Tag: JOET GONZALEZ

Lopez defeats Gonzalez by UD, Zayas impresses

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Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) successfully defended his IBF Featherweight by defeating Joet Gonzalez (26-4, 15 KOs) by unanimous decision at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday night. 

Lopez retained his belt with scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112.

In the opening round, Gonzalez pressured Lopez with punches to the body. By rounds three and four, though, Lopez found his distance and began using his legs to set up shots from the outside.
 
Gonzalez’s high guard made it difficult for Lopez to connect with his signature leaping punches, but occasional counterpunches on the inside kept Gonzalez from gaining momentum. 
Lopez seemed to fade in the later rounds, and with a sense of urgency, Gonzalez began pressuring Lopez as he did in the opening round.

Photos: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

However, it wasn’t enough as Lopez got the nod on the scorecards.

“We knew that Joet Gonzalez is a very dangerous fighter,” Lopez said. “He never stops attacking. He can take anything you throw at him. We knew that’s what he came to do and that he came with a lot of hunger to take the title away from me, but I also am very hungry to remain champion.”

Gonzalez thought the scorecards should have been closer.

“I thought the scores should have been a little closer,” Gonzalez said. “Overall, I am very disappointed in my performance. I felt that I could have done a lot better. By far, this is the worst performance of my title fights.”

Zayas continues to impress!!

Puerto Rican junior middleweight phenom Xander Zayas (17-0, 10 KOs) scored a fifth-round TKO victory against hard-hitting Mexican Roberto Valenzuela Jr. (21-5, 20 KOs) in tonight’s co-feature.

Zayas dropped Valenzuela with a hard jab in the opening round. Valenzuela got back up, only to suffer another knockdown before the round ended. In rounds two and three, Zayas worked off his back foot, landing quick combos from the outside. A left hand in round three caused a cut on Valenzuela’s nose.


The cut bled profusely, but referee Mark Nelson allowed Valenzuela to continue fighting. However, Zayas continued landing vicious punches to Valenzuela’s nose, forcing Nelson to halt the contest at :42 of the fifth round.

“I didn’t think he was going to stop bleeding from his nose,” Zayas said. “When I went to my corner, I told my dad {assistant trainer Orlando Garcia} that his nose was really bad. So, we knew that it was a matter of time.


“I came here to accomplish a goal. I came here to let everybody know at 154 pounds that I’m coming for everything. They said he was a power puncher, and I dominated tonight. I’m a contender now at 154 pounds. Whenever Top Rank gives me the opportunity, I’ll be ready for a world title. All my respect to Roberto. He was a warrior like I knew he was going to be.”

In other action:

Unbeaten lightweight sensation Emiliano Fernando Vargas (7-0, 6 KOs) made his ESPN-televised debut with a spectacular third-round TKO win against Alejandro Guardado (5-1, 1 KO). 

In the opening round, Vargas calmly evaded shots with quick head movement before sneaking uppercuts through Guardado’s guard. He pressured Guardado in the second round, but Guardado responded with offense of his own.

Vargas then landed a counter left hook in the third round that initiated a flurry that forced referee Lee Rogers to end the fight at 1:07.

Vargas said, “We’re just going to work in there. It’s a beautiful thing to be here with all my beautiful Mexican fans. I love what I do. I get up early in the morning and it’s not work. I can’t wait to be back.”

Welterweight: In an all-Mexican showdown, Julio Luna (21-1-2, 11 KOs) toppled Omar Aguilar (25-2, 24 KOs) to capture the vacant WBC USA welterweight title. Aguilar was aggressive early, but Luna’s distance made it hard for him to land cleanly. In the fourth, Aguilar found success on the inside, but Luna overcame the onslaught with longer punches. Scores: 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75.

Welterweight: John Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) beat Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera (4-2-1, 2 KOs) via unanimous decision in front of a hometown crowd. The bout was a cautious affair, but Rincon pulled away with effective aggression. Scores: 60-54 2x and 58-56.

