime agreement ensures Amanda can create those same opportunities for women around the world, long after she hangs up the gloves."

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions, @JakePaul and @Serranosisters or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions, @JakePaul, and @serranosisters.

About Most Valuable Promotions (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 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.

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

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

 

Total Wireless Announces Partnership with Puerto Rican Boxing Trailblazer and Unified Champion Amanda Serrano

Serrano receives her first ever phone and data plan from Total Wireless

Press Release: November 12, 2024 By Most Valuable Promotions - NEW YORK - November 11, 2024 — In celebration of Puerto Rican Heritage Month, Total Wireless, a fast-growing, no-contract wireless provider powered by the Verizon 5G network, is proud to announce its official partnership with Puerto Rico’s boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).

Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano is the most decorated fighter in women’s boxing history (47-2-1, 31 KOs). A seven-division world champion, Serrano is the first-ever undisputed champion from Puerto Rico, male or female.

Serrano, who has never owned a cell phone due to her commitment and focus on boxing, has now at age 36 received her first-ever phone. With an unlimited data plan that will never slow her down, she can stay connected while still honing in on her career.

“Total Wireless is deeply committed to supporting the Latino community and celebrating our customers’ passions,” said David Kim, SVP & CRO of Verizon Value. “Our partnership with Amanda Serrano not only empowers women and Latinas in sports, but also connects our customers through exclusive experiences like meet & greets and our video series collaboration with MVP. We’re proud to provide the reliable connectivity that brings them closer to the athletes and sports they admire.”

 “Honestly, I’ve never needed a phone—never owned one in my life,” said Amanda Serrano. “But Total Wireless understands my roots and the importance of staying connected. Their commitment to the Latino community and their reliable services make them the perfect partner. Now, thanks to them, I’ll be able to connect with my fans and family from anywhere, something I’ve never been able to do before. It’s exciting and a bit surreal to finally have this kind of connection in my life.”

As part of its partnership with Most Valuable Promotions, Total Wireless will join MVP Uncut, the company’s evergreen docuseries following MVP talent behind the scenes as they prepare for Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2. On Tuesday, November 12, MVP Uncut will capture Serrano receiving her first-ever phone at a local Total Wireless store. Other episodes of the series showcase stars like Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, and Katie Taylor, with additional exclusive videos to be released throughout fight week on MVP’s YouTube channel, promoted by MVP co-founder Jake Paul and other featured talent. 

Serrano’s upcoming bout against Katie Taylor is the most anticipated rematch in women’s boxing history, following their face off at Madison Square Garden in 2022, where they became the first-ever women fighters to headline an event at the iconic venue. Taylor vs. Serrano 2 will take place on Friday, November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, live globally and free to watch for all tiers of Netflix subscribers beginning at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT. 

On Sunday, December 1, fans will also have the exciting opportunity to meet Serrano in person at a Total Wireless store located at 917 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11206. Serrano will be available for photos, as well as autographs and merch signings, giving fans a chance to connect with her up close.

For more information on Total Wireless, visit Totalwireless.com.

About Total Wireless

Total Wireless is a fast-growing, no-contract wireless provider covered by the Verizon 5G network. On a mission to raise the bar in prepaid wireless, Total Wireless offers plans with unlimited data and access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, prices guaranteed for five years (taxes and fees included), select free 5G phones with qualifying purchase plans, and more.

Total Wireless is part of the Verizon Value portfolio of prepaid brands, which includes Straight Talk, Visible, Tracfone, Simple Mobile, SafeLink, Walmart Family Mobile, and Verizon Prepaid. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services.

For more information on Total Wireless, visit one of its exclusive storefronts across the country, or check out Totalwireless.com.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions 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. Since inception MVP has consistently produced the biggest combat sports pay-per-view events. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. The company 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 is the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

Material Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

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

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MVP’S MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS 9 EXPANDS TO CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11I N PARTNERSHIP WITH AMANDA SERRANO

Press Release: September 7, 2024 By Most Valuable Promotions -  Rivera, Rosado, and Chaparro to feature on main card of MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 9 at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza, available globally on DAZN subscription

NEW YORK, NY – September 6, 2024 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced its expansion into Puerto Rico for the ninth installment of its Most Valuable Prospects series, set to take place in Caguas, Puerto Rico at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza on Friday, October 11th, available globally on DAZN subscription. Universal Promotions will serve as the official promoter with Boxlab Promotions serving as co-promoter for Most Valuable Prospects 9, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy. Most Valuable Prospects 9 marks a significant milestone for MVP as it brings its up-and-coming talent showcase series to Puerto Rican soil for the first time in partnership with MVP’s boxing trailblazer, the most decorated Puerto Rican champion of all time, Amanda Serrano and her manager Jordan Maldonado. The partnership, first announced in March 2024 at MVP’s marquee event in San Juan, aims to identify, sign, and develop Puerto Rican fighters with MVP. The company now welcomes 23-year-old Puerto Rican National Team star Jan Paul Rivera, 21-year-old sensation Krystal Rosado, and three-time US national boxing champion and high-fashion model Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro to the MVP roster. 

