Showing posts with label Andre August. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andre August. Show all posts

Thursday, February 29, 2024

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



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Saturday, December 16, 2023

Paul KO's August In 1, A New Beginning?

The fight between aspiring boxer/social media influencer, and celebrity Andre August had the element of the unknowns surrounding it. Although Paul had compiled professional Boxing experience, he had done so against a majority of fighters with little or no previous Boxing experience as most of Paul’s previous opponents came from the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). This fact, along with the fact that most of those fighters, despite being notable names and former world champions in MMA, were arguably past their respective athletic primes, the question of whether or not Paul should be taken seriously remained. Even after suffering a loss to professional boxer Tommy Fury earlier this year in a competitive and close fight, that question still surrounds Paul.


After bouncing back with a ten round unanimous decision over Nate Diaz over the summer, Paul returned to the ring against professional boxer and Texas State Light-Heavyweight champion Andre August on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. The element of the unknown in this fight surrounded August as an opponent in that, despair an impressive record of 10-1-1, with 5 Knockouts going into the bout, he was not well-known even to seasoned Boxing scribes like yours truly.


Although as this observer pointed out in previewing this fight, the fact that August was unknown may have been seen as a red flag to some, the reality is most boxers do not begin their careers with fanfare or buzz and for most, the early portion of their careers consists of fighting against up and coming fighters on a local and regional level as they look to gradually progress towards being considered a prospect, then contender, and then attempting to become a world champion of they progress successfully. This is the conventional way that most fighters approach their careers.


Despite being unsuccessful in being able to find any footage of August prior to the fight, a rarity especially in the YouTube age for this Boxing historian, I viewed this fight as a possible step forward for Paul. In that this was the kind of fight that he would have been fighting had he taken a more conventional route to begin his career. It was also worth taking notice that unlike some of his previous outings, this fight was more about the fight itself as opposed to the event. The location, the Caribe Royale in Orlando, a venue that has quickly become a favorite on the Florida Boxing scene, was one of a more intimate setting compared to larger arenas where Paul's previous bouts have taken place. While that may be viewed by some as a step down, it is common for professional boxers to compete in venues like this on their way up by competing on cards promoted by promoters that have a local and regional reach. 


The difference here was Paul was also the promoter of this card under his Most Valuable Promotions promotional banner. Another aspect of this fight that differed from his other bouts was that Paul appeared to be more serious and that mindset would carry over into the fight as his aura was one of all business once he got in the ring.


While the onus was on August to show what he brought to the table in terms of opposition to Paul, Paul impressed me with his lateral movement, how he tried to give August angles, and how he mixed up his attack by throwing combinations to the body and head. Clearly, Paul had spent time in training refining the basics and fundamentals of Boxing, which is something that even seasoned fighters have difficulty sticking to in the midst of battle. What also stood out was whenever he threw a punch in this fight, it was always in combination and because he seemed aware of his footing, it made it difficult for August, who was seemingly immediately put on defense, to get his punches off.


August did however, manage to connect with a looping right hand that landed flush on the side of Paul's head midway through the first round. Although this was my first time seeing Andre August in action, one thing I noticed was he had a tendency to dip low and to the side whenever he would throw his punches, perhaps in anticipation of what might be coming back from his opponent.


It was this tendency however, which Paul was able to take advantage of that would end the night for August quickly. Moments after he barely missed with an uppercut, Paul threw a double jab, which August tried to dip low to avoid, but as he did, he moved into a perfectly timed and beautifully thrown right uppercut that hit him flush in the face sending him flat on his back on the canvas, the fight was over at 2:32 of the first round.


While there is not much one can say about a fight that lasts two and a half minutes, this was an impressive victory for Paul on scoring box eighth professional win, his first against someone with a Boxing background, and one that should have people talking. As impressive as this victory was, it was still only one fight and it will be interesting to see if Paul continues on this path of figuring professional boxers with his long stated goal of becoming a world champion one day not yet near.