Junior Welterweight: Jamaine Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs) overcame an almost one-year layoff to defeat Antonio Moran (29-6-1, 20 KOs) via unanimous decision. Moran hurt Ortiz early, but Ortiz got his rhythm by the middle rounds and wobbled Moran in the sixth round. A game Moran was aggressive in the later rounds, but it was not enough to overcome Ortiz’s quick counterpunching. Ortiz was coming off last October’s valiant stand against Vasiliy Lomachenko. Scores: 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93.

Featherweight: Former world title challenger Ruben Villa IV (21-1, 7 KOs) tallied a workmanlike eight-round unanimous decision against Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Valdes started strong by finding a home for his right uppercut. Villa, however, figured him out and out-landed the Colombian in nearly every exchange. Scores: 78-74 3x.


Junior Welterweight: U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (10-0, 5 KOs) scored a majority decision victory against Ricardo Quiroz (13-3, 7 KOs). Scores: 76-76 and 79-73 2x.  

Dogboe: ‘I said to the people that my journey can be a Hollywood blockbuster movie’

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Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe’s future was cloudy following back-to-back junior featherweight title fight losses to Emanuel Navarrete. Now, his future is brighter than ever.

Ghana’s Dogboe defeated two-time title challenger Joet Gonzalez by a 10-round split decision in the featherweight main event Saturday evening at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota. The bout was a WBC title eliminator, and Dogboe won the WBO International title, putting him in a prime position to challenge for a world title.

Dogboe (24-2, 15 KOs), who won the first three rounds on two of the scorecards, swept the 10th to earn the win by scores of 96-94 on two cards. Gonzalez prevailed by the same margin on the other card.

Dogboe said, “I said to the people that my journey can be a Hollywood blockbuster movie, and I praise God always.

“I’ve always seen {trainer} Barry {Hunter} as a very inspirational person, a father figure. He’s a person that when it seems like it’s all gone, he always has something to say to you. I really needed him in my corner. He was able to pull that extra strength in me out. I want to say thanks to Joet Gonzalez. He’s a true warrior.

“Whoever the champions are, they should watch out. The ‘Royal Storm,’ I am back, baby!”

Gonzalez (25-3, 15 KOs), who outlanded Dogboe 197-190, believed he did enough to earn the win. Last October, he lost a 12-round barnburner to Navarrete in his second bid for the WBO featherweight title. Despite falling short, he still hopes a third title opportunity is in his future.

“Close fight. I thought I won the fight. I buckled him, I believe, twice in the fight. I stunned him,” Gonzalez said. “He didn’t really land too many shots. I landed the cleaner, harder shots. I was pushing him back, and he was holding most of the time. Roughing me and trying to stop me. But I thought I won the fight.”

Cabrera Dominates Flores Jr.

Welcome to the big show, Giovanni Cabrera. The Chicago native dropped Gabriel Flores Jr. three times en route to a dominant 10-round unanimous decision (98-89 3x) in the lightweight co-feature.

Cabrera exploded in the opening round, knocking down Flores with a straight right left seconds into the opening round. He added a second knockdown off a left hand that had Flores stumbling into the ropes.

Cabrera (21-0, 7 KOs) added a knockdown with a right hook in the fifth, but Flores, the fighting pride of Stockton, California, would not give in. Flores (21-2, 7 KOs) pressed forward in the fight’s second half, doing enough to win a pair of rounds on all three judges’ cards. But in the 10th round, Cabrera charged forward hoping for the knockout.

The knockout did not materialize, but Cabrera, who is trained by the legendary Freddie Roach, did not have to worry about the cards. He had done more than enough to author a signature victory.

“I felt amazing. It’s what we worked on in the gym,” Cabrera said. “Everybody, I think, can see I’m a very slick boxer. As I’ve progressed in the professional ranks, there’s still growth to be had. There’s a lot to learn, and I have the best trainer in the world to do that. I’ve been working on my power. He felt it in the first round. Gabriel Flores is as tough as they come. My hat’s off to him. This incredible fight wouldn’t have been made if he wasn’t brave enough to take it.”

Flores said, “I should’ve kept on stepping to my left. The game plan kind of went to blur. My father was telling me to keep stepping to my left, keep feinting, keep flicking my jab, and keep jabbing. I didn’t really do much of any of that.”

