Boxing
Han-Holm 2, heading Serrano-Hanson MVPW-03 in El Paso
Published
2 months agoon
Most Valuable Promotions returns to ESPN on Saturday night with MVPW-03, a twelve-fight card at the El Paso County Coliseum built around four women’s title fights and led by a double main event: WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han against Holly Holm in a rematch and unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano against German Cheyenne Hanson. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Preliminary bouts will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Him vs. Holm 2
Stephanie Han (12-0, 3 KO) will defend her WBA lightweight title against Holly Holm (34-3-3, 9 KO) over ten three-minute rounds. The fight is being fought on the same principles of equal opportunity that both sides applied during their first meeting on January 3 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The fight ended in the seventh round after an accidental clash of heads resulted in a cut to Han’s eye, which the ringside doctor deemed too earnest to continue. Han received a technical decision with scores of 69-65, 69-64 and 68-65 for Most Valuable Promotions. Holm immediately demanded a rematch, and Han’s promoter agreed.
Han is 35 years elderly, from El Paso, and a full-time police officer who turned professional in 2021. She won the WBA belt after a first-round knockout of Hannah Terlep in February 2025 and is starting her third defense. Holm, 44, of Albuquerque, returned to boxing in June after a twelve-year absence spent in mixed martial arts, where she won the UFC women’s bantamweight title in 2015 by defeating Ronda Rousey. Holm stopped Yolanda Vega in her return to boxing last year under the Jake Paul-Julio César Chávez Jr. card. Saturday’s victory will give her the world champion title in the fourth weight category.
You can read Boxing Insider’s coverage of the first fight in Puerto Rico here.
As Holm enters fight week, the Ronda Rousey storyline is circulating again. Rousey returned to competition on May 16 at the first MVP event and submitted Gina Carano in 17 seconds, after which she announced that she was withdrawing from the competition. When asked about chatting about a rematch, Holm said MMA fight: “I highly doubt she’ll ever want a rematch. I’ve always said since the last fight that I would always have a rematch with her. It was always available.” Holm added: “The reason it was so critical to beat her was because she was so dominant. I have all the respect for her.”
Serrano vs. Hanson
Amanda Serrano (48-4-1, 31 KO) will defend her WBA and WBO featherweight titles against German Cheyenne “Pepper” Hanson (17-2, 13 KO) over ten three-minute rounds. This is Hanson’s first world title fight. He’s starting a nine-game winning streak with seven stoppages Illustrated sports.
Serrano will pick up a unanimous decision victory over Reina Tellez on Jan. 3 in San Juan, on the same card that produced Han-Holm 1. She said KTSM in El Paso that the booking was a return of the favor. “Listen, I didn’t think twice when I found out Stephanie Han had a rematch with Holly in El Paso,” Serrano said. “They came and opened up for me. It was my second main event in Puerto Rico, in my hometown, so it was a huge honor for me that they could share that night with me. I thought, what? They’re coming back in a rematch from El Paso, I need to be on this card. Please let me in. And they did.”
The rest of the main card
Two additional world title fights open the four-fight ESPN broadcast.
Australian Desley Robinson (11-3, 4 KO) will defend her IBF and WBO middleweight titles against Mary Spencer (10-3, 6 KO) of Ontario, Canada in a ten-round 160-pound fight. Spencer is a former WBA junior middleweight world champion.
Mexican Lourdes “La Pequeña Lulu” Juarez (39-4, 5 KO) will defend her WBC junior flyweight title against Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle (34-3, 10 KO) over ten rounds. Valle, a three-division world champion, won her seventh world title with the victory.
Introductory card
The undercard, streaming on ESPN+ from 3:30 p.m. ET, features ten fights with a mix of men’s and women’s fights:
- Yesica Nery Plata (30-3, 3 KO) vs. Brook Sibrian (9-2, 4 KO), eight rounds, lightweight
- Reina Tellez (13-1-1, 5 KO) vs. Juliana Basualdo (14-7, 3 KO), eight rounds, featherweight
- Miranda Reyes (8-3-1, 3 KO) vs. Camilla Panatta (8-3-1, 1 KO), eight rounds, super featherweight
- Jocelyn Camarillo (6-0, 1 KO) vs. Yazmin Martinez (3-3-2, 1 KO)
- Iyana Verduzco (7-0, 1 KO) vs. TBA
- Elise Soto (10-0, 9 KO) vs. Thalia Joseline Limon (4-1, 3 KO)
- Alexis Chaparro (7-0, 6 KO) vs. Edward Ulloa (15-7, 12 KO)
- Alexander Gueche (11-0, 7 KO) vs. Joshua Montoya (7-4-2)
- Nazarena Romero (14-1-2, 8 KO) vs. Maria Salinas (27-14-6, 7 KOs)
- Albina Moldazhanova (3-0, 3 KO) vs. Claudia Herrera (5-6-1, 2 KO)
How to watch
Main card: 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, streaming on ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited, at Yahoo Sports. Preliminary card: 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The official weigh-in will take place on Friday at 6 p.m. MT at the El Paso County Coliseum and will be streamed on MVP’s YouTube channel and ESPN+.