Most Valuable Prospects 9 will be headlined by Jan Paul Rivera (10-0, 6 KOs) vs. Andy “Skeletor” Beltran (8-0, 5 KOs) in a 8-round featherweight bout for the WBC Latino regional title. Krystal Rosado (4-0, 2 KOs) and Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro will also compete on the main card. The event represents MVP’s expanding ventures in Puerto Rico to spotlight the island’s rich boxing heritage and identify development opportunities with Puerto Rican talent. Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 9 are on sale now at ticketera.com.

In the main event, Most Valuable Prospects 9 will feature the highly-anticipated return of recent Most Valuable Prospects standout, Jan Paul Rivera (10-0, 6 KOs). Rivera, the 23-year-old featherweight prospect from Salinas, Puerto Rico, was a decorated member of the Puerto Rican national boxing team as an amateur, competing in over 200 bouts. His amateur accolades include winning two straight Puerto Rico Elite National Championships in 2020 and 2021, as well as the Puerto Rico Youth National Championships in 2018 and 2019. He also earned a silver medal at the AIBA Youth World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2018. Across his 10-fight professional career to date, Rivera has competed across the USA, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia, furthering his aspirations to become a global star in the sport. He most recently took home a knockout win over then-8-0 Justin Goodson in the main event of MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 7. He now will compete in the main event of Most Valuable Prospects 9 against Andy “Skeletor” Beltran (8-0, 5 KOs) in a 8-round featherweight bout. Beltran comes to the ring from Las Vegas, Nevada ready to test his own undefeated streak and knockout power as they compete for the WBC Latino regional title.

"Signing with Amanda Serrano, Nakisa Bidarian, Jake Paul, and MVP is a great opportunity for me to become a star, and I’m proud to be joining such a dynamic, talented team,” said Jan Paul Rivera. “Most Valuable Prospects 9 is more than just another fight for me—it's a chance to showcase my skills and represent my home in Puerto Rico. I can’t wait to put on a show for my fans at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza."

Also joining the main card will be the 21-year-old sensation Krystal Rosado (4-0, 2 KOs), the first fighter signed by Amanda Serrano. The Carolina, Puerto Rico native made her professional debut on MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 2 show in August 2023, stunning fans with a ferocious second-round KO against Tarrethia Dixon. Rosado went on to compete on MVP’s historic Serrano vs. Ramos card in October 2023, earning her decisive second win over Hungary’s Kata Pap, before appearing in front of her home fans at the legendary Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan as part of MVP’s main card in March 2024. In front of her home fans, Rosado put on a ferocious show, displaying her championship potential against Gloria Munguilla. 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. Rosado will now make her formal debut as an MVP fighter in her fifth professional bout on Friday, October 11.

"As the first fighter signed by Amanda Serrano, I want to make my island proud and put on a show every time I step into the ring,” said Krystal Rosado. “Joining MVP is an incredible honor, and I’m excited to grow further now with Nakisa and Jake in my corner. Competing in Caguas is a big moment for me, and I’m ready to show everyone what I’m capable of. This event is an amazing opportunity to highlight the young talent coming out of Puerto Rico, and I’m thrilled to be part of it."

Alexis "Chop Chop" Chaparro (2-0, 2 KOs) also has now signed with Most Valuable Promotions and will make his return to the ring for Most Valuable Prospects 9. The 23-year-old Chaparro, raised in Ridgewood, New York, is a three-time national boxing champion who 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 over Daniel Augare in his pro debut on Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024, before scoring a stunning second round knockout over Kevin Hill on the preliminary card of MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry in July 2024. 

"Signing with both MVP and Amanda Serrano is a big step in my career, and I couldn’t be more excited to represent my Puerto Rican roots on Friday, October 11,” said Alexis "Chop Chop" Chaparro. “Being part of MVP feels like the perfect fit, and I’m looking forward to making my mark in the ring and continuing to advance my career under Nakisa and Jake’s guidance. This is just the beginning, and I’m ready to show the world what I’m made of."