The primary takeaway here is Paul is developing as a fighter and if he continues down this path in 2024 and beyond, continues to get more experience by facing boxers with various styles, and continues to win against those with a Boxing background and can work himself to prospect or fringe contender status within the next year or two, it might then be time to take him seriously. The most important thing for him and his team to keep in mind is A he needs to stay as active as possible, B needs to be facing boxers from here on, and C the novelty fights with either those who are fellows influencers/celebrities or those who have a background in a different combat sport, should now be in the past if he is truly serious about being a boxer. For now, this victory over Andre August should be viewed as a new beginning,i mpressive, and a step forward.


“And That's The Boxing Truth."


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Thursday, December 14, 2023

Paul-August Preview

The career of aspiring Cruiserweight boxer and social media celebrity Jake Paul is set for one more chapter to close out 2023 as he will return to the ring on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort and Casino in Orlando, FL. Paul’s return to action, which will headline a card promoted by his own Most Valuable Promotions promotional company and be broadcast worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN will be his ninth fight as a professional boxer, but one might argue, could represent a legitimate step forward in that career. Paul’s previous outings in the Boxing ring have come against either fellow influencers/celebrities, one former NBA All-Star, retired MMA fighters with little or no Boxing experience, and one boxer in Tommy Fury, who was more known as the brother of current WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, and who was also known as a reality TV star in the United Kingdom. 


Despite that, Fury, who was unbeaten as a Cruiserweight boxer was able to hand Paul his first defeat as a pro boxer in defeating him via eight round split decision when they met in February of this year in Saudi Arabia. In his last fight in August of this year, Paul returned to what had been for better or worse, a successful formula when he faced MMA star Nate Diaz and scored a lopsided ten round unanimous decision over him in a fight where he was able to knock Diaz down and show evolving Boxing skills in the process. Beyond restoring his confidence after suffering the setback against Fury, this observer stated in his post-fight coverage of Paul’s victory over Diaz that there would come a point where those that have entered Boxing from a different background whether they be from YouTube or other forms of being an influencer, will have to realize that the standards of the sport will need to be respected. Meaning, that if those who have entered the sport from outside realms are truly serious about wanting to pursue a legitimate Boxing career inside the ring and challenging for world championships, as Paul has stated several times is one of his goals, they would need to fight those with a Boxing background and get the experience needed to get into a position to challenge for a world championship, which is no different than any other boxer who turns professional after competing in the amateurs and those who have turned professional with no previous amateur experience. 


Paul’s opponent on December 15th will come in the form of professional boxer Andre August. While this is a departure from Paul’s previous opponents in that August is not particularly known, even in Boxing circles up to this point, he is a fighter based out of Houston, TX and sports a record of 10-1,1, with 5 Knockouts in twelve professional fights. While August has not fought a notable opponent in those twelve bouts, he has won a Texas State championship in the Light-Heavyweight division in his young career, which began in May of 2013. Although a state championship in professional Boxing may not be seen as significant to some given the numerous regional and world championships and sanctioning organizations, which populate the sport, in actuality fighters that initially start out in professional Boxing do occasionally fight for a state title as they look to progress in their careers. In terms of what August brings to the table, that is the unknown that surrounds this fight as there is not much footage that could be found, by yours truly, who is a noted historian and one who has spent countless hours studying fight films for virtually my entire life. 


Despite the appearance of a possible red flag in that someone as seasoned as this observer could not find any footage of August prior composing this column, what I can say is that he has won his last five bouts, with one of those wins coming by knockout. August’s lone defeat came in September 2018 when he was stopped by a fighter named Eric Abraham in two rounds in Houston, TX. Even though there is not much to go on regarding Andre August going in, one possible advantage he might have is simply the fact that he has taken a more conventional route in his Boxing career, whereas Paul’s due to both his celebrity as well as the unconventional route he has taken, has been featured prominently in Boxing’s spotlight, though there might be some who feel that could be both a good and bad thing for the sport depending on one’s perspective. The advantage for him could be that some might view his resume as one that is somewhat under the radar and there is at least a possibility that Paul may not know much about the fighter he is facing, but August does have the opportunity to study every one of Paul’s previous bouts, which could at least in theory give him an edge going into the fight.