In other results:

Middleweight: Javier Martinez (7-0, 2 KOs) UD 6 Chino Hill (7-1-1, 6 KOs). Scores: 60-54 and 59-55 2x. Milwaukee’s Martinez picked up the most substantial victory of his young career, nearly shutting out the savvy native of Davenport, Iowa. The Robert Garcia Boxing Academy-trained Martinez landed 25 more punches than Hill and connected at a 48 percent clip. Martinez, a one-time U.S. amateur standout, has been spotless since turning pro inside the MGM Grand Bubble two years ago.

Heavyweight: Guido Vianello (9-0-1, 9 KOs) TKO 4 Rafael Rios (11-4, 8 KOs), 2:59. 2016 Italian Olympian Vianello returned from a nearly 13-month layoff and didn’t skip a beat, lacing Rios with combinations until the finish came at the end of round four. Rios, with his nose bloodied, ate a vicious uppercut, then a combination capped by a left hook to the body that put him down for the 10-count.

Featherweight: Haven Brady Jr. (7-0, 4 KOs) UD 6 Aaron Echeveste (6-8, 3 KOs), Scores: 60-54 2x and 60-53. Brady put forth a workmanlike effort against Echeveste, an eight-year pro who has only been stopped once as a pro. He pressed for the knockout in the sixth round, landing a series of left hooks against the southpaw spoiler as the seconds ticked away.

Lightweight: Abdullah Mason (3-0, 3 KOs) TKO 1 Luis Fernandez (1-4-1), 2:39. The 18-year-old southpaw, from Cleveland, Ohio, showed why he’s one of the sport’s ascending stars with a drubbing of Fernandez. The finishing flurry was punctuated by a brutal uppercut that prompted referee Mark Nelson to stop the fight.

Heavyweight: Antonio Mireles (4-0, 4 KOs) TKO 2 Dennys Reyes (3-3, 1 KO), 2:09. “El Gigante,” the 6’9, 270-pound behemoth from Des Moines, Iowa, ended his evening early with a savage salvo in the second round. He knocked down Reyes with a chopping left hand, and when Reyes rose to his feet, a two-punch combination made the inevitable official.

Light Heavyweight: Dante Benjamin Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) TKO 1 Corey Thompson (4-1, 3 KOs) 2:24. “Free Smoke” brought it to Minnesota, jumping all over the previously undefeated Thompson in the opening round of the scheduled four-rounder. Benjamin notched a pair of knockdowns, both of which left Thompson reeling into the ropes before the one-sided affair was called off.

Heavyweight: Colton Warner (5-1, 3 KOs) UD 4 Jimmy Barnes (1-3, 1 KO). Scores: 40-36 3x.

Middleweight: Antonio Woods (11-0, 9 KOs) TKO 1 Darryl Jones (4-5-1, 2 KOs), 2:36.

Heavyweight: Cayman Audie (2-1, 1 KO) UD 4 Anthony Garrett (1-1, 1 KO). Scores: 39-34 3x.

Photo; Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

Gonzalez-Dogboe set for July 23

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It’s the “Quiet Storm” versus a “Royal Storm,” a can’t-miss featherweight matchup with a title shot on the line. Two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez will take on former junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe in a 10-round main event Saturday, July 23, at Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minnesota. Gonzalez will put his WBO International belt on the line, with the fight also serving as a WBC world title eliminator.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, undefeated contender Giovanni “El Cabron” Cabrera hopes for a signature win against the flashy Gabriel Flores Jr.

Gonzalez-Dogboe, Cabrera-Flores and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

“Joet and Isaac are guaranteed entertainment each time they step through the ropes, and I have no doubt they will combine for an action-packed main event,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “With Cabrera and Flores in the co-feature, this is a truly sensational summertime card at the Grand Casino in Hinckley.”

Gonzalez (25-2, 15 KOs), from Glendora, California, is considered one of boxing’s best uncrowned champions, a 10-year pro whose only defeats have come to Shakur Stevenson and Emanuel Navarrete in separate bids for the WBO featherweight world title. Gonzalez’s October 2021 decision loss to Navarrete was considered one of the best action fights of the year and did little to diminish his standing. He is currently rated No. 1 by the WBO and No. 3 by the WBC, which comes off the heels of his ninth-round knockout over Jeo Santisima in March.

