7/13 ESPN: Shakur Stevenson vs Alberto Guevara / Joshua Greer vs Nikolai Potapov

[patscorpio]

Fast-rising featherweight prospect Shakur Stevenson will take on former world title challenger Franklin Manzanilla when Stevenson makes his hometown professional debut at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on July 13.

Manzanilla, announced as Stevenson's opponent for the 10-round bout on Tuesday, replaces original opponent Hairon Socarras (22-0-3, 13 KOs), who dropped out of the fight over various unspecified issues, according to Top Rank.

Stevenson-Manzanilla will headline the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10:30 p.m. with preliminaries streaming on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET). "It doesn't matter who I fight. I am ready to put on a show for my hometown," Stevenson said. "Newark is going to be out in full force, and I know a victory on July 13 will move me closer to a world-title shot, which is my ultimate goal."

Stevenson (11-0, 6 KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, who turns 22 on Friday, has fought three times in New York but not yet as a professional in nearby Newark, where he grew up. He is coming off his biggest win as a pro, a lopsided 10-round decision against former junior lightweight world title challenger Christopher Diaz on April 20 on the Terence Crawford-Amir Khan undercard at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Manzanilla (18-5, 17 KOs), 30, of Colombia, will be fighting in the United States for the second time in a row. In his last fight, on Feb. 9, he challenged junior featherweight world titleholder Rey Vargas and lost a unanimous decision -- 117-108 on all three scorecards -- in Indio, California, in a fight in which he knocked Vargas down in the second round.

"I fought for a world title against Rey Vargas in my last fight, and I let that opportunity slip away," Manzanilla said. "Against Shakur, I don't want that to happen to me again. It will be an honor to be in the ring with an Olympian on such a big stage. I am inspired to give the fans a great show and crash the party."

In the co-feature, bantamweight prospect Joshua Greer Jr. (20-1-1, 12 KOs), 25, of Chicago, will face Nikolai Potapov (20-1-1, 11 KOs), 29, a Russia native fighting out of New York, in a title eliminator for the No. 2 ranking in the IBF.

Top Rank also announced that the ESPN+ portion of the card will include:

• Vijender Singh (10-0, 7 KOs), 33, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist from India and his country's only boxing medalist, will face Mike Snider (13-5-3, 8 KOs), 38, of Flemington, West Virginia, in an eight-round super middleweight bout. Singh will be fighting for the first time since December 2017.

• Lightweight prospect Joseph Adorno (12-0, 10 KOs), 20, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, will square off with Adriano Ramirez (10-3, 6 KOs), 35, of the Dominican Republic, in an eight-round bout.

• Junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr., son of promoter Vito Mielnicki, will become the first New Jersey boxer to turn pro at the age of 17 when he faces Mississippi's Tamarcus Smith (2-2, 2 KOs), 24, in a four-rounder. Mielnicki was given a special exemption to turn pro at 17 from the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board.

• Junior welterweight Julian Rodriguez (16-0, 10 KOs), 24, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, will return from a nearly two-year layoff to fight Hevinson Herrera (24-17-1, 18 KOs), 34, of Colombia, in a six-rounder.

• Junior welterweight Josue Vargas (13-1, 8 KOs), 21, who is from Puerto Rico and fights out of Bronx, New York, will go for his eighth win in a row when he faces Manuel Lopez (14-3-1, 7 KOs), 28, of Denver, in an eight-round fight.

• Junior welterweight John Bauza (12-0, 5 KOs), 21, of North Bergen, New Jersey, will face Angel Sarinana (10-8-2, 4 KOs), 26, of Mexico, in an eight-rounder.

 

[patscorpio]

Eight days before his homecoming at Prudential Center, top featherweight contender Shakur Stevenson has a new opponent. Former world title challenger Franklin Manzanilla dropped out of the bout, and two-time world title challenger Alberto “Metro” Guevara will face Stevenson in the 10-round main event.

Stevenson-Guevara and the 12-round IBF bantamweight eliminator for the No. 2 ranking featuring Joshua Greer Jr. and Nikolai Potapov will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and in person at the Prudential Center box office.

“I give Alberto Guevara credit for taking this fight when so many fighters won’t step into the ring with me,” Stevenson said. “He’s been in there with some great fighters, even world champions, but nothing can prepare him for me. No matter the opponent, I am going to put on a special performance for my hometown and everyone watching on ESPN on July 13.”

“When I was offered this fight, I did not hesitate. I want to fight the best, and Shakur Stevenson is a very good young fighter,” Guevara said. “The hometown crowd will not phase me. I’m coming to shock the boxing world.”

Stevenson (11-0, 6 KOs), the WBO No. 1 contender, returned from the 2016 Rio Olympics as one of the sport’s most highly touted prospects. He graduated from prospect to contender status in 2018, knocking out longtime contender Viorel Simion in one round as the ESPN-televised co-feature to the Terence Crawford-Jose Benavidez Jr. fight in Omaha, Nebraska. Stevenson shined on the Crawford-Amir Khan pay-per-view undercard April 20 at Madison Square Garden, dominating former world title challenger Christopher Diaz over 10 rounds.

Guevara (27-4, 12, KOs), from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, turned pro in November 2009 and has twice challenged for a bantamweight world title, dropping a competitive decision to Leo Santa Cruz in December 2012 and getting knocked out in nine rounds by Japanese standout Shinsuke Yamanaka in November 2013. He is 9-2 with six knockouts since the Yamanaka defeat, with those losses coming against a former world champion (Hugo Ruiz) and a fighter who would go on to capture a world title (Emmanuel Rodriguez).

 

[patscorpio]

got approved for credentials for this...looks like ill be going to newark next weekend

 

[Recca Gatsby]

I wonder why dude dropped out?

 

[patscorpio]

I wonder why dude dropped out?

man 2 opponents dropped out...the first 2 that were announced were good opponents..this one isn't...guevara isnt going to do anything to shakur

 

[patscorpio]

 

[patscorpio]

 

[The axe murderer]

Which undercard better I wonder this or the rey vargas one. The Vargas main card looks dope tbh

 

[Bigblackted4]

Adorno or whoever just beat the hell out of somebody, turned and seen him dropping him with a left hook

 

[The axe murderer]

Vijender for a medalist hasn't done much honestly. Inactive unfortunately

 

[patscorpio]

lively undercard fights so far..vijender beat the shyt out of that cat..adorno might be a star in the making

 

[Recca Gatsby]

That boy was just eating shots

 

[reservoirdogs]

Can't find a stream for the Vargas vs Kameda card so I'm watching this...
I hope it turns out to be good, Shakur should win without much problems

 

[patscorpio]

That was a quick brutal KO...pastrami here at Prudential is on point...and more importantly no pork

 

[patscorpio]

Damn this kid mielnicki knocked this mufukka out cold