What to Know
- Phoenix boxing fans were treated to an action-packed card from ProBox in its Members Only boxing series on Friday.
- Joshua Kevin Anton gave Guatemalan fans another rising star to cheer for, defeating Freudis Rojas in a grueling 10-round fight.
- Justin Pauldo won the WBC Latino lightweight title with a 10-round split decision over fan-favored Rene Tellez Giron in the co-main event.
With the long-running “Friday Night Fights” on ESPN and “ShoBox: The New Generation” on Showtime now a thing of the past, boxing fans can count on ProBox TV to give talented prospects a platform in evenly matched fights.
Friday at the Rawhide Western Town & Event Center in Phoenix, Arizona, Joshua Kevin Anton bullied and wore down Freudis Rojas to win a unanimous 10-round decision in the main event. Anton successfully defended his WBC Continental Americas junior welterweight championship for the second time.
Guatemalan American prospect Anton of Palmdale, California (15-0, 12 KOs) gives the large Guatemalan fan based in Southern California another talent to cheer along with super middleweight Lester Martinez. Anton gained momentum each round to shut down the determined Rojas of Las Vegas (15-2, 11 KOs). Scores were 98-91, 98-91 and 97-92.
Rojas deserves credit for taking the fight on short notice. He showed his slick southpaw boxing skills, in the first two rounds but progressively wilted as Anton’s conditioning and superior power took over as Rojas ran out of steam.
It’s always different when you find someone with that kind of style,” said Anton. “Freddy and I both had similar styles from the get-go, and I just want to give him thanks. He put up a great challenge, and I knew he was a great fighter, so we had to adjust. We’re here to give our all. Long live Guatemala!”
Pauldo Pounds Giron In Co-Main
In the co-main event, Justin Pauldo of Houston (20-2, 10 KOs) won the WBC Latino lightweight title by split decision over 10 rounds against Rene Tellez Giron of Mexico (23-5, 14 KOs).
Pauldo took on the tough Tellez Giron, standing and trading with the popular challenger in a grueling back-and-forth fight tailor made for the ProBox platform.
Pauldo worked harder, but Tellez Giron was more accurate. Many of the rounds were tough to score. It was no surprise to hear the close 96-94 score for Tellez Giron, overruled by 98-92 and 97-93 for Pauldo.
Arteaga Stops Acosta in Four
Mexican featherweight Carlos Arteaga (17-1-1, 15 KOs) scored a fourth-round knockout over countryman Bryan Acosta (21-3, 8 KOs).
Arteaga hit Acosta with a left hook midway through the first round, and poured it on to end the fight early. Acosta showed impressive durability, weathering a savage attack to the bell. The ringside physician looked Acosta over carefully before letting him come out for round two.
Acosta dug down to rally and give himself a chance in the fight by cathing Arteaga, but it only postponed the inevitable outcome.
Arteaga went to uppercuts in round four, landing several to drop Acosta late in the round. Acosta beat the count, but referee Chris Flores made the right call stopping the fight at 2:12 of round four.
Undercard Results from The Desert
Junior-welterweight Charles “LoLo” Harris of San Bernardino (13-1, 7 KOs) won the WBC Latino belt with a unanimous decision over Misael Cabrera of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico (18-3-1, 12 KOs).
Harris, trained by Brian “BoMac” McIntyre at the B&B Boxing Gym in Omaha, Nebraska, showed why McIntyre believes in the 23-year-old’s future in boxing. He is an outstanding body puncher and is also developing good defensive skills. Scores were 99-91, 99-91, and 98-92.
In the ProBox opening bout, Heidan Martinez of the Dominican Republic (19-0, 17 KOs) stayed undefeated with a decision over Willmank Canonico Brito of Caracas, Venezuela (14-11-2, 12 KOs).
Martinez got off to a slow start against Canonico Brito, but trainer Bob Santos settled him after he was warned for hitting after the bell and using his forearm. Still, referee Jonathan Puu docked Martinez a point for a low blow in the last round. Fortunately for Martinez, it didn’t affect the fight’s outcome. Scores were 78-73, 77-74, and 77-74.
ProBox Subscription Model
ProBox TV has gone to a subscription model. It airs all cards on YouTube, guaranteeing a minimum of two per month, including its “Champion” series and its “Future Stars” series, like Friday’s card.
ProBox also produces a weekly talk show hosted by Chris Algieri with co-hosts including trainer Robert Garcia and former champion (and current BKFC fighter) Paulie Malignaggi. The cost for all content is $5/month, or $60/year. This is the same price as Saturday’s single pay-per-view from London.
We have no ties to ProBox and pay for our own subscription. If your budget permits, we encourage you to subscribe to help give boxing a platform in the U.S., especially for the prospects. It put an early 2026 Fight of the Year contender on the list in March between Najee Lopez and Manuel Gallegos.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.
