The undercard for the Saturday night event in Atlanta headlined by Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson streamed on the ESPN+ app.
The card was filled with some young talent, some impressed, and others didn’t as much.
As everyone gets ready for the main ESPN telecast, here's how the undercard talent performed earlier this evening.
Mederos opens the card with a UD victory.
Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images
The opening card for the ESPN+ version of this card featured the undefeated lightweight Harley Mederos (1-0) from Brooklyn, NY, going up against Deljerro Revello (0-1). This wasn’t a master class of boxing, but it provided entertainment for those who arrived in the arena early. Mederos scored a knockdown in the first round by landing a clean right hook followed by a left hook. After that round, it was wild and wide punches from Mederos that hit the mark at times but often missed. The fight went to the scorecards, and all three judges had it 40-35 for Harley Mederos, who picks up his second pro victory.
Antoine Cobb is here!
Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images
In his pro debut, Chicago welterweight Antoine Cobb was announced with a roar from the crowd.
In round one, Cobb was moving his body side to side and checking his distance against Jerrion Campbell when he missed with the left but came crashing in with the huge straight right hand. As soon as Campbell hit the canvas, the referee called the fight. Antoine Cobb earns a 58-second knockout victory in his pro debut. That is a certified highlight-reel knockout.
Haven Brady Jr. picks up a tough UD victory.
Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images
This was an interesting four-rounder as Haven Brady Jr., trained by Otha and Roshawn Jones, was considered the favorite versus Roberto Negrete. The first round played out that way, but it seemed like Negrete was trying to figure out Brady’s timing. In the second, Negrete landed three consecutive counter-right hooks, which stunned Brady and gave him something to think about. Brady Jr. made some adjustments of his own and countered beautifully when Negrete charged in. The last round saw both men giving their best while fighting as if the previous round would determine the fight. In the end, all three judges had it 40-36 for Haven Brady Jr. The decision that wasn’t well-received by the fans in attendance.
Eric Palmer upsets Livsey in his hometown.
This was a fight that if you got up to do something, you didn’t regret it. Roddricus Livsey is the hometown fighter, and it seemed like he was positioned to earn a significant victory in front of his family and friends. The fight didn’t quite work out that way, and it was a sloppy display of boxing by both men. The fight finally reached the scorecards, and the judges saw this one 58-56, 59-55 & 58-56 for Eric Palmer as he earned a split decision victory.
Livsey needs to get back to the gym and work on quite a few things before stepping back into the ring.
Troy Isley returns from the Olympics with an impressive win!
Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images
If excitement is what you’re looking for, then look no further than Junior Middleweight Troy Isley, he brought the action to Hot-lanta.
Troy wasted no time in the first-round landing crushing left hooks on Nicholi Navarro. It was clear that whatever Isley threw had bad intentions behind it, and a left uppercut finished it early. Troy Isley earns a first-round TKO victory on ESPN+.
Evan Holyfield with an exciting knockout victory!
The featured fight involved the young Evan Holyfield (7-0), who was fighting in front of his home crowd of Atlanta. His opponent, Charles Stanford (6-3), was looking to rough up the young prospect as he applied pressure early in the first round. Towards the end of the first round, Holyfield landed a hard left hook with plenty of torque and made Stanford take two deep breaths.
In the second round, Holyfield followed it with another left hook but this time to the head and then a right hook which floored Stanford. The referee counted out Stanford, and Evan Holyfield, on his 24th birthday, earned his eighth career victory by TKO.
My Three Cents:
As always, TR and ESPN+ allow these young fighters to showcase their talents on a significant viewing platform. Three boxers stood out to me the most: Evan Holyfield, Troy Isley, and Antoine Cobb. I have put all three on my list as ones to watch in the future, and you should too!
You can follow me on Twitter @abeg718 and follow @NyFights on Instagram.