While there is simply not much to go on in terms of analyzing this bout, the reality is these are the types of fights any fighter needs to compete in as they look to progress from prospect, to contender, to potential world title challenger down the line. Although this is only one fight, it would seem that Jake Paul would appear to be showing that he is indeed serious and no matter what might happen in this fight, it will be interesting to see if he continues on this path, because after all, there is only so much one can truly learn by facing several fighters with little or no Boxing experience and those who while having combat sports experience in other disciplines, most notably in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), were towards the end of their competitive careers when Paul fought them. Even though those fights did draw significant attention and may be seen as a young kid getting his feet wet in a sport, it was an approach that was flawed, which was to a degree exposed when he fought someone with more than sporadic Boxing experience. At least this fight appears to be an initial step forward.


What Andre August brings to the table in this fight and how Jake Paul will be able to deal with that is something that remains to be seen.


“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”


Paul vs. August takes place on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort and Casino in Orlando, FL. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with preliminary bouts, which will be followed by the main card that will begin at 7:30PM ET/4:30PM PT. 


(*U.S. Times Only*)


(*Card and Start times 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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Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Paul-August Card And Broadcast Team Announced December 15th On DAZN

Press Release: November 28, 2023 By DAZN-  NEW YORK, NY – November 28, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the broadcast team and main card additions for the Jake Paul vs. Andre August and Most Valuable Prospects IV event taking place on Friday, December 15 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL live on DAZN as a part of its subscription package. Paul vs. August, presented by CELSIUS Essential Energy Drink, will feature famed voices in combat sports including Ariel Helwani, Todd Grisham and Dan Canobbio as the night’s commentators and ringside analysts, with YouTube boxing commentator Wade Plemons serving as host. The Most Valuable Prospects IV main card will feature two additional action-packed bouts between light middleweights Yoenis Tellez (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Livan Navarro (15-1, 9 KOs) for the WBA Continental Latin Americas title and heavyweights Lorenzo Medina (8-0, 7 KOs) vs. Joshua Temple (12-2, 10 KOs).



Tellez vs. Navarro and Medina vs. Temple will precede MVP’s 10-round special championship feature of Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green vs. FranchĂ³n Crews-Dezurn for the WBC super middleweight title and headliners Jake “The Problem Child” Paul vs. professional boxer Andre August in an 8-round cruiserweight fight. Tickets for Paul vs. August, Green vs. Crews-Dezurn and Most Valuable Prospects IV are available now at https://www.ticketmaster.com/most-valuable-promotions-jake-paul-vs-orlando-florida-12-15-2023/event/22005F67C7631182 starting at just $75.



Lorenzo Medina vs. Joshua Temple will kick off the Most Valuable Prospects IV main card with a 6-round heavyweight bout on Friday, December 15th. Medina, the 19-year-old heavy hitter and Most Valuable Prospects fan favorite, returns to Most Valuable Prospects IV from Hialeah, Florida to continue testing his 8-fight undefeated professional record against the more experienced Temple. The St. Louis, Missouri native Temple, a twelve-time national amateur champion, comes to the ring off a five-fight win streak ready to test his early-round knockout power on Medina.