Gonzalez said, “The third time’s a charm, and I’m more motivated than ever to have a world title around my waist. Isaac Dogboe always comes to fight. The respect is there, but on July 23, I am preparing to go to battle. I expect the best version of Dogboe, and I will be at the top of my game.”

Dogboe (23-2, 15 KOs), from Anyako, Ghana, burst onto the world scene in April 2018 with his title-winning knockout over Jessie Magdaleno. In his first title defense, he blitzed Hidenori Otake in the opening round. Dogboe’s rapid rise came to a halt with consecutive defeats to Navarrete, but he reignited his career with victories over Chris Avalos, Adam Lopez, and Christopher Diaz. The Diaz and Lopez bouts — 10-round majority decisions — were toe-to-toe barnburners that may serve as an indication what he’ll bring against Gonzalez. A 2012 Olympian, Dogboe has royal lineage, as his late grandfather, Torgbui Sri III, was the ruler of the Anlo state in Ghana’s Volta Region. His return to boxing royalty hinges on a victory over Gonzalez.

Dogboe said, “I have been tested against the very best, and on July 23, we go to war against another top contender in Joet Gonzalez. I am excited to be back in a main event as I continue my quest to become a two-weight world champion.”

Cabrera (20-0, 7 KOs) inked a promotional contract with Top Rank earlier this year and has notched decision victories over Rene Tellez Giron and Elias Araujo to make it 20 for 20. Trained by Freddie Roach at Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Cabrera started boxing at 16 when he was inspired by Roach’s most famous pupil, Manny Pacquiao. He was raised mostly in Chicago and developed as a pro at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, where he headlined six events. Following an October 2019 win in Chicago, he was sidelined for more than two years due to promotional and managerial issues. Since signing with Top Rank, Cabrera has re-established his standing as a contender to watch. Flores (21-1, 7 KOs), a 22-year-old from Stockton, California, saw his momentum come to a temporary halt with a one-sided loss last September to Luis Alberto Lopez. Less than six months later, Flores survived a gut check to edge a majority decision over Abraham Montoya. Prior to the Lopez loss, Flores became only the second man to knock out former world title challenger Jayson Velez.

Cabrera said, “I’m here to contend for the lightweight crown. I’m still getting better, and I still have a lot to prove. Gabriel Flores Jr. is a highly skilled fighter, but I’m used to taking on this level of challenge. I know he’s never been in with a fighter like me. His strategy against me will only be a guess, a shot in the dark, but how can you prepare for a style you’ve never seen? I’m going to train my butt off out of full respect for my opponent, and the fans will be the winners.”

“I am a different fighter at lightweight. The weight is no longer an issue, and you’re going to see the same fighter that knocked out Velez,” Flores said. “I like fighting southpaws, so if Cabrera thinks I don’t have the strategy to beat him, he’s going to be in for a rude awakening on July 23. I know what I need to do, and mark my words, I’m going to win this fight in dominant fashion.”

The undercard is scheduled to include many of Top Rank’s rising stars, including Italian heavyweight knockout artist Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (8-0-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder, featherweight prospect Haven Brady Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder, Milwaukee native Javier Martinez (6-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round middleweight bout, and 6’9 heavyweight Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles (3-0, 3 KOs) in a four-rounder against Minneapolis resident Dennys Reyes (3-2, 1 KO). Cleveland-born lightweight phenom Abdullah Mason (2-0, 2 KOs) and fellow Clevelander, light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr. (2-0, 1 KO), will represent “The Land” in separate four-rounders. Benjamin Jr. will fight fellow unbeaten Corey Thompson (4-0, 3 KOs), who hails from Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

Four additional Minnesota natives will add some local flavor to the card. Middleweight Antonio Woods (10-0, 8 KOs) is scheduled to appear in a six-rounder, while heavyweight Colton Warner (4-1, 3 KOs) returns in a four-rounder. And, in an all-Minnesota heavyweight showdown scheduled for four rounds, Cayman Audie (1-1, 1 KO) will do battle with Tommy Matlon (2-1, 1 KO).