“MVP’s expansion into Puerto Rico in partnership with Amanda Serrano and Jordan Maldonado underscores our commitment to developing and showcasing the wealth of boxing talent from Puerto Rico,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of MVP. “We are proud to formally welcome Jan, Krystal, and Alexis as the newest signees to the MVP family and look forward to featuring these young, exciting stars in front of their home fans at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza on Friday, October 11. We are continuing our mission to expand our talent roster and support fighters with the potential to become global stars at MVP. This event not only represents a new chapter for MVP but also reinforces our dedication to elevating the sport of boxing with top talent from around the world.”

“We’ve worked hard to identify fighters who embody the spirit and dedication of Puerto Rican boxing, and working alongside MVP to elevate fighters like Jan, Krystal, and Alexis is a dream come true,” said Amanda Serrano and Jordan Maldonado. “We know firsthand what it means to have the support of your home fans in the ring, and we’re excited to see the next generation of future champions shine on Friday, October 11. This is just the beginning of something special for MVP and Puerto Rico.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Universal Promotions serving as the official promoter, co-promoted by Boxlab Promotions, and is distributed globally by DAZN. The ninth event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. The Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida is a sponsor of Most Valuable Prospects 9, and Fansly and Event Ticket Center have joined on to sponsor the Most Valuable Prospects series as well.

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.

Material Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission. 

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

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.

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

Paul-Tyson/Taylor-Serrano 2 Rescheduled For November 15 On Netflix

Press Release: June 7, 2024 By Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix -  Statement From Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix Pictured Below:

Credit: Most Valuable Promotions/Netflix

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

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

BREAKING: Official Statement From Most Valuable Promotions Regarding Serrano-Meinke Cancellation

Credit: Most Valuable Promotions 

In a follow up to the breaking story regarding the cancellation of the scheduled Women's World Featherweight championship fight between defending champion Amanda Serrano and IBF number one contender Nina Meinke, which was cancelled moments before it was to take place before a sell out crowd at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico  on Saturday night, the promoter of the card, Most Valuable Promotions have released a statement, which can be read in the photo above.

We will continue to keep readers updated on any developments as they become available.

Statement Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

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

BREAKING: SERRANO NOT CLEARED TO COMPETE, TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST MEINKE CANCELLED

The scheduled twelve, three minute round Women's Unified World Featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and Nina Meinke, which was to main event a Most Valuable Promotions card held this evening Saturday,March 2nd) at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico was cancelled moments before it was to take place. In an announcement made to the sell out crowd, it was revealed by an emotional champion Serrano that she was not cleared to compete due to an eye injury that is currently affecting her vision.

The remainder of the card, which featured social media influencer, turned Cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul scoring a first round stoppage of Ryan Bourlandbefore the main event was to take place, went on as scheduled. Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) went onto announce that they will be issuing refunds to everyone in attendance.

A visably distraught Serrano, who was consoled by her promoter Jale Paul vowed that the fight will be rescheduled when she is healthy and it will take place at the venue. The extent of the injury remains unknown as of this writing, but the Featherweight champion indicated it was an injury to her cornea. We will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

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Serrano And Paul Set To Share Stage

The month of March in the sport of Boxing will begin with a unique doubleheader that will take place at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday, March 2nd, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. What makes it unique? It is a rare opportunity to see a superstar fighter and that fighter’s promoter competing on the same card, much less in the event’s two headline attractions.

In the main event of the evening Unified Women5IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano will defend her crown against IBF number one contender Niina Meinke. In October of last year, Serrano, the then undisputed champion of the division, took part in a groundbreaking moment for the sport in scoring a unanimous decision over Danila Ramos in Orlando, FL. The historical significance of the occasion was that the world championship bout was the first one in Boxing history where female fighters fought for a distance of twelve, three minute rounds. The same world championship distance as men's world title bouts.

As groundbreaking and overdue as that moment was for the sport in taking a major step forward towards equality, with the champion declaring that she would prefer to continue competing at the twelve three minute round distance for the remainder of her career shortly after defeating Ramos, it was not long after that fight where Serrano would lose her status as an undisputed world champion. This was due to the World Boxing Council (WBC) refusing to sanction women's world title bouts at the same distance and round length as men's bouts. In response, Serrano relinquished the WBC World Featherweight championship.

It goes without saying that Boxing is a sport where world championships are relinquished and stripped for a variety of reasons, which most of the time has to do with the politics of the sport. While this observer can go on and on, on that subject, Serrano's decision to willingly lose her undisputed champion status should be applauded. Applauded because it not only showed her intentions to help bring about equality in the sport for women was legitimate, but her conviction in wanting to see world title fights in Women's Boxing moved to the same standard as their male counterparts was so strong that when a prominent sanctioning organization, which was the first to sanction world title bouts for female fighters, refused to also take that step towards equality, Serrano put principle over whatever potential financial gain she might acquire as being one of the few undisputed champions in the entire sport, male or female.