Following the bout will be the highly-anticipated 10-round light middleweight Cuban battle between star prospect Yoenis Tellez vs. Livan Navarro for the WBA Continental Latin Americas title. Tellez (6-0, 5 KOs), from Stafford, Texas by way of Santiago, Cuba, made a name for himself in the opening PPV bout of the Terrence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. welterweight championship unification showdown, in which Tellez took on the far more experienced Sergio Ramos and dealt Ramos a brutal 3rd round knockout, the seasoned Garcia’s third loss in 37 professional matches – and his first loss by TKO. Tellez spent most of his youth in Cuba as an amateur boxer, winning national youth titles in 2017 and 2018 before moving to Russia in 2020 to make his pro debut. Tellez eventually moved to Texas in 2022 to begin training with Ronnie Shields. He is managed by Eduardo Perez and promoted by BoxLab Promotions and Warrior’s Boxing. 



Livan Navarro (15-1, 9 KOs), the Miami-based fighter out of Havana, Cuba, is on a four fight win streak and will take the ring against Tellez following a strong 15-1 start to his professional career and following an impressive 306-20 amateur record. Navarro made his pro debut at age 24 and secured an 11-0 record within his first three years as a professional, before suffering a hard loss to Justin DeLoach in 2020. Navarro enters the ring vs. Tellez coming off a four-fight win streak, seeking to put his name back at the top of the rankings. He is trained by Jorge Rubio.



Providing commentary on these fights will be an all-star broadcast team consisting of Todd Grisham, Wade Plemons, and Dan Canobbio. Beloved YouTube boxing commentator Wade Plemons will serve as host of the show, while Dan Canobbio, Fox Sports’ boxing regular and host of Pluto TV’s Inside Boxing Live returns to serve as analyst and commentator. ESPN veteran and DAZN combat sports reporter Todd Grisham will provide commentary and call the fights throughout the Paul vs. August and Most Valuable Prospects IV main card. Famed combat sports reporter Ariel Helwani will serve as the ringside reporter. The full main card will be offered on DAZN subscription to ensure accessibility to fans worldwide.



“We built the Most Valuable Prospects series on the foundation of giving young and upcoming talent a platform to display their skills and build their names on our stage. As we close out this year’s Most Valuable Prospects series on Friday, December 15th, we are proud to welcome back Lorenzo Medina, who alongside Yoenis Tellez, Livan Navarro, and Joshua Temple personify the skill and energy Most Valuable Prospects represents,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “With Shadasia Green battling for the WBC super middleweight championship and Jake continuing on his journey to being world champion, this is not only a card every boxing fan can enjoy, but is exactly what we envisioned when we launched this series. Thank you to DAZN, Caribe Royale Resort, BoxLab, and CELSIUS for this incredible year of partnership. We look forward to unveiling our next six installments in 2024 showcasing more of the young, rising athletes around the world.”



Fans will also get the opportunity to witness four additional preliminary bouts during the Paul vs. August fight. Cruiserweight Zachary Randolph (9-3-1, 3 KOs) out of Fairmont, WV will take on Pittsburgh, PA fighter Michael Manna (7-5, 4 KOs) over six rounds, and 19-year-old welterweight prospect Elijah Flores (6-0, 2 KOs) will put his undefeated record on the line against Javier Mayoral (6-3-1, 1 KO). Bantamweight Alex Gueche (2-0, 2 KOs), the 18-year-old out of Long Beach, CA will also take the ring for a four round bout, ahead of Xavier Bocanegra (3-0, 2 KOs)’s featherweight four round battle. 



Jake Paul vs. Andre August fight week events will be free to the public and will kick off Wednesday, December 13 at the Caribe Royale Resort with doors opening at 12 PM ET, with the fighters facing off at the final press conference before the big event. The press conference will begin at 1 PM ET and will be moderated by Todd Grisham and presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drink. The special championship feature fighters Shadasia Green and FranchĂ³n Crews-Dezurn will kick off the event, and then the main event fighters Jake Paul and Andre August will join them on the stage. The event will be broadcast across DAZN’s YouTube channel, MVP’s YouTube channel, and Jake Paul’s YouTube channel.



The public weigh-ins will also be free to the public and will be taking place on Thursday, December 14 at the Caribe Royale Resort at 5 PM ET, with doors opening at 4 PM ET. The weigh-ins will be shown live again on DAZN’s YouTube channel, MVP’s YouTube channel, and Jake Paul’s YouTube channel.



