While you’re indulging in Thanksgiving weekend feasting and leftover benefits, have sympathy for the boxers who had to make weight Friday for the eight fight cards broadcast around the world this Saturday. Yes, there are eight!
Which of the eight cards are worth watching? NY Fights gives you three on Saturday from England to California with rising stars, action matchups, and a Hall of Famer’s son making his pro debut.
Ben Whittaker Makes Matchroom Debut
Olympic silver medalist Ben Whittaker makes his debut with Matchroom Boxing in a homecoming main event in Birmingham, England on Saturday on DAZN. The card gets underway at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
“The Surgeon” Whittaker says he is ready to put on a clinic against Benjamin Gavazi of Germany. Both men comfortably made weight under the 175-pound light heavyweight limit. The fight is contested for the vacant WBC Silver Light Heavyweight title.
Whittaker originally signed with Boxxer after his Olympic performance in Tokyo, given its affiliation with Sky Sports in the UK, which gave him the widest audience. Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn has long expressed interest in Whittaker, both for his skills in the ring and his big personality outside it.
But when Sky parted ways with Boxxer, so did Whittaker. Now, Hearn gets his chance to advance Whittaker’s career. The pair share plenty of personality traits, some of them polarizing. Both have their fans and their haters. Sounds like an ideal style matchup.
Hearn said this week the partnership seemed inevitable. “When we put pen to paper, it was a good feeling. People say to me all of the time: ‘Who is the next big star of British boxing?’ We’ve been blessed with Anthony Joshua in the last few years as he comes up to the final rolls of the dice. We’re looking at the future.
“We’re looking at those guys like Naseem Hamed, Chris Eubank Sr., Amir Khan. Those names that are synonymous with British boxing. I believe he is the guy to do it,” said Hearn, calling Whittaker “a great self-promoter” and “a guy that understands the marketing side of the sport. But also, more importantly for me as a fight fan, an elite fighter.”
At Friday’s weigh-in, Whittaker crowed, “I’m looking good, aren’t I? Trust me, it’s hard to look this good. But I have worked hard over in Ireland, and I’m feeling good. We know this time was going to come with me coming over to Matchroom. Now, it’s time to put on a show.
“It’s good energy (from Gavazi), and it’s the energy you need. He’s here, and he’s ready to fight. He’s not an idiot but I’m going to tunr up and show why I am the Surgeon. I’m a perfectionist – I am going to break him down.”
Make no mistake, the matchup between Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs) and the undefeated but untested Gavazi (19-1, 13 KOs) is designed to suit Whittaker, who’s been accused of showboating too much in the ring and not buckling down to business. As long as fans are talking about you, it doesn’t really matter if they hate watch. But you must keep winning. Whittaker has all the talent, but he needs to demonstrate he has the drive.
Also on the card in the co-main, junior welterweights Cameron Vuong of England (9-0, 4 KOs) and Gavin Gwynne of Wales (18-4-1, 5 KOs) will meet in a rematch of their narrow decision in November, which went to Vuong.
ProBox Pits Pauldo and Theran
Following the British card, switch over to ProBoxTV at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT for the action at the Save Mart Center in Fresno with several solid matchups. Fans can view the card free on Amazon, Fubo, Tubi, or Pluto TV.
In the ten-round lightweight main event, Justin “The Million Dollar Man” Pauldo of Houston (19-2, 9 KOs) will face hard-punching Nike Theran of Colombia (20-1, 14 KOs).
Trained by Ronnie Shields, Pauldo is a four-time ProBoxTV veteran. He has enjoyed a terrific 2025. He delivered a sensational upset eighth-round knockout over former IBF World Super Featherweight Champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in February. He followed up with a decision over Said Chino in August.
“I know my opponent is a tough guy coming out of Colombia,” said Pauldo. “He’s got quite a few fights under his belt, so I’m looking forward to facing an experienced and hungry fighter and to being back on ProBoxTV,” promising to put on a show to end his year to get the fights he wants in 2026.