Navarrete defeats Gonzalez by unanimous decision to retain title

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Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Joet Gonzalez engaged in a border war for the ages.

Navarrete (35-1, 29 KOs) retained his WBO featherweight world title with a bloody unanimous decision (118-110 and 116-112 2x) over Joet Gonzalez (24-2, 14 KOs) on Friday evening at Pechanga Arena San Diego. It was the second successful title defense for Navarrete, who moved up to the featherweight ranks last year after defending his junior featherweight crown five times.

“Without a doubt, I hurt him, but every single time he came back, and he also hurt me. A couple shots he landed hurt me during the fight,” Navarrete said. “It has been an exciting ride so far, and from now on, I want the bigger fights.”

The bigger fights could include an eventual move up to 130 pounds, where a match with WBC champion Oscar Valdez would be one of the biggest all-Mexican showdowns in the sport.

But on this night, Navarrete had to contend with the stubborn Gonzalez, who hung in tough despite swollen right eye in the early rounds. Navarrete threw 979 punches, including 104 in the 12th round to close the show in style.

Gonzalez said, “I thought I had it seven rounds to five, eight rounds to four. I was really surprised by that score of 118-110, I believe. But it is what it is, and I did my best.”

Santillan Thrills Hometown Crowd:

Welterweight contender Giovani Santillan had not fought in his hometown in more than seven years. In front of a partisan crowd that broke out into frequent “Gio” chants, the San Diego native improved to 28-0 with a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Ruiz (17-2, 12 KOs). The scores — 100-90 2x and 99-91 — did not reflect the game effort of Ruiz, who gave nearly as good as he received for much of the fight.

Buoyed by the local faithful, Santillan prevailed in the phone both affair and edged closer to a title shot.

Santillan said, “This is what it’s all about, a great fight in front of my amazing hometown fans. They were cheering for me all night, and it was an honor to perform for my people in San Diego.

“My father and I always wanted to fight here. It was a dream come true, and credit to Angel Ruiz for going to battle for 10 rounds. He’s a true Mexican warrior. I have nothing but respect for him.”

In other action:

Puerto Rican southpaw junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) notched the most significant win of his young career, turning back the hard-charging Dallas native Manuel Rey Rojas (21-6, 6 KOs) by eight-round unanimous decision. All three judges scored the fight 80-72.

Junior welterweight prospect Lindolfo Delgado (14-0, 12 KOs) won his second bout in six weeks, shutting out Juan Garcia Mendez (21-5-2, 13 KOs) over eight rounds (80-71 3x). Delgado floored Mendez with a two-punch combination in the closing stages of the eighth round.

Middleweight upstart Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (5-0, 2 KOs) did not give any of that famous Midwest hospitality to Daryl Jones (4-3-1, 2 KOs), as he bested the Florida resident over six one-sided rounds by scores of 60-54 and 60-53 2x. After a second round that saw Jones nearly stopped against the ropes, the two battled the rest of the way, trading punches in the waning seconds of the sixth round.

Bantamweight prospect Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (3-0) dominated former amateur rival Jose Ramirez (1-1, 1 KO) via four-round unanimous decision, knocking Ramirez down in the opening round and cruising to a points win by scores of 39-36 and 40-35 2x.

The newest heavyweight on the block showed out. Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles, from Des Moines, Iowa, shined in his professional debut, knocking out Demonte Randle (2-2, 2 KOs) in the opening round. Mireles, a southpaw, knocked down Randle early in the first round with a right hook. Following two more knockdowns, the referee called a halt to the fight at 2:07.

Photo: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

Navarrete-Gonzalez set for 10/15 in San Diego

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WBO Featherweight World title mandatory challenger, Joet Gonzalez, is set to face Emanuel Navarrette for the world title crown on Friday, Oct. 15 at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The 12-round world championship fight will stream live on ESPN+ at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.   

