Latest news with #MostValuablePromotions
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jake Paul calls out everybody but the opponent who makes the most sense
Jake Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. with ease on Saturday. The long-time creator, an internet sensation with no amateur background, showed visible improvements against an opponent who was brought in for him to beat. Chavez is a former world champion who once went 12 rounds with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, but the 39-year-old has long had a poor attitude toward training. Prior to his 2012 loss to Sergio Martinez, he tested positive for marijuana use. He quit against Daniel Jacobs in 2019. He lost a decision to a 46-year-old Anderson Silva four years ago. Advertisement It was no surprise to see Paul beat Chavez at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, in a Most Valuable Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions joint event on DAZN. An 'average' boxer according to Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn in 2022, Paul at least applies himself to training. And he looks better now than he ever has. Paul's fiancee is Jutta Leerdam, a championship-winning speed-skater. Together, they live the life of athletes. Chavez is far more accomplished than his famous foe but would seemingly rather eat cereal in his boxer shorts than pay attention to moves his legendary father Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. tried to show him on video, back when he was in his prime. Against Chavez, Paul beat him to the punch, most frequently with his jab, and showcased activity levels and punch combinations that were lacking from his early-career bouts when his opposition included a fellow creator called AnEsonGib or journeyman basketball player Nate Robinson. Paul can throw a double jab now, to the body and to the head. He found the uppercut when Chavez was in close enough proximity for it to land. He absorbed all of Chavez's punches when the former champ finally decided to throw some. He trounced Chavez with scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 99-91 to claim a unanimous decision win. Advertisement Yet despite Saturday's latest victory, there remains plenty of much-needed development to come if Paul is going be competitive against the five-man hit-list he reeled-off post-fight, which included a former rival, boxing world champions and pay-per-view stars. After praising his own "flawless" performance, in which he said he "embarrassed" Chavez, Paul told Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani in the middle of the ring: "I want tougher fighters, I want world champions.' One of those world champions fought on the same card Paul headlined, as Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez came-from-behind to defeat Yuniel Dorticos on points. Advertisement "'Zurdo' looked slow as s*** tonight,' said Paul ahead of a prospective fight between them later in the year. Ramirez's WBO championship would at least be on the line as the sanctioning body committed to reward Paul with a world ranking should he beat Chavez. 'That'd be easy work.' Paul continued: 'Badou Jack. I want everybody. Anthony Joshua. Gervonta [Davis]. Tommy [Fury] — stop running." 'I'm just getting warmed up in this s***.' When elaborating on the options backstage to reporters, Paul's business partner and Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nikisa Bidarian noted that, "Someone like Badou Jack is someone we want to have a conversation with." Advertisement Paul, meanwhile, hinted at his motivation to take on even bigger names. 'People hold the Tommy Fury [loss] against me,' he said. "I'm going to fight all of these guys. This is chapter two, moving forward." The clear name Paul and Bidarian want to push for is Joshua. "I'm definitely not a heavyweight but I'm still going to take the challenge," Paul said, adding that Joshua would be 'an insane fight,' but is one he says he wants. On-paper, it seems like a blockbuster in which organizers could thrash out a bout agreement relatively quickly. Joshua, after all, has been sliding into Paul's DMs to express his eagerness at that option. The Brit also has no immediate fight obligations, and, with Tyson Fury retired, no clear rival right now outside of Deontay Wilder. Advertisement There could, though, be one stumbling block. Matchroom boss Hearn, who is Joshua's long-time promotional representative, said, according to Bidarian, that if Paul is serious about an AJ bout then they'd have to 'do it at the end of 2025.' But this is something Bidarian immediately shot down. 'No,' Bidarian said. 