“I want Abdullah Mason or Shakur Stevenson. Those are the guys that got the belts. Those are the guys that I want.”
Theran, age 28, will make his US pro debut against Pauldo. Theran says he’s highly motivated. “God gave me this opportunity, and I’m well-prepared physically and mentally to win.”
In the super featherweight co-feature, Muhammad Yaqubov of Tajikstan (23-1, 12 KOs) will take on Cristian “Lacandonsito” Cruz Chacon of Tijuana, Mexico (24-7-1, 12 KOs). Yaqubov was originally scheduled to face Jessie Magdaleno in the main event, but Magdaleno withdrew with an injury, and Chacon stepped in.
Yaqubov is a 30-year-old southpaw whose only loss was to current WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster. He is now working in Southern California with trainer Manny Robles, preparing for their second fight.
Don’t let Chacon’s record discourage you. He lost five of his first seven fights, then went on a tear. Most recently, he stopped former world title challenger David Carmona and won a split decision over Jeremy Hill in September on ProBox.
The women’s vacant WBC World Super Flyweight Championship is at stake for Adelaida Maria “La Cobra” Ruiz of Downey, California (17-1-1, 8 KOs) and Alexas “Iron Lady” Kubicki (13-2, 2 KOs) of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Ruiz is a powerhouse puncher. Her only loss was to US Olympian Ginny Fuchs in August 2024. The winner on Saturday will become the WBC mandatory challenger for Fuchs, setting up a rematch for Ruiz with a win.
Kubicki is coming off a seventh-round TKO loss against undisputed division champion Gabriela Fundora in September, and she’s not taking an easy touch in her return to the ring.
Also on the card: light flyweight southpaw Erik Badillo Mares of Mexico (18-0, 8 KOs) vs former WBO World Champion Elwin “La Pulga” Soto of Mexical (21-3-1, 13 KOs), and super lightweights Carlos Balderas of Santa Maria, California (16-2, 14 KOs) against veteran Ricardo Quiroz of Oxnard (13-6, 7 KOs).
In the opening bout, undefeated lightweight Charlie Sheehy of Brisbane, California (11-0, 6 KOs) takes on D’Angelo Keyes of Houston (18-6, 11 KOs).
Manny Pacquiao Jr. Makes Pro Debut
Manny Pacquiao Promotions (MPP) will stage its first-ever fight card in the United States at Pechanga Resort in Temecula, California, with a familiar name on the bout sheet.
Manny Pacquiao, Jr., who is known as Jimuel, makes his pro debut under the spotlight against another first-time pro, Brendan Lally of Chicago.
The sold-out show will stream live on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Knockout beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT with a ten-fight card.
Pacquiao Jr. is also a new father as of this week, making his Hall of Fame promoter/father a grandfather for the first time. Manny Pacquiao Sr. will be on hand to see his son’s debut. Jimuel has been fighting as an amateur for the last four years. He is trained by his father’s long-time assistant trainer, Marvin Somodio.
MPP President Sean “Knucklehead Sean” Gibbon promises fans will be impressed by the nonstop action from the lineup of young fighters striving for their shot at world championships.
In the main event, Lorenzo Parra of Venezuela (23-1-1, 17 KOs) faces Elijah Pierce of Oklahoma City (21-2, 17 KOs) in a WBO featherweight eliminator. The winner will put himself in line as an opponent for WBO World Champion Rafael Espinoza.
Also of interest, undefeated middleweight Lazaro Lorenzana, a native of San Diego who lives and fights out of Tijuana (18-0, 13 KOs) hopes to make a splash in his American debut against Luis Arias of Las Vegas (22-5-1, 11 KOs).
Arias is a veteran whose losses are against top names, including Erickson Lubin and Daniel Jacobs, with a signature win over Jarrett Hurd in 2021 and a split draw with Gabe Rosado in 2018. Arias is coming off a loss against undefeated Eric Priest. He’ll hold up a mirror to Lorenzana and test where he stands in the wide-open middleweight division.