The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed by DAZN. The fourth 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 2023 and will be hosted by Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. The series has been renewed for six installments in 2024 and DAZN will air the series globally across its platforms as a part of its subscription package. CELSIUS Essential Energy Drinks, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of the Most Valuable Prospects series. Digital sports, entertainment, and gaming company DraftKings will serve as the Official Sports Betting Partner of Paul vs. August and Most Valuable Prospects IV. 



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



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Go to the app store on your chosen device, search ‘DAZN’ and download the DAZN app  


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Connect multiple devices to your account to watch at home or on the go  






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


 


About DAZN


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


 


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



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


 


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


 


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



Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.


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.




Wednesday, November 8, 2023

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR JAKE PAUL RETURNS TO THE RING TO FACE 10-1 PROFESSIONAL BOXER ANDRE AUGUST FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 LIVE ON DAZN



Credit: DAZN

Press Release: November 8, 2023 By DAZN -  Paul vs. August to headline Most Valuable Promotions’ Most Valuable Prospects IV at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, which will air live to global audiences via DAZN subscription 


 


Shadasia Green vs. FranchĂ³n Crews-Dezurn WBC super middleweight championship set for special championship feature


 


Tickets on sale Thursday, November 9 at 1:00pm ET at Ticketmaster.com


 


NEW YORK – November 8, 2023 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced international superstar Jake “The Problem Child” Paul (7-1, 4 KOs) will face professional boxer Andre August (10-1-1 5 KOs) in his highly-anticipated return to the ring as he continues his path to becoming a world champion on Friday, December 15 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. Paul vs. August, an eight-round cruiserweight fight, will headline MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects IV, presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drink, and is poised to be one of the biggest boxing events in Orlando’s history. August has the most experience and KOs of any opponent Paul has faced in his career. Despite shattering records by selling more pay-per-views in his first eight fights than any other boxer ever, Paul vs. August will be offered as part of the DAZN subscription package to ensure it is affordable and accessible to fans worldwide as August is introduced to the masses. Digital sports, entertainment, and gaming company DraftKings will serve as the event’s Official Sports Betting Partner. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, November 9 at 1:00pm ET on Ticketmaster.com.


 


December’s return to the ring promises to showcase Paul’s best effort and his toughest challenge yet as a hungry fighter ready to do whatever it takes to become a world champion.  Facing his first loss at the hands of Tommy Fury in February by a contentious split decision, Paul found himself back on top in August, defeating Nate Diaz by unanimous decision. In just three years since turning pro, Paul has collected multiple accolades, including ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of The Year, Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Breakout Boxer of the Year, and ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year. Paul also earned distinction on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s August 2023 issue, “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports,” for his success in the ring, his groundbreaking work to revolutionize pay equality in boxing, and his support of female fighters and boxing prospects through Most Valuable Promotions alongside co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. 


 


“I’m a professional boxer and I want to be world champion, so I need to pursue the path towards greatness against people who have been boxing their whole life,” said Jake Paul. “So far, my entire boxing career has been on pay-per-view, but now it’s about more than business. Now I want to build my experience in the ring against seasoned fighters. I’m coming to prove my greatness on Friday, December 15th live on DAZN for the world to see.”


 


Hailing from the streets of Beaumont, Texas, Andre August has emerged from the trenches to one of the biggest stages in boxing. Growing up, August found himself drawn into street fighting due to his involvement with gang activity following the passing of his mother during his sophomore year of high school. Fueled by an unyielding fire and a growing passion to do more, he made a defining choice to pursue boxing.


 


He faced insurmountable odds, yet his unrelenting determination and skill propelled him through the amateur ranks. August established himself as a self-made fighter, motivated to prove himself and make a lasting impact on the world of professional boxing. 