'Jake's going to do it on a timeline where he feels prepared to have a good chance against Anthony Joshua, and he feels that's the end of 2026." However there is one opponent who Paul has omitted from his hit-list, who is available, and whom they could fight this year in a money-spinner. That opponent is Wilder. Could Deontay Wilder vs. Jake Paul be the right move? (Richard Pelham via Getty Images) He's the man who makes most sense for Paul at this stage in his career if Paul is looking to do something he's done in his previous role as one of YouTube's most-subscribed creators and break the internet. Advertisement Wilder fought this weekend, too, albeit to less fanfare as he took on the unheralded heavyweight Tyrrell Herndon in Wichita, Kansas, and won by seventh-round knockout. When Wilder was at the peak of his powers, he was one of the most fearsome fighters in combat sports history because he specialized in separating people from their consciousness with the most heinous of punches. Though Wilder returned to the ring with a bang on Friday, it remains unclear what the American puncher can still offer at the elite level because of the devastating toll the Tyson Fury fight series had on him, together with subsequent losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. It's one thing obliterating Herndon, but it's another doing it against anybody with a top-10 ranking. But Paul doesn't operate on the elite level. Advertisement Like Wilder, it's unclear if Paul can even be competitive against "Zurdo" Ramirez, let alone stand up to Joshua. That's arguably why Bidarian wants another 18 months. Not only does it provide more time for Paul to develop his boxing acumen, it also ages Joshua even more. A Paul vs. Wilder event is a headliner in many of America's boxing venues, from New York, where Wilder has many fans, to Florida, where there'd be little question of that commission approving of the fight, to Las Vegas. It's also a suitable spectacle for Netflix. Wilder's people have even spoken about a possible fight with Paul, refusing to rule it out as an option. Earlier this year, Wilder's manager Shelley Finkel told Sun Sport that he'd always present such an opportunity to his client, so the 39-year-old remains in full control of his career and can weigh one option against another. 'It's his decision because it's his life,' Finkel said. Advertisement 'I might say, 'Hey, this is a great opportunity. You may get laughed at with people thinking it's a freak show,' or, some might say, 'Wow, this is interesting,' and you know it's a big payday.' And, if Wilder had the decision, he might say what he's said for much of his life: 'If it makes dollars, it makes sense.' There are few fights out there for Paul, right now, that would make more cents than Wilder.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jake Paul calls out everybody but the opponent who makes the most sense
Jake Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. with ease on Saturday. The long-time creator, an internet sensation with no amateur background, showed visible improvements against an opponent who was brought in for him to beat. Chavez is a former world champion who once went 12 rounds with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, but the 39-year-old has long had a poor attitude toward training. Prior to his 2012 loss to Sergio Martinez, he tested positive for marijuana use. He quit against Daniel Jacobs in 2019. He lost a decision to a 46-year-old Anderson Silva four years ago. Advertisement It was no surprise to see Paul beat Chavez at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Southern California, in a Most Valuable Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions joint event on DAZN. An 'average' boxer according to Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn in 2022, Paul at least applies himself to training. And he looks better now than he ever has. Paul's fiancee is Jutta Leerdam, a championship-winning speed-skater. Together, they live the life of athletes. Chavez is far more accomplished than his famous foe but would seemingly rather eat cereal in his boxer shorts than pay attention to moves his legendary father Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. tried to show him on video, back when he was in his prime. Against Chavez, Paul beat him to the punch, most frequently with his jab, and showcased activity levels and punch combinations that were lacking from his early-career bouts when his opposition included a fellow creator called AnEsonGib or journeyman basketball player Nate Robinson. Paul can throw a double jab now, to the body and to the head. He found the uppercut when Chavez was in close enough proximity for it to land. He absorbed all of Chavez's punches when the former champ finally decided to throw some. He trounced Chavez with scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 99-91 to claim a unanimous decision win. Advertisement Yet despite Saturday's latest victory, there remains plenty of much-needed development to come if Paul is going be competitive against the five-man hit-list he reeled-off post-fight, which included a former rival, boxing world champions and pay-per-view stars. After praising his own "flawless" performance, in which he said he "embarrassed" Chavez, Paul told Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani in the middle of the ring: "I want tougher fighters, I want world champions.' One of those world champions fought on the same card Paul headlined, as Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez came-from-behind to defeat Yuniel Dorticos on points. Advertisement "'Zurdo' looked slow as s*** tonight,' said Paul ahead of a prospective fight between them later in the year. Ramirez's WBO championship would at least be on the line as the sanctioning body committed to reward Paul with a world ranking should he beat Chavez. 