Three weeks back, junior middleweight Yoenis “Bandolero” Tellez, who boasts an impressive 5-0 record, was focused on a late August bout when a surprise phone call shook things up. Tellez, a 23-year-old Cuban Texas-resident, was offered a golden opportunity to take on the formidable Sergio Garcia on July 29, set as the opening act of the blockbuster Errol Spence-Terence Crawford pay-per-view event. The sudden vacancy appeared due to an unfortunate hand injury sidelining Garcia’s initial opponent, Jesus Ramos. Despite Garcia being a marked step up in competition, Tellez and his team didn’t hesitate and seized the opportunity.
“When I first laid eyes on Yoenis, he exuded an aura reminiscent of the legendary Jose Napoles. It didn’t take long to realize his extraordinary potential,” Luis DeCubas Sr. of Warriors Boxing shared. DeCubas co-promotes Tellez alongside Boxlab Promotions. “In one of his bouts in Russia, Yoenis displayed his prowess by breaking down a native opponent, closing the show in just two rounds.”
Guided by renowned trainer Ronnie Shields, Tellez walked into the ring as an underdog, according to the bookies. Garcia held a 34-2 record, with his only two losses coming from former world champs Sebastian Fundora and Tony Harrison. The bout was part of the broadcast of one of the most anticipated fights in recent years, attracting millions of viewers globally.
However, the moment the opening bell chimed, the odds and the numbers didn’t matter.
Tellez landed a powerful two-punch combo towards the end of round two that rattled Garcia. In the third round, Tellez unloaded two perfectly executed right hands that sent Garcia crashing to the canvas. Though Garcia managed to regain his footing, he was visibly shaken. Tellez seized the moment, raining down a barrage of punishing right hands that forced Garcia into the ropes. The referee, Robert Hoyle, stepped in and ended the fight at the 2:02 mark of round three.
With this victory, Tellez’s record moves to an undefeated 6-0, with five of those wins coming via knockout.
“Yoenis took the bull by the horns, tearing through a fighter who had never been stopped before, despite facing some top-notch opposition,” praised DeCubas Sr. “We at Warriors Boxing and Boxlab Promotions express our gratitude to PBC and Showtime for showcasing this bout, effectively highlighting the caliber of Yoenis Tellez to the global boxing community.”
Tellez is slated to return to the ring come fall.
For fans eager to follow Tellez’s journey, he can be found on Instagram under the handle @Yoenis_Oficial01.