Most Valuable Promotions Boxing Weekend Takes Over Orlando

As the boxing dog days of August continue, Most Valuable Promotions takes over the weekend with two back-to-back cards packed with title fights, prospects, and all-action matchups on Friday, August 22, and Saturday, August 23, both at the Caribe Royale Orlando. Both events air on DAZN.

Most Valuable Prospects 14 Heats Up Friday

First up Friday is the MVP Most Valuable Prospects 14 series, featuring a main event showdown between MVP’s undefeated featherweight Jan Paul Rivera of Puerto Rico (12-0, 6 KOs) and Daniel Bailey of Miami (15-2, 8 KOs). Rivera is a former member of the Puerto Rican national team and now in the top 15 of the featherweight division.

In the co-main event, local favorite Corey Marksman of Orlando (11-0-1, 8 KOs) returns to take on Isabela, Luis Martinez of Puerto Rico (9-1, 4 KOs) in the lightweight division.

Accomplished amateur heavyweight Jahmal Harvey hopes to make it big as a pro. Photo: Joseph Correa, Most Valuable Promotions

The fight of most interest to many fans is the pro debut of Paris 2024 U.S. Olympian and former world and national amateur champion Jahmal Harvey of Houston. MVP’s new signee makes his hotly-anticipated pro debut against Marcelo Del Aguila of Lima, Peru (5-1, 1 KO). Harvey represents hope for American talent to emerge in the heavyweight division, which has been dominated by British and Eastern European talent for some time.

The Friday card gets started with early preliminary fights at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, and the main card at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

Flyweights Headline MVP Fight Night on Saturday

Rivera vs Cordova and Telles vs Baraou promise action Saturday in the main and co-main events Saturday night.

Although the lineup might not contain too many names fans are familiar with, there is plenty of entertainment value in Saturday’s MVP Fight Night card.

Puerto Rican Yankiel Rivera Figueroa (7-0, 3 KOs) will face Venezuelan powerhouse Angelino Cordova (19-0-1, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBA Interim World Flyweight title. Get the eye roll over yet another WBA interim title out of the way, then sit down to enjoy this fight. It’s sure to be a barnburner.

In his last fight, Rivera stopped undefeated Angel Gonzalez in three rounds. Rivera is a legitimate contender for a championship. He is a master technician, a southpaw with excellent speed and timing. He also has a good left hook and he’s more than willing to use it.

He will have his hands full with Cordova, who scored two knockdowns against former champion Julio Cesar Martinez but lost a close majority decision. The result was overturned due to Martinez testing positive for a diuretic after the fight. Cordova would love nothing more than to prove he deserved that decision over Martinez, dirty or no, with a solid win over Rivera.

Cordova will bring the fight to Rivera, who may be able to outbox him but will be motivated to please his Boricua fans in Orlando and return fire.

WBA Super Welterweight Interim Champion, Yoenis “El Bandolero” Téllez of Cuba (10-0, 7 KOs) will be defending his title against Abass Baraou of Berlin (16-1, 9 KOs) in the 12-round co-main event.

Now fighting out of Stafford, Texas, Téllez welcomes the test. “Abass Baraou is a strong, technical fighter with a lot of heart, but I’ve never been afraid of tough opponents. Every fight I take is about proving I belong at the very top.

For Téllez, the belt is more than hardware. He considers it a symbol of the journey and the battles he’s endured. “Defending my WBA Interim title means everything to me because it’s proof that dreams can’t be broken when you refuse to quit. I’m not just defending a belt — I’m defending everything I’ve worked for since the day I left Cuba.”

Jamaine Ortiz Back For Another Title Run

Jamaine Ortiz says he put in the work during training camp and it will show on Saturday. Photo: Boxlab Promotions

Among the more familiar names on the card, super lightweight contender and former title challenger Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (19-2-1, 9 KOs) will take on late replacement Ambiorix Bautista of the Dominican Republic (19-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round bout for the WBA Continental USA title.

“Bautista stepping in last minute doesn’t throw me off, it fuels me,” said Ortiz. “He’s hungry, he’s dangerous, and he’s coming with nothing to lose. \

“It doesn’t matter who’s across from me. I’m here to dominate, adjust, and show why I’m one of the best in the division,” said Ortiz, who hopes the regional title will open opportunities to fight other top names in the division. “A win here keeps me climbing toward world title opportunities, and I promise you, I’m not leaving Orlando without making noise in this division.”

Undefeated super lightweight Lucas Bahdi of Niagara Falls (19-0, 15 KOs) gets back in action for his second fight of 2025 against veteran Roger Gutierrez of Venezuela (29-6-1, 22 KOs). Neither of these men is likely to take a step back in a scheduled 12-round fight. Bahdi scored the consensus 2024 Knockout of the Year against Ashton Sylve, while Gutierrez is a gritty fighter who’s made the rounds against top talents in Southern California and worldwide since turning pro at age 18 in 2013.

Women’s Title Fights In the Lineup

Two women’s world championship fights uphold MVP’s commitment to women’s boxing at the top level.

WBA World Lightweight champion Stephanie Han of El Paso (10-0, 3 KOs) goes up against Paulina Angel of Medellin, Colombia (7-1-2, 3 KOs). Han, who works as a full-time police officer, says she now gets the show the world how hard she’s been training on Saturday. “I’m very humble. I train as if I’m the worst, and perform as if I’m the best,” said Han, who added she believes there’s always something for her to work on.

WBA Flyweight Champion Jasmine Artiga of Tampa (13-0-1, 6 KOs) will have the Florida fans in her corner as she is challenged by Linn Sandstrom (10-3-3, 2 KOs), a native of Brazil fighting out of Australia.

Also on the card, super flyweight prospect Nat “No Love” Dove of Philadelphia (5-0-1, 1 KO) returns to the Caribe Royale where she fought to a majority draw in May. Her opponent is Randee Lynn Morales of New Mexico (5-5, 3 KOs).

Queensberry Promotions Card Features Regional Action from the UK

For the truly hardcore fans, Queensberry Promotions hosts a card with regional matchups earlier on Saturday, August 23, getting underway at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 p.m. In the main event, undefeated Jack Rafferty of Shaw, Lancashire (26-0, 17 KOs) defends his British and Commonwealth Super Lightweight titles against former IBF European, WBA Intercontinental and WBC Silver Lightweight titleholder Mark Chamberlain of Portsmouth (17-1, 12 KOs) from Planet Ice in Altrincham, England.