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Oleksandr Usyk Eyes Dangerous Former Heavyweight Champion for Final Fight
Published
4 hours agoon
July 29, 2026
Oleksandr Usyk is planning on just one more fight before hanging up the gloves and sailing off into the sunset, and the Ukrainian icon has confirmed who he is targeting for his ‘last dance’ and why.
Usyk’s achievements at both cruiserweight and heavyweight have seen him recognised as one of boxing’s all-time greats, having joined Evander Holyfield as the second man to claim the undisputed title in both weight divisions.
However, against Rico Verhoeven back in May, the 39-year-old showed signs that perhaps he’s starting slowing down and was somewhat fortunate to avoid an astonishing upset as a controversial round 11 stoppage spared his blushes.
During the aftermath, Usyk announced his decision to vacate all three of his heavyweight world titles and to have one last dance before retirement, with former WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder deemed by many to be the frontrunner for the opposing corner.
In an interview with All Out FightingUsyk confirmed that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is his targeted opponent because he is a ‘dangerous guy’.
“This is a man who, in the last 10 years, has been a top fighter, a world champion. It’s a dangerous guy.”
Despite the fact that Wilder has lost four of his last seven contests, Usyk was unbothered by the suggestion that the American’s recent form could see him not receive credit from the fans for defeating him at this point in his career.
“I am not boxing for glory. For me, it is just my life.”
Usyk vs Wilder could be set to take place in either December 2026 or early 2027, as the Ukrainian calls time on an illustrious career.
Boxing
Canelo Alvarez Backs Ryan Garcia in Predicted Conor Benn World Title Fight: I Think Hes Special
Published
4 hours agoon
July 29, 2026
Ryan Garcia is set for a defence of his WBC welterweight world title, taking on Conor Benn in six weeks’ time. Now, pound-for-pound superstar Canelo Alvarez has revealed his prediction for the fight.
Benn was named as the WBC’s mandatory challenger earlier this year, despite having not fought at the weight since April 2022. Therefore, when Garcia dethroned Mario Barrios in February to claim the title, it seemed as though a meeting between the pair would inevitably come next.
Benn decided to first take part in a 150lb catchweight scrap with Regis Prograis, winning on points to allow him to push ahead with the title challenge.
It was confirmed earlier this month that Garcia vs. Benn will go ahead on September 12 – a notable date considering Garcia’s Latino heritage, with Mexican Independence Day being just four days later.
Mexican icon Canelo has fought in September for the last four years, but told The Ariel Helwani Show that he was happy for Garcia to take his slot following the postponement of his challenge for Christian Mbilli’s WBC super-middleweight world title.
“It’s very good [that he is fighting on that date]especially because I turned that date down now because I moved my fight. I think that he is good for fighting on that date. I think that he is the correct person to do it and the fight deserves that day.”
When discussing the fight itself, Canelo admitted that he is favouring his former stablemate, believing that Garcia is capable of beating anyone on his day.
“I like Ryan, he is very talented. When he is focussed, he can beat everybody.
“I know Conor too and I like Conor too, but I think that Ryan is a special fighter.”
Garcia-Benn will be staged at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with undefeated cruiserweight Jai Opetaia expected to compete in the co-main event of the bill.
Boxing
Tony Bellew Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Chin After Knockdowns by Kristian Prenga
Published
6 hours agoon
July 29, 2026
Anthony Joshua was knocked down for the sixth time in three fights when he boxed Kristian Prenga on Saturday, and now Tony Bellew has shared his thoughts on the chin of the two-time heavyweight world champion.
Joshua was expected to convince fans that he was back to his best when he took on Prenga in Jeddah, but the outcome couldn’t have been further from the intended one, as ‘AJ’ was twice floored in the opening round, bringing his punch resistance into question.
To his credit, Joshua responded well in the second round and capitalised on a frozen Prenga, who was unable to build on the momentum he had generated in the opening three minutes before being stopped himself.
Joshua’s frailties has left some former fighters questioning whether Joshua’s showdown with Tyson Fury should still be pursued or if he should instead retire from the sport and prioritise his health.
Former WBC cruiserweight world champion Bellew has now had his say, as he told The Stomping Ground that he still believes Joshua’s chin to be ‘rock solid’.
“He has got a rock solid chin. How can you question someone’s chin when he has never been starched and he has never been flatlined, he always gets up. Even against Daniel Dubois, he always gets up.
“The fact that he gets up shows that there is absolutely nothing wrong with his chin.”
Fury vs Joshua is expected to go ahead in November and will be broadcast live on Netlfix.
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