Justin Pauldo showed resilience in stoppage win over Nike Theran

FRESNO, Calif. – Justin Pauldