Espinoza vs. Chirino

Rafael Espinoza vs. Sergio Chirino Sanchez: Espinoza wins by TKO in the 4th round.

Andres Cortes vs. Abraham Nova: Cortes wins by UD.

Troy Isley vs. Javier Martinez: Isley wins by UD.

Floyd Diaz vs. Francisco Pedroza Portillo: Diaz wins by UD.

Demler Zamora vs. Jose Antonio Meza: Zamora wins by UD.

Steven Navarro vs. Juan Pablo Meza: Navarro wins by UD.

Bryan Polaco vs. Richard Acevedo: Polaco wins by TKO in the 3rd round.

Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza is awaiting to make his title defense versus the number one challenger Sergio "Chirino" Sanchez within the BleauLive Theater in the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. This event marks the 161st all-Mexican world title fight and the 20th in the featherweight category.

The 10-round co-main event will see Andres “Savage” Cortes in a high-stakes bout versus Abraham “El Super” Nova. In a supplementary 10-round encounter between unbeaten middleweights, Troy Isley will square off against Javier Martinez.

This event will be streamed live exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+, the UK, and Ireland on Sky Sports.

Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum expressed his enthusiasm for the lineup, stating:

"This is a great card from top to bottom that will provide plenty of action, and we’re excited to host our first show at the gorgeous Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Espinoza has the potential to be Mexico’s next great champion, but he faces a stiff challenge in Chirino. Andres Cortes and Abraham Nova want to settle their score, and the winner will be in a great position to fight for a world title.”

Espinoza has been a professional since 2011 and clinched the WBO featherweight world title in a memorable fight against Robeisy Ramirez last December, a bout considered for Fight of the Year. Despite a knockdown in the fifth round, Espinoza made a late comeback, nearly halting Ramirez three times in the final round before the bell. He secured a majority decision in this thrilling upset. As the tallest featherweight champion at 6’1", he follows in the footsteps of legendary Mexican boxers like Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera. Espinoza expressed his eagerness to return to the ring, saying:

“I’m excited to return to the ring. I’m training very hard like always. I know that I’ll be facing a Mexican compatriot who is coming to win. I will be ready to defend my title with a lot of grit and heart. And that’s what I’ll do in the ring, fight with a lot of heart and win my first title defense.”

Watch Rafael Espinoza & Sergio Chirino Size Each Other Up Ahead Of Featherweight Title Fight: Watch

Chirino, after a flawless 9-0 start, faced his first defeat against future world champion Mauricio Lara in August 2018. He bounced back strongly, accumulating victories across Mexico. Last year, he won decisions against Ally Mwerangi and Sebastian Tinoco Chavez, and in his 2024 debut, he defeated Dennis Contreras with a decisive body shot in the third round. Chirino, aiming to be the first world champion from Oaxaca, Mexico, stated:

“We Mexicans are known for having a lot of heart. And whenever there are two of us in the ring, it’s a battle. I’m happy for the opportunity, but at the same time, I know I’ve earned it. I’m coming for that belt. I have a lot of experience. There will be a problem in the ring, and that problem is Espinoza. But I will solve that problem and take home the victory.”

Abraham Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) had a prolific amateur career of nearly 200 fights, showcasing victories over notable opponents like Frank Martin, Richardson Hitchins, and Nahir Albright. As a professional, he achieved a 17-0 record before signing a co-promotional deal with Top Rank in early 2020. Nova faced his first professional defeat in June 2022, suffering a one-punch knockout by Ramirez at featherweight. He rebounded in the junior lightweight division, securing wins over Adam Lopez and former world champion Jonathan Romero, though he faced a setback with a split decision loss to O’Shaquie Foster in his first world title bid in February.

Watch Foster vs. Nova highlights: Watch

Andres Cortes (21-0, 12 KOs), a Las Vegas native with a perfect record, first demonstrated his resilience in July 2020 by recovering from a knockdown to win against Alejandro Salinas. He continued his winning streak by defeating Eduardo Garza and then Genesis Servania and Mark Bernaldez in 2021. After signing with Top Rank in March, he maintained his unbeaten streak, including a notable seventh-round stoppage of Xavier Martinez.

Watch Cortes vs. Galdino: Watch

Troy Isley (12-0, 5 KOs), an Olympian with a flawless record, began his professional career in 2021 and has quickly made a name for himself under the guidance of 2023 Trainer of the Year, Brian "BoMac" McIntyre. He scored a decisive points victory over Vladimir Hernandez and a knockout against Marcos Hernandez.

Watch Isley vs. Hernandez highlights: Watch

Javier Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs) has also built an impressive career, highlighted by his recent victory over Raul Salomon. The rivalry between Isley and Martinez, which began in the amateurs, is set to culminate in their upcoming professional bout. Isley stated,

“This isn’t the amateurs anymore. Javier is going to see the difference in skill when we fight on June 21 in Las Vegas. He’s a tough fighter with a lot of heart, but that won’t be enough for him to win the fight.”

The undercard for the upcoming event will feature a lineup that includes two Las Vegas natives and a fast-rising star making his Top Rank debut. Bantamweight prospect Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) is set to make his second appearance of 2024 in an eight-round bout against Francisco Pedroza (18-11-2, 10 KOs). Diaz, a Las Vegas native, previously secured an eight-round decision victory over Puerto Rican veteran Edwin Rodriguez in March. Pedroza, known for challenging opponents like Gary Antonio Russell and Jason Moloney, achieved a notable victory over three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren in a six-round match in August 2022.

Joining the lineup, junior lightweight southpaw Demler Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs) will face Jose Antonio Meza (9-9, 2 KOs) in an eight-round contest. At just 21 years old, Zamora earned two victories in 2023, impressively defeating Jesus Abel Ibarra in three rounds in March and outpointing Nikolai Buzolin over eight rounds in July.

Junior bantamweight sensation Steven Navarro (1-0, 1 KO) will make his Top Rank debut in a six-round fight against Juan Pablo Meza (7-3, 2 KOs). Navarro, a 13-time U.S. national amateur champion, transitioned to the professional ranks by stopping Jose Lopez in six rounds last April.

Completing the undercard, featherweight Albert Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs), trained by renowned coach Robert Garcia, is scheduled to compete against Conrado Martinez (9-1, 0 KOs) in a six-round bout. Gonzalez comes off a powerful performance, having knocked out Joel Alberto Mora in his last outing.

Fight card (Co-main event starts at 10:30 pm ET):

▪️Rafael Espinoza vs. Sergio Chirino, 12 rounds, for Espinoza’s WBO Featherweight title ▪️Andres Cortes vs. Abraham Nova, 10 rounds, for vacant NABO Junior Lightweight title ▪️Troy Isley vs. Javier Martinez, 10 rounds, for vacant NABO Middleweight title ▪️Floyd Diaz vs. Francisco Pedroza, 8 rounds, bantamweight ▪️Demler Zamora vs. Jose Antonio Meza, 8 rounds, junior lightweight ▪️Steven Navarro vs. Juan Pablo Meza, 6 rounds, junior bantamweight ▪️Bryan Polaco vs. Richard Acevedo, 6 rounds, middleweight

Watch the weigh-in highlights on YouTube: Watch