'That'd be easy work.' Paul continued: 'Badou Jack. I want everybody. Anthony Joshua. Gervonta [Davis]. Tommy [Fury] — stop running." 'I'm just getting warmed up in this s***.' When elaborating on the options backstage to reporters, Paul's business partner and Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nikisa Bidarian noted that, "Someone like Badou Jack is someone we want to have a conversation with." Advertisement Paul, meanwhile, hinted at his motivation to take on even bigger names. 'People hold the Tommy Fury [loss] against me,' he said. "I'm going to fight all of these guys. This is chapter two, moving forward." The clear name Paul and Bidarian want to push for is Joshua. "I'm definitely not a heavyweight but I'm still going to take the challenge," Paul said, adding that Joshua would be 'an insane fight,' but is one he says he wants. On-paper, it seems like a blockbuster in which organizers could thrash out a bout agreement relatively quickly. Joshua, after all, has been sliding into Paul's DMs to express his eagerness at that option. The Brit also has no immediate fight obligations, and, with Tyson Fury retired, no clear rival right now outside of Deontay Wilder. Advertisement There could, though, be one stumbling block. Matchroom boss Hearn, who is Joshua's long-time promotional representative, said, according to Bidarian, that if Paul is serious about an AJ bout then they'd have to 'do it at the end of 2025.' But this is something Bidarian immediately shot down. 'No,' Bidarian said. 'Jake's going to do it on a timeline where he feels prepared to have a good chance against Anthony Joshua, and he feels that's the end of 2026." However there is one opponent who Paul has omitted from his hit-list, who is available, and whom they could fight this year in a money-spinner. That opponent is Wilder. Could Deontay Wilder vs. Jake Paul be the right move? (Richard Pelham via Getty Images) He's the man who makes most sense for Paul at this stage in his career if Paul is looking to do something he's done in his previous role as one of YouTube's most-subscribed creators and break the internet. Advertisement Wilder fought this weekend, too, albeit to less fanfare as he took on the unheralded heavyweight Tyrrell Herndon in Wichita, Kansas, and won by seventh-round knockout. When Wilder was at the peak of his powers, he was one of the most fearsome fighters in combat sports history because he specialized in separating people from their consciousness with the most heinous of punches. Though Wilder returned to the ring with a bang on Friday, it remains unclear what the American puncher can still offer at the elite level because of the devastating toll the Tyson Fury fight series had on him, together with subsequent losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. It's one thing obliterating Herndon, but it's another doing it against anybody with a top-10 ranking. But Paul doesn't operate on the elite level. Advertisement Like Wilder, it's unclear if Paul can even be competitive against "Zurdo" Ramirez, let alone stand up to Joshua. That's arguably why Bidarian wants another 18 months. Not only does it provide more time for Paul to develop his boxing acumen, it also ages Joshua even more. A Paul vs. Wilder event is a headliner in many of America's boxing venues, from New York, where Deontay has many fans, to Florida, where there'd be little question of that commission approving of the fight, to Las Vegas. It's also a suitable spectacle for Netflix. Wilder's people have even spoken about a possible fight with Paul, refusing to rule it out as an option. Earlier this year, Wilder's manager Shelley Finkel told Sun Sport that he'd always present such an opportunity to his client, so the 39-year-old remains in full control of his career and can weigh one option against another. 'It's his decision because it's his life,' Finkel said. Advertisement 'I might say, 'Hey, this is a great opportunity. You may get laughed at with people thinking it's a freak show,' or, some might say, 'Wow, this is interesting,' and you know it's a big payday.' And, if Wilder had the decision, he might say what he's said for much of his life: 'If it makes dollars, it makes sense.' There are few fights out there for Paul, right now, that would make more cents than Wilder.
Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Full Fight Card Purses & Payouts
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Jake Paul throws a punch at Julio Cesar Chavez Jr during their fight ... More at Honda Center on June 28, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Jake Paul moved his professional boxing record to 12-1 on Saturday with a unanimous decision victory over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in the main event of a boxing card that Paul's Most Valuable Promotions co-promoted with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. In the evening's co-main event, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez retained his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles with a unanimous decision victory over Yuniel Dorticos. We look at the purses and payouts for the full Paul vs. Chavez fight card. Saturday's boxing event took place at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Full Fight Card Purses Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. $750,000 vs. Jake Paul $300,000 Yuniel Dorticos $300,000 vs. Gilberto Ramirez $1.5 million Victor Rodriguez $65,000 vs. Raul Curiel $125,000 Julian Rodriguez $30,000 vs. Avious Griffin $30,000 Tevin Farmer $125,000 vs. Floyd Schofield $125,000 Yolanda Vega $22,000 vs. Holly Holm $100,000 Kevin Johnson $10,000 vs. Joel Iriarte $10,000 Vincent Avina $14,000 vs. Alexander Gueche $8,000 Dominic Hardy $6,000 vs. Joshua Edwards $8,000 Rene Alvarado $25,000 vs. Victor Morales Jr. $60,000 Josue Morales $18,000 vs. John Ramires $50,000 *Payouts via MMA Junkie **Payouts do not include pay-per-view cuts, gate cuts, or discretionary bonuses. They are only what was reported to the California State Athletic Commission. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Jake Paul celebrates after his victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at ... More Honda Center on June 28, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Paul defeated Chavez via unanimous decision, winning by scorecards of 99-91, 97-93 and 98-92. With his victory over Chavez, Paul is now on a six-fight winning streak. His most recent win before Saturday was his decision victory over Mike Tyson in November 2024. With his win over Chavez, the 28-year-old Paul is eligible to be ranked at cruiserweight by the WBC. "The WBC ratings committee has been following Jake Paul's career," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told ESPN before the fight. "If he defeats Chavez, and depending on how the fight plays out, the committee will make the decision. It's very likely [Paul will be ranked] if he wins convincingly." After his win over Chavez, Paul called for potential fights with Gilberto Ramirez, Badou Jack, Anthony Joshua, and Gervonta 'Tank' Davis. He also named the one man who has beaten him, Tommy Fury, as a potential foe. Paul's manager, Nakisa Bidarian, spoke about what could be next for Paul after the Chavez contest. "I think that's the main one that we talk a lot about is, if it's not for the title, it's looking at Tommy if he's reasonable and then Anthony Joshua," Bidarian said (via MMA Junkie). "And he's adamant that he wants to make that fight happen at the end of 2026." "That's the criticism: 'Fight someone in their prime who's a beast.' I think people just want to see me lose," Paul added. "That's really what the message is behind it all. Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but I want that challenge. We've been DM'ing back and forth, he wants to make it happen, he called me up, and it's looking very likely for next year." "I'm definitely not a heavyweight, but I'm still gonna take the challenge," Paul continued. "But you look at Deontay Wilder, he was beating these guys weighing 215 pounds. Anything is possible. Granted, he's like 6-6 or something, but anything is possible. And so I like the challenge."
Reuters
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Jake Paul sets another record ahead of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight
June 27 - Another marquee fight, another milestone for Jake Paul. The polarizing YouTube star turned professional boxer has driven another impressive record ahead of his fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., with Saturday night's card already setting the biggest boxing gate in the history of the Honda Center. The Anaheim, Calif., combat sports venue has played host to several significant fights, including Canelo Alvarez vs. Matthew Hatton for the WBC super welterweight championship. Ryan Garcia also fought Francisco Fonseca at the Honda Center, where Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal also recently drew a sell-out crowd. But none of them brought in as much gate money as Paul vs. Chavez has, according to Most Valuable Promotions. Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) enters his 13th professional fight having taken on a wide variety of opponents. Most recent was former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson last November, which brought in a gate of $18,117,072 with an average ticket price of $304. That set a combat sports record in the state of Texas while also smashing streaming records for Netflix. Previous Paul fights have also set combat sports gate records in Puerto Rico, Orlando and Glendale, Ariz. Saturday night's cruiserweight fight will see the 28-year-old Paul face the former champion Chavez (54-6-1), who is 11 years his senior. Paul is the heavy -575 favorite at DraftKings, where Chavez is the +400 underdog. "He's a great fighter," Paul said. "I like big names. I like legendary names. He's on my path to a world championship. He's a tough test, a very, very tough test, but I'm here to challenge myself and do big things in this sport and then make a title run after I beat him on Saturday." Chavez quickly discredited Paul's track record, keeping it short and simple. "No, I don't think he's good," Chavez said. "I think he tries (and) trains hard, but he's not a good fighter. If he were a good boxer, everyone on this stage would be a legend. Everybody knows that." Chavez was considering giving himself an ultimatum: a possible retirement if he loses to Paul. Chavez remains extremely confident that he is going to be the first person to knock out the former YouTube star. "I always prepare to take a win," Chavez said. "I'm here to win, that's why I am very confident I'm going to take the win." Meanwhile Paul went as far as to predict how he would prevail Saturday night. "I'm gonna knock him out. That's what I came here to do," Paul said. "First round, it's gonna be an early night. It's gonna be a right hook right away and I'm going home early. We don't get paid for overtime. This is gonna be a spectacular performance." Paul and Chavez are scheduled to get underway after 11 p.m. ET, concluding a seven-fight card. --Field Level Media
