Mexican Olympian and current NABF Welterweight Titleholder Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (13-0, 11 KOs) successfully defended his title against Brooklyn, New York’s Courtney Pennington (17-7-3, 7 KOs) in a 10-round main event at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. “El Cugar” faced his toughest fight yet, throwing everything in his arsenal at the resilient Pennington. Pennington held on until the tenth round, the referee called it at 2:53, awarding Curiel the knockout victory. This thrilling bout was aired worldwide on DAZN.
“He’s a genuine warrior, incredibly experienced. I unleashed all I had, and he withstood it,” expressed Raul Curiel. “I was patient, and we secured the victory we trained intensively for. This fight was instrumental in brushing up my skills after a long absence from the ring, so I’m genuinely satisfied with my performance.”
In a truly spectacular co-main event, Manuel “Gucci Manny” Flores (16-1, 12 KOs) halted Jerson Ortiz (17-8, 8 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua in the second round of a 10-round super bantamweight fight. Flores, eager to prove his top-contender status to his hometown fans, floored Ortiz twice in the opening round and wrapped it up at 0:50 in the second after a crushing combo culminating in a right hook.
“My performance tonight was the real essence of ‘Gucci Manny’. This is who I am,” Manuel Flores proclaimed. “It’s evident that with dedication and rigorous training, I’m unbeatable. The hard work was evident tonight. I thought Ortiz would be more aggressive, but regardless, we clinched the win.”
The Coachella Valley attendees were treated to a spectacle by up-and-comer Grant Flores (3-0, 2 KOs) as he showcased his skills in a six-round super welterweight fight against Jaleik Bogle (4-2-2, 2 KOs) of St. Petersburg, Florida. The two traded blows, with Bogle reacting to Flores’ fierce strikes until a significant hit in the fifth round. The judges were unanimous with a 60-53 score in favor of the local hero, Grant Flores.
In a definitive victory in his debut as a Golden Boy fighter, the newly contracted Daniel “Ikaika” Luna (3-0, 3 KOs) from Victorville displayed his fierce knockout prowess with a second-round takedown of Alexander Gutierrez (0-3) of Lake Elsinore. This four-round lightweight fight culminated in a show-stopping left body shot, flooring Gutierrez who couldn’t recover.
Initiating the Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN was a six-round featherweight fight, where Jorge Chavez (8-0, 6 KOs) of San Diego extended his knockout streak by overpowering Managua, Nicaragua’s Marvin Solano (24-11, 8 KOs). Chavez skillfully dismantled his opponent, finally landing a body shot that downed him at 2:59 in the third.
Kicking off the evening with explosive energy, Leonardo “Bazooka” Sanchez (6-0, 5 KOs) from Cathedral City secured a second-round knockout win over John Alimane (8-5, 4 KOs) of Manila, Philippines. In a scheduled four-round super featherweight contest, Sanchez dropped Alimane with a lethal trio of punches, finishing him at 0:27 in the second.