 


At 10-1-1 with five KO's, August has proven his tenacity and power in the ring. Coming off a unanimous decision victory over the undefeated 7-0 Brandon Martin and currently riding a five-fight winning streak, August will provide Jake Paul his toughest test in the ring to date.


“I don't talk very much. I’m all about that action! Jake Paul has the money, the fame, the team and the resources but he doesn’t have my hunger,” said Andre August. “When that bell rings, I am going to go straight to Jake Paul and ring his bell and send him back to YouTube for good.” 


MVP’s Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green is also set to take on FranchĂ³n Crews-Dezurn for the WBC super middleweight title, as a special championship feature on the Paul vs. August card – marking MVP’s latest significant women’s championship fight as the company works to establish equity across the sport. 


 


“I am the truth, and I’m going to show the world on Friday, December 15th that I’m the best,” said Shadasia Green. “FranchĂ³n – I’m better than you. All you are is a singer with a bad wig, so just show up and shut up.”


 


“I’m on a mission to continue to prove why I’m one of the greatest,” said FranchĂ³n Crews-Dezurn. “On Friday, December 15th, I’m going to put in the work, and I’m going to show you why I’m The Heavy Hitting Diva. You can snatch my wig off. I'm still that girl.”


 


“Jake’s global star power has already made him one of the biggest names in boxing. He’s sold more pay-per-views over his first eight fights than any other boxer ever and he’s one of the few names in the game advocating for women and prospects in the sport,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “And now he’s once again doing what very few of the best and biggest boxers in the world have done in their 9th professional fight – fighting someone with a better record and more experience. Pound-for-pound, the great Terrence Crawford fought a 9-14 opponent in his 9th fight, Canelo Alvarez fought a 0-1 opponent, and Gervonta Davis fought an opponent that had 31 losses! But Terence, Canelo and Gervonta didn’t have the world watching. Jake Paul does, and he’s once again putting it all on the line taking on a 10-1 opponent. Thank you to DAZN for working with us to make this event accessible to fans around the world. Paul vs. August and Green vs. Crews-Dezurn are going to make for an unforgettable fight night for fans.” 


 


“Jake Paul is one of the biggest names in boxing and we are delighted to be broadcasting his fight on Friday, December 15th,” said Joe Markowski, CEO of DAZN North America. “Jake has always stated he wants to be a World Champion and this is another step towards that dream. The world will be watching. Live and exclusive, only on DAZN.”


 


“On behalf of the entire team at Caribe Royale we’re excited to be hosting this event,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “Jake has made this his second home with the Most Valuable Prospect Series and we were proud when he and Nakisa decided to have us host this event in the great city of Orlando! As the only 4- diamond, all suite convention hotel in Florida, we strive to bring the best events to the Central Florida area for not only our out of town guests but local residents alike. December 15th will be a memorable, action packed night and we expect a sold out night at Caribe Royale!”


 


Paul vs. August on Friday, December 15 will headline MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects IV, featuring top up-and-coming boxing talent, with additional bouts to be announced in the coming weeks. Most Valuable Promotions will also continue to showcase its premiere talent throughout 2024 to global audiences on DAZN with multiple events set to return to the Caribe Royale Orlando. MVP’s undisputed featherweight champion and seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KOs) most recently defeated WBO challenger Danila Ramos in a historic 12-round, three-minute rounds unified featherweight title bout, equal to men’s championship fights, on October 27 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Directly preceding the fight was MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects III.


 


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


 


How to watch DAZN 


 


Visit DAZN.com and follow the steps to sign up now

Once signed up, download the DAZN app to watch on any device

Go to the app store on your chosen device, search ‘DAZN’ and download the DAZN app  

DAZN is available on your phone, tablet, smart TV, streaming devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles. 

Connect multiple devices to your account to watch at home or on the go  

 


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


 


About DAZN


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


 


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



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


 


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


 


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


Material and Photo Courtesy of DAZN Used with permission.




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.