Forbes
4 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez: Top Odds and Prop Bets to Watch
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 26: Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr from Mexico face off prior to ... More their fight at Honda Center on June 26, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) On Saturday, Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. meet in the main event of a boxing card co-promoted by Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. The Paul vs. Chavez fight is scheduled for 10 rounds at a weight limit of 200 pounds. Paul has not fought since his unanimous decision win over Mike Tyson in November 2024. As for Chavez, Saturday marks the former WBC middleweight champ's first bout since his July 2024 decision win over former UFC fighter Uriah Hall. We examine the odds and prop bets to consider for the Paul vs. Chavez boxing match. The Paul vs. Chavez boxing card takes place on Saturday, June 28, at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main card streams on DAZN pay-per-view. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Preview ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Jake Paul works out during his media workout before he faces Julio ... More Cesar Chavez Jr. from Mexico at Hard Rock Cafe on June 25, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Jake Paul (11-1 with seven knockouts) found a niche for himself fairly quickly as a pro boxer. That niche was targeting MMA fighters with name recognition who were undersized or had undeveloped boxing skills. Paul's wins over Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva got the YouTuber-turned-boxer a lot of attention. In 2023, Paul stepped up in competition, skill, and size to face Tommy Fury. The result of that fight was Paul's first and only pro loss, dropping a split decision to Fury. Paul followed that loss by getting back in the ring with a former UFC fighter in Nate Diaz. Paul won that bout by split decision. Since beating Diaz, Paul is 4-0 with wins over Andre August, Ryan Bourland, Mike Perry, and most recently, Mike Tyson. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. from Mexico works out for the media at the ... More media workout prior to his fight against Jake Paul at Hard Rock Cafe on June 25, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1 with 24 KOs) has had a hard time shaking the visual of his 2019 loss to Daniel Jacobs, a fight where he came in overweight and quit in the fifth round. Chavez's action on that night left the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, showering the ring with debris. Chavez is 3-2 since that loss, but he says he will be a different fighter against Paul. "Now I'm disciplined, I'm focused, I want to finish the fight with Paul with a win and take this opportunity to be back in real boxing. That's my goal." Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Prop Bets And Odds Below are some prop bets and odds to consider for Saturday's fight: Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to go the distance: -145 Jake Paul to beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by KO/TKO: +160 Jale Paul to beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by decision: -120 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to beat Jake Paul by KO/TKO: +900 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to knock down Jake Paul: +325 Jake Paul to knock down Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: +110 Jake Paul to win in Rounds 7 or 8: +650 Jake Paul to win in Rounds 9 or 10: +800 Jake Paul to throw more punches than Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: -450 Jake Paul to land more punches than Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: -700 Either fighter to score a knockdown: -145 *Odds via Bovada Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025 Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Time: 8:00 p.m. ET Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Location: Honda Center in Anaheim, California Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card How to Watch Or Stream: DAZN PPV Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Streaming Cost: $59.99 With Berlanga vs. Sheeraz PPV on July 12: $94.99 With Usyk vs. Dubois II PPV on July 19: $94.99 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Main Event 200 lbs.: Jake Paul (11-1) vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1) x 10 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. PPV Undercard 200 lbs.: Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez (47-1) vs. Yuniel Dorticos (27-2) Unified Cruiserweight Championship (WBO & WBA titles) x 12 132 lbs.: Holly Holm (33-2-3) vs. Yolanda Vega (10-0) x 10 135 lbs.: Floyd 'Kid Austin' Schofield (18-0, 12) vs. Tevin Farmer (33-8-1) x 10 147 lbs.: Avious Griffin (17-0) vs. Julian Rodriguez (23-1) x 10 147 lbs.: Raul Curiel (15-0-1) vs. Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez (16-0-1) x 10 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Preliminary Undercard 115 lbs.: John Ramirez (14-1) vs. TBD x10 126 lbs.: Victor Morales (20-0-1) vs. Renee Alvarado (34-16) x10 118 lbs.: Alexander Gueche (7-0, 5) vs Vincent Avina (8-1-1) x10 147 lbs.: Joel Iriarte (7-0) vs. Yusuph Metu (11-2) x10 108 lbs.: Naomy Valle (14-0) vs. Ashley Felix (7-3) x 10 We will have more on the Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight and the upcoming fight card as fight night nears.