While one can hope that the WBC will eventually join in the movement of progress for female fighters in the sport, Serrano, still the number one fighter in Featherweight division regardless of the label of undisputed being involved, will move forward with her career. The first step in that comes in her next title defense against the International

Boxing Federation's (IBF) number one contender Nina Meinke.

Meinke, a veteran of twenty-one professional fights, will come into this fight on a six fight winning streak and has won eighteen of her twenty-one professional bouts. She is also a former world title challenger having previously come up short in a challenge of then IBF Featherweight world champion Sarah Mahfoud in April 2022.

One crucial element to keep in mind is Amanda Serrano has won world titles in eight different weight divisions. While that may be reflective of Women’s Boxing still being very much in the process of growing, in that it is not uncommon for fighters to move up or down the weight scale depending on what opportunities may be available to them to fight for a world championship, often on a fight by fight basis, what Serrano has also accumulated over her forty-nine bout professional career is a level of experience that few fighters can compare to simply because the sport for women is still growing. There is no doubt in this observer’s mind that Serrano will use every bit of that experience including the fact that she now has the added attribute of having gone twelve, three minute rounds before to her advantage. 

The question here will largely fall on Meinke's shoulders in whether or not she will be able to compete against Serrano and more specifically, how she will respond to fighting under three minute rounds and the possibility of going twelve rounds. It is something that hopefully as more Women's world title bouts are held under the twelve, three minute round format will become less of an issue, but for the foreseeable future, fighters who have been accustomed to Boxing as far as ten rounds, where the length of those rounds are two minutes in duration, it will be a question of if they will be able to adjust to the format that is standard for their male counterparts. Meinke only has three knockouts in her eighteen career wins. This suggests that that fight plan for her will be to try and out point the champion over the course of the twelve round bout. 

While that may seem like an advantage for a fighter that is used to not only going the distance, but also having to implement an approach to score points to win decisions, Serrano is also a highly skilled boxer who has punching power in both hands. It will be up to Meinke to show what she will be able to do in this fight and more specifically, if she will be able to do it fighting under a longer format both in terms of round length and the scheduled distance that might determine how successful she is in this second opportunity to capture a world championship.

One fighter who will share the stage with Serrano and will look to showcase his evolving skills shortly before the Featherweight champion of the world takes to the ring for the main event, is social media influencer turned Cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul. Longtime readers know the stance of this observer with regard to the influx of celebrity that has made it’s way into the Boxing ring over the last several years, which has been given a slightly different name of “Influencer Boxing.” While those who enter the sport from an outside background should not be judged simply off of that background, I have also been critical when appropriate when it comes to those would be fighters seeming to have the mentality that they can face either other influencers and combat athletes from different disciplines/sports other than Boxing and expect to be taken seriously as would be contenders who may eventually challenge for a world championship, much less pushed and marketed as pay-per-view stars in an era where consumers continue to reject such a model. Paul has been one fighter that I have criticized for these reasons.

It should be noted however, that following his victory over MMA veteran Nate Diaz last summer, Paul opted to take a more conventional route for any boxer looking to work his way up in the sport of Boxing. Choosing to box his next fight in a more intimate setting of the Caribe Royale Resort ballroom in Orlando, FL on December 15th when he faced Cruiserweight boxer Andre August. While this was only the second time in Paul’s career where he was not on a pay-per-view as an attraction or the main event, it signaled a step forward towards proving himself to be a serious boxer by facing someone with a Boxing background, but also someone who did not have much known about him prior to the fight. Essentially, the type of opponents any would-be prospect will face as their careers and skillset develops. Paul simply took care of business on that December evening dropping August for the count with a right uppercut that ended matters at 2:32 of the first round.

Although there is not much one can say about a one punch knockout, something that Paul has done against MMA fighters, with little or no Boxing experience and other celebrities before in his career, The fact that he was able to do it against someone who was a boxer, and more specifically, how he set up the knockout by going to the body and waiting for the opening to land the knockout blow, did show progress. Now Paul looks to follow that victory by facing another boxer in the form of nineteen fight veteran Ryan Bourland, which on the surface represents a step up for Paul in terms of the experience that his opponent has. Bourland, a native of Dickinson, ND will enter into this encounter with a record of 17-2, with 6 Knockouts. He has won his last three bouts including a knockout win over a fighter named Santario Martin in his last bout. What some may see as potential red flags however, is that last bout for him took place in September 2022 and much like August, who was a Texas State Light-Heavyweight champion in his career prior to facing Paul, not much is known about Bourland and  obtaining footage for the purposes of research for this observer, a noted Boxing historian and one who studies fight films daily did prove to not be successful. An interesting note that is coincidental is both August and Bourland fought Santario Martin in their careers, and each does have a victory over him. Bourland does have a knockout victory over him however, compared to August’s decision victory over him in November 2019.

While this is coincidental and some may at minimum say that Paul’s handlers are scouting opponents from similar circles, it is important to keep in mind that there are countless fighters throughout the entire sport that toil on the local and regional levels of Boxing that take fights whenever they are offered, are willing to travel anywhere for those opportunities on often short notice, and are the true workman of the sport because of their willingness to get in and mix it up with anyone whenever an opportunity becomes available and/or is offered. In this case, the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight  and 190lb. Cruiserweight divisions are in close proximity to each other and it is not unusual to see fighters on those local/regional levels bounce up and down between divisions depending on what opportunity might be available. For those fighters who have such a career on that level as they look for an opportunity to move up towards an opportunity that might establish them as a contender, it is not unusual for fighters to have some common opposition on that path.

The question here is what Ryan Bourland will bring with him in terms of skillset into this fight. Paul has shown numerous times that he has a primary weapon, his right hand and per his being a celebrity, all of his fights have been televised in some form. While this may not seem like much to the reader, what it does provide is at least an opportunity for Bourland to study his opponent, whereas Paul may not have had that same opportunity. Bourland does have six knockouts in his seventeen wins, but he does not seem to be a fighter with punching power. Of his two losses, Bourland does have a first round knockout loss at the hands of a fighter named Israel Duffus in a fight that took place nearly nine years ago in July 2015 in Hollywood, CA. 

Much as was the case for his last fight, the element of the unknown has followed Jake Paul into this fight in terms of his opposition. These are the types of fights that are crucial for a fighter’s development if they do want to work their way up towards possible contention and hope to eventually challenge for a world championship. With the rarest of exceptions, the vast majority of fighters are not afforded the opportunity to take short cuts and try to get to that point faster and for most boxers, this is the path that they need to take as well as compete frequently not only to obtain the necessary experience against different types of opposition with varying styles, but also to try and get more opportunities that might be higher up on the ladder of contention. At least for what will be his last two fights by the time he faces Bourland, Paul seems to have realized this and it will be interesting to see how he continues to develop against fighters with a Boxing background, who likely view Paul due to his celebrity status as an opportunity to make a name for themselves. With one win and one loss coming against fighters with a Boxing background, it’s now time to see what this next step in Paul’s development as a boxer will look like.

An evening of Boxing featuring two steps toward progress. One towards equality in Boxing and the other perhaps a further step in a fighter’s developing career. It should be an entertaining night of Boxing. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Serrano vs. Meinke / Paul vs. Bourland takes place on Saturday, March 2nd at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The card can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning with preliminary bouts at 4:30PM ET/1:30PM PT. This will be followed by the main card, which will begin at 7PM ET/4PM PT. 

(*U.S. Times Only.*]

(*Card Subject To Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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

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Update: Serrano/Paul Feature

We would like to let our readers know that a feature discussing the upcoming doubleheader featuring Unified World Featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and social media influencer, turned Cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul, which will take place on Saturday, March 2nd in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is in the works and will be released here on the website on Thursday, February 29th. Stay tuned.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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

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A Boxing Wishlist For 2024

As the calendar turns to another year, that means it is time once again for what has become a tradition to start the year every year here on The Boxing Truth®️. Yours truly is referring to this observer’s annual “Boxing Wishlist" of things that I would like to see take place in the new year.

For those who may be new to this tradition, this is not a Wishlist in the sense of a numbered list from 1 to 10 as an example, but what I will do is list an item and proceed with an explanation as to why it is on the list and hopefully a brief explanation or as brief as I can make it within the context of a single column as to my feelings on the subject.  Unfortunately, to those who are loving readers,some items that have been on the list in years past will remain on the list this year, but as frustrating as that might be, it is worth revisiting and updating the various subjects that remain in the list in present context.

With what I hope is as clear an explanation of the structure/criteria both for new readers who may be reading this observer’s work for the first time as well as a refresher for longtime readers, there is only one thing left to do. Get down to business. As was the case for the 2023 edition of “A Boxing Wishlist," each item on the list will be highlighted in an effort to make it easier for readers rather than simply moving from paragraph to paragraph as one would expect in a standard column.

