Rising boxing star Joshua Pagan preserved his undefeated record this Saturday night, delivering a commanding performance against seasoned fighter Braulio Rodriguez in a six-round clash at Motor City Casino, Detroit. The bout, under the Salita Promotions banner, saw Pagan walk away with a unanimous decision, with judges scoring the fight 60-52 in his favor.
Pagan, with an impressive 9-0 record, including 4 KOs, demonstrated his ring generalship by sending Rodriguez (20-8, 17 KOs) to the canvas twice during the match. This victory marks Pagan’s fifth win in what’s been an active 2023. Following his success at 140 pounds this Saturday, Pagan announced his intention to descend to the 135-pound lightweight category, eyeing a championship trajectory in a division teeming with talent such as Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, and Shakur Stevenson.
Reflecting on his recent victory, Pagan stated, “It was a great fight on Saturday against an experienced opponent that gave me a good test. It felt great to get the rounds and experience in and see what I need to work on for the next camp. I’m going to focus on fighting at lightweight and I really feel as I keep improving, I’m going to be ready to face the best 135-pound champions and contenders.”
At only 23, the Grand Rapids, Michigan native is no stranger to the spotlight, having clinched the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a resounding unanimous decision over Keon Davis. As he gears up for the professional ranks in the lightweight division, Pagan is set to jet off to Puerto Rico with trainer Theo Chambers for high-level sparring with none other than Jake Paul, prepping the internet sensation for his December ring comeback.
Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions, commended Pagan’s progress, noting, “Joshua is improving with each fight and getting faster, stronger, and sharper. I believe that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division and is going to add a lot of flavor to a very talented weight class in the very near future.”