Gonzalez (24-1, 14 KOs) was last seen in the ring defeating three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga at the Bubble at the MGM Grand, on September 12, 2020. The victory earned him the WBO International Featherweight Title and the WBO’s No. 1 featherweight ranking. Gonzalez’, first world title opportunity for the WBO Featherweight World Title came in October 2019, in a battle against fellow unbeaten featherweight Shakur Stevenson for the then vacant world championship. Losing by unanimous decision, Gonzalez is ready to redeem himself and claim the world championship when he faces Navarrette on October 15. 

Navarrete (34-1, 29 KOs) is 8-0 with six knockouts in world title fights, a busy championship run that began in December 2018 with his dominant decision over Isaac Dogboe to win the WBO junior featherweight world title. Following five title defenses in nine months, Navarrete moved up to featherweight and bested Ruben Villa by unanimous decision last October to win the WBO world title. He defended that title in April and knocked out Christopher Diaz in the 12th round. 

“I am excited and thankful to receive a second world title opportunity, this time against a great Mexican warrior like Navarrete. I know I have what it takes to become a world champion, and I will show the world that on Oct. 15. No disrespect to Navarrete, but this is my time,” said Gonzalez. 

“I am focused on winning this fight and defending my world title for the second time. I know that Joet Gonzalez is a good fighter. I respect him and he is also my mandatory challenger, but I am the champion, and I will show him why. This belt isn’t going anywhere,” Navarrete said. “I hope that my Mexican fans will support me in San Diego, and my fans from Tijuana can also come to the fight. I will give them a great fight, and it will be a great victory for all my Mexican people.”

Navarrete-Gonzalez will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

WBO Featherweight World title mandatory challenger, Joet Gonzalez, is set to face Emanuel Navarrette for the world title crown on Friday, Oct. 15 at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The 12-round world championship fight will stream live on ESPN+ at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.   

Gonzalez (24-1, 14 KOs) was last seen in the ring defeating three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga at the Bubble at the MGM Grand, on September 12, 2020. The victory earned him the WBO International Featherweight Title and the WBO’s No. 1 featherweight ranking. Gonzalez’, first world title opportunity for the WBO Featherweight World Title came in October 2019, in a battle against fellow unbeaten featherweight Shakur Stevenson for the then vacant world championship. Losing by unanimous decision, Gonzalez is ready to redeem himself and claim the world championship when he faces Navarrette on October 15. 

Navarrete (34-1, 29 KOs) is 8-0 with six knockouts in world title fights, a busy championship run that began in December 2018 with his dominant decision over Isaac Dogboe to win the WBO junior featherweight world title. Following five title defenses in nine months, Navarrete moved up to featherweight and bested Ruben Villa by unanimous decision last October to win the WBO world title. He defended that title in April and knocked out Christopher Diaz in the 12th round. 

“I am excited and thankful to receive a second world title opportunity, this time against a great Mexican warrior like Navarrete. I know I have what it takes to become a world champion, and I will show the world that on Oct. 15. No disrespect to Navarrete, but this is my time,” said Gonzalez. 

“I am focused on winning this fight and defending my world title for the second time. I know that Joet Gonzalez is a good fighter. I respect him and he is also my mandatory challenger, but I am the champion, and I will show him why. This belt isn’t going anywhere,” Navarrete said. “I hope that my Mexican fans will support me in San Diego, and my fans from Tijuana can also come to the fight. I will give them a great fight, and it will be a great victory for all my Mexican people.”

Navarrete-Gonzalez will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

‘Mean Machine’-Zewski, Marriaga-Gonzalez set for 9/12

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The Mean Machine is ready to rise again. Welterweight contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, a two-time Lithuanian Olympian coming off a valiant effort last December against Terence “Bud” Crawford, will face NABO welterweight title-holder Mikael Zewski in a 10-rounder Saturday, Sept. 12 from the MGM Grand Conference Center.

In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga will fight recent world title challenger Joet Gonzalez.

Kavaliauskas-Zewski and Marriaga-Gonzalez will stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.  The undercard, also on ESPN+, starts at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.