“A Boxing Wishlist For 2024”

To see Women's Boxing moved to three minute rounds:

In October of 2023, the Boxing world was treated to a truly historic moment when Featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano defended her unified crown against top contender Danila Ramos in Orlando, FL. What made this a truly historic event in Boxing history was it was the first world championship fight for women in the sport scheduled for twelve rounds and a three minute round length. The same distance and round length as men's world championship bouts.

As one who has long advocated for Women's Boxing through my various writings in almost three decades, this was an emotional moment for me, a man who has never competed in the ring, but one who has said for years that the sport for women needed to be held in the same regard and light as their male counterparts. While only in recent years has the United States seemingly caught up with the rest of the world in staging women's bouts as the main event on cards also featuring men's bouts, a major step towards equality that I had been yelling for, for years was to see women's bouts moved from a two minute round length to the standard of three minutes along with the adaptation of a twelve round distance for world championship fights.

Although the argument of a two minute round length has been used to push narratives regarding both the excitement of women's bouts, but more specifically to address safety concerns, it is an argument that is flawed on both subjects. Firstly, despite fights with two minute rounds having an obvious quicker pace, it does not necessarily equate to an exciting fight and the old adage of styles make fights still applies as it would for men's bouts. Secondly, even though the issue of safety should be taken with the utmost importance at all times, the argument for keeping two minute rounds loses credibility when one considers that women in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight in bouts scheduled for three five minute rounds for non-title fights and five, five minute rounds for world championship fights, the same standards as what men's bouts in the sport are held. 

When one also considers that women boxers also now compete in various forms of Bareknuckle Boxing, the argument for not allowing female fighters to box under the same standards as men in traditional professional Boxing has less credibility. If one were to look for more evidence, they need look no further than the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan in 2021. All women's bouts held in the Boxing tournament in every weight class were held with a three minute round length. More importantly, there were no serious injuries and the fighters who competed in the tournament showed they can do so under the same structure as their male counterparts.

As for what Serrano and Ramos were able to show on October 27, 2023, they too proved they can box in three minute rounds and what was an exciting fight from the opening bell was loudly and proudly applauded by the crowd in attendance in Orlando, FL who spent the majority of the final four rounds giving both fighters a standing ovation. This observer is not ashamed to say that as I covered the bout remotely, the emotion of both the significance of what was taking place as well as the fight itself got the better of me and I had tears in my eyes because seeing it validated everything I ever believed could be possible for Women's Boxing and also vindicated my coverage of women's bouts going back to when I started my writing journey in the mid-1990’s where people would actually say among other things,“Why do you waste your time covering women's fights, no one takes it seriously.” It may have taken almost three decades for me to both see and cover a woman's world championship bout fought for twelve three minute rounds, but I do consider it one of the highlights of my career.

The then Undisputed Featherweight champion Amanda Serrano retained her crown with a twelve round unanimous decision. Unfortunately, as there always seems to be in Boxing, it turned out to be one significant step forward towards equality, but a few steps back in the process. This was due to Serrano indicating immediately after that fight her intention to box in three minute rounds for the remainder of her career, which the World Boxing Council (WBC) has refused to sanction Women's bouts fought with three minute rounds and a twelve round distance for world championship fights. In a true display of integrity, class, and also proving she was serious, Serrano relinquished the WBC World Featherweight championship due to the sanctioning organization’s refusal to allow equality. Along with relinquishing that championship, Serrano also willingly gave up her status as an undisputed champion, putting principle over whatever financial gain she might have received as an undisputed champion.

With all due respect to the WBC, I stand with Serrano and all the other female fighters that want to be equal to their male counterparts. Although Serrano is getting ready to defend the remainder of her titles in March in a fight that will again be scheduled for twelve three minute rounds, at some point in 2024, I would like to see all the respective state athletic commissions, international regulatory boards as well as the various sanctioning organizations adapt the same standards that are used for men's bouts for women. While for the moment, it appears outside of the WBC, that such a standard has to be requested by the fighters themselves, all of those who are tasked with regulating the sport need to realize that it is 2024 and there is no longer any legitimate argument that should prevent women from being able to compete under the same format as men. 

To See Boxing Finally Realize The Time Has Come To Move Away From Pay-Per-View:

Perhaps the one subject that has been on this “Boxing Wishlist '' year after year and for a legitimate reason is to see the hold outs as I call them, who have relied on the pay-per-view model to admit it's time to change. The pay-per-view model unfortunately is something that gets a lot of coverage by yours truly, but as years have gone on, it is because it is a model that does more harm to Boxing than it benefits the sport. In addition to often asinine price points, which are no longer of value to consumers in an increasingly subscription-based streaming world, which predictably has led to an increase in declining buy returns for promoters and networks as consumers continue to reject pay-per-view, the latest casualty was the recent exit of United States premium cable network Showtime, who after thirty-seven years exited the sport after spending much of the last several years producing overpriced pay-per-view cards rather than producing consistent cards on their main network.

In responding to the criticism of the frequent use of the model in the years before Showtime's parent company Paramount Global pulled the plug not just on Showtime’s Boxing programming, but of the network’s sports division as well, then president of Showtime Sports Stephen Espinoza claimed proudly that “Pay-Per-View is a tool." While I do not intend to kick anyone who lost their jobs as a result of Paramount's decision to get out of Boxing and also sports altogether as far as Showtime was concerned, it does not take a rocket scientist to understand that while there may have been other contributing factors, which led to that decision, the primary one was the use, overuse, and insistence on an outdated model, which subsequently led to significant losses financially. 

With networks like Showtime and HBO before them having now exited Boxing due largely to the pay-per-view model, with the sport seemingly about to embark on a streaming-based future in 2024, it is imperative that the networks that remain including DAZN, ESPN/ESPN+, as well as recent newcomer Peacock, and soon to enter Amazon Prime Video realize that the time to get away from pay-per-view has arrived and the insistence of those who demand the use of such a model no longer has credibility as evidence continues to point in the direction that pay-per-view is not the answer nor is it a cure-all for the flaws in the sport, particularly on the business end of it, it is a cause of a lot of what holds Boxing back and that will not change though the distribution model seemingly has officially changed from cable/satellite to streaming.

Equally as imperative is the need for those who believe pay-per-view is the only way to make additional revenue including, but not limited to fighters purses for a given bout, to seek alternative ways to get that revenue without alienating consumers.  While major sports leagues here in the United States and internationally have what can be called premium packages marketed to consumers through cable/satellite and now streaming, the athletes in those respective sports make additional revenue through advertising and endorsement deals. The various leagues also benefit from those sources of revenue beyond their licensing rights and live gate attendance figures.

An analogy this observer has used frequently to illustrate the point that pay-per-view does more harm than good for the sport is comparing access of Boxing's biggest events, or what is thought to be via pay-per-view to the playoffs of the National Football League (NFL). Although the NFL has two separate streaming packages for consumers to watch all the league’s games, NFL Sunday Ticket, through YouTube and the league's own NFL+ streaming platform, all playoff games remain free and both of the aforementioned streaming offerings are for games that one would not see in their local market and in the case of NFL+ on demand access of every game in addition to being able to live stream games in one's local market, as big as the NFL has become, imagine if the league came out and said we're going to a pay-per-view model where consumers will have to pay $70+ per game and $85+ for playoff games and the Super Bowl. It should not take a rocket scientist to see that such a model would take the NFL or any other sports league that would attempt it from extremely profitable, popular, and a guaranteed ratings winner for any network, traditional or streaming, and turn it into something that would resemble the stock market crash in the late 1920’s which led to the great depression.

While it is an extreme analogy, it nevertheless illustrates the need to appeal to consumers and what would happen if consumers were to be alienated by what would be asinine business decisions. Despite Boxing and by extension Combat Sports being considered by some to be niche sports or products, much like other organized sports, the need to appeal to a wide audience and make your events as accessible and consumer-friendly as possible exists and for Boxing and other combat sports to continue to rely on a model that has not been consumer-friendly in decades, even as more networks have left the sport and consumers continue to reject said model, is to put it in a word asinine.

To see more fights of significant interest not placed behind expensive paywalls:

To continue with the need for Boxing to move away from pay-per-view, part of the issue, which has led Boxing to what some may feel is a crossroads moment as 2024 begins is the need for Boxing promoters and networks involved in the sport to produce fights that will be of significant interest to draw eyes to the sport, but also do so without requiring a high price tag for consumers to access said events. Originally, this was the strategy of digital subscription-based streaming network DAZN, who upon its entry into the United States in 2018 proclaimed a greater value to consumers by producing pay-per-view quality Boxing events “Without The Pain Of Pay-Per-View!"

It was a successful strategy until the global COVID-19 epidemic hit in late 2019 and 2020, which caused a ripple effect throughout all of sports and for networks like DAZN, with no live sports taking place throughout much of the world through various stages of the epidemic, significant financial losses. While the implementation of pay-per-view, which began for DAZN in 2022 was understandable to a degree in that losses needed to be recouped and the explanation of needing a pay-per-view option, which they insist will be on a selective/occasional basis that will not devalue the network’s core subscription business, was also a way to get those who insisted on such a model to the negotiating table, the time has come to go back to the original strategy and strengthen their subscription-based model as much as possible.