“Mean Machine proved he’s a top welterweight with his performance against Terence Crawford. He’s itching to get back into championship contention, and Zewski should give him a tough challenge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Viewers will get a high-energy, action-packed fight with the Marriaga-Gonzalez bout.”

Kavaliauskas (21-1-1, 17 KOs) is a seven-year pro who earned a mandatory shot at Crawford with wins over the world-rated David Avanesyan, Juan Carlos Abreu and the previously unbeaten Roberto Arriaza. The Crawford bout headlined the post-Heisman Trophy ceremony telecast on ESPN last December, and Kavaliauskas was competitive with the pound-for-pound great until a pair of knockdowns ended things in the ninth round. He is still ranked in the Top 15 by the WBO and WBC and hopes a win over Zewski (34-1, 23 KOs) moves him closer to a second world title opportunity. Zewski, from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, is 8-0 with 3 KOs since a 2015 decision loss to Konstantin Ponomarev in Las Vegas.

Kavaliauskas said, “I am excited to return to the ring, as I still have unfinished business. I still believe I have what it takes to become a world champion, and that journey resumes against a tough opponent in Mikael Zewski.”

Zewski said, “This is the fight I’ve been waiting for. Kavaliauskas is a fast and extremely powerful boxer, but I have all the tools to win. The stakes are high, and a win will propel me into a world championship fight. This is my ninth fight in Las Vegas. I’ll feel right at home.”

Marriaga (29-3, 25 KOs) is itching to return after his July 16 ESPN main event was canceled when Mark John Yap missed weight by nearly nine pounds. The Colombian slugger has won four in a row by knockout since challenging Vasiliy Lomachenko for a junior lightweight world title in August 2017. Gonzalez (23-1, 14 KOs) last fought in October 2019, dropping a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson for the vacant WBO featherweight world title. With Stevenson having vacated the title to campaign at junior lightweight, Gonzalez’s path to a second world title shot goes through Marriaga.

Marriaga said, “I was disappointed after what happened with Yap, but Joet Gonzalez always comes to fight. It’s going to be a toe-to-toe battle. I believe my experience and power will be the difference. I will not underestimate him, as I must win to move forward in my career.”

Gonzalez said, “It’s a real privilege to be coming back at this time. I want to thank my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my promoter, Golden Boy, for making this possible. Marriaga is a very tough fighter. He’s been in the ring with Nicholas Walters, Oscar Valdez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, so this will give everyone a good indication of where I stand in the division. I plan to make the most of this opportunity and score a big win so I can show everyone that I deserve to be at the top of the division.”

In undercard action:

  • Genaro Gamez (10-1, 7 KOs), who scored a first-round knockout inside the “Bubble” on July 7, will fight Puerto Rican veteran Anthony Mercado (13-4, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder at junior welterweight.

  • Undefeated featherweight prospect Angel Alejandro (9-0, 4 KOs), from Dallas, Texas, will face fellow Lone Star State native Jorge Ramos (7-2-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

  • In a six-round bantamweight tilt, Manuel Flores (8-0, 5 KOs), from Coachella, Calif., will fight Jonathan Rodriguez (8-0, 3 KOs).

  • Lightweight prospect Eric Puente (3-0), who is training out of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, Calif., will fight an opponent to be named in a four-rounder.

  • Thomas Wu will make his professional debut in a four-round junior welterweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Stevenson: ‘I want to unify titles’

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Shakur Stevenson is a world champion. The former Olympic medalist displayed all his boxing skills and completely neutralized Joet Gonzalez (his girlfriend’s brother) to conquer the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title in front of 2,828 fans at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

This was a grudge match, but Stevenson was able to dominate the fight.

With the victory, Stevenson became the first Team USA male fighter of the 2016 Rio Olympics to conquer a world title.

“This is a great feeling. One of the best feelings of my life,” said Stevenson. “I have a lot of respect for Joet. He is a great fighter. I have nothing against him. If he decides to be cool with me, I’ll be cool with him.”

Stevenson already knows what he wants the next challenge in his career to be.

“Josh Warrington! You are a champion, now I am a champion. Let’s do this! I want to unify titles.”

Photo: Top Rank/Mikey Williams