With another network now out of the sport because of relying too much on pay-per-view and also not holding promoters and maybe even fighters who insisted on it's use to a standard of accountability for failing to reach profitable numbers and do so on a consistent basis, which likely would have kept Showtime involved in the sport beyond 2023, it's imperative that networks like DAZN do not follow that same path and use what was working for them prior to circumstances of a global epidemic that essentially shut down the world. Although COVID-19 still exists, we are now years removed from the point where there were shutdowns across the globe and as far as sports is concerned, things are pretty much back to where they were prior to 2020.

If the argument for the continued use is to get folks to the negotiating table and those folks attempt to point to what are perceived successes of the model by selecting certain events as a means of trying to justify their case, arguably Showtime had what was perceived by some to be one of their most successful years in the sport in 2023, even though the bulk of the content produced was produced not for the main Showtime network, but for pay-per-view, it is obvious that it was not a successful strategy as they are now on the outside, looking in. Furthermore, those perceived successes fail to address the issues of refunds having to be issued for Showtime’s events due to technical problems through the now defunct Showtime streaming app, as was the case for the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia event last April, which was also streamed through DAZN and had widespread problems resulting in significant refunds having to be issued. While some may omit facts like that as a means of trying to push a narrative, it does make one question just how successful the model truly was for Showtime even though by appearances they appeared to have a successful 2023.

In any case, the argument for its continued use in spite of evidence that it is no longer a successful formula for the sport is diminished further when one also considers that pay-per-view in recent years has also been contractually obligated. Meaning that a network like Showtime was obligated to produce a certain number of pay-per-view cards over the duration of a contract with a promoter, which in their case was the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters. The obvious flaw with such a structure is it did not matter what specific fights would be reserved for pay-per-view, which ultimately meant that most of the resources went to pay-per-view and away from Showtime's main network. This also meant that fights and cards with limited appeal that might have otherwise have aired as part of the network’s main Boxing programming were moved to pay-per-view and predictably failed to deliver a profit for all involved.

Simply put, the original concept of pay-per-view as not only providing value for consumers, but also only being reserved for rare special events no longer exists and essentially putting fights on the model simply because it can be done rather than merit and also not at a price point that appeals to consumers is a recipe for failure. As 2024 begins, there is a significant opportunity for the aforementioned networks, which operate primarily under a subscription-based model to redefine the idea of offering value through their respective subscription plans.

What this observer means by that is not only providing value in terms of the quantity of Boxing content offered, but also in an effort to re-establish the sport in the eyes of consumers, producing fights and cards of significant interest, but without the expensive price tag. While some in the sport including perhaps some fighters might turn their nose up at such an idea, the reality is it needs to happen for the long-term health of the sport, otherwise circumstances like what has happened with Showtime leaving Boxing will continue happening if the networks that remain and potential new platforms are not making a profit to make their investments in the sport viable and that will not happen by continuing to rely on an outdated model even if said model was the status quo in a previous era. Simply put, times change and the business structure of Boxing needs to evolve.

Conclusion:

As the calendar now turns to 2024, the aforementioned items on this observer’s “Boxing Wishlist” are just some of what would benefit the sport moving forward. While 2024 appears as though it will look different and perhaps feel different in terms of how the sport is presented, one should feel at least a little optimistic that there is at least the potential for Boxing to be in a better position at the conclusion of this year than was the case at the end of 2023. One item that has been on the “Wishlist” for many years that has seen progress made and thus has not been included as a highlighted item is the need for Boxing to establish one world champion per weight division. In recent years, there has been progress made towards this goal for both men and women competing in the sport, but I should not have to tell you dear reader, there is still much more that can be, and should be done. 

Although I have decided at least for this year’s list to omit this topic as a highlighted item, it does nevertheless remain relevant because it is still a work in progress. Part of that progress needs to be a commitment not only by the fighters involved, but also by the various sanctioning organizations to keep world championships unified once they become undisputed championships. This is not an easy task given that there are five recognized world sanctioning organizations, each with their own rules and mandatory defense obligations that need to be met on an annual basis, but for true progress to be made where it is not viewed as temporary, there needs to be an effort by all involved to ensure that the process of making unification bouts, which is often a long, drawn out, and complicated one due in part to the aforementioned organizations’ respective policies, once that process has been done, it needs to be preserved to ensure that all the process that took place to unify a division, does not ultimately turn into a waste of time where the primary motivation will be to start said process all over again.

Some may view that, and all of what has been discussed on this “Boxing Wishlist For 2024” as truly “Wishful Thinking,” but the reality is evidence of the need to change could not be clearer and the need for significant progress and “Legitimate Progress” remains needed for the sport to grow and thrive. Let 2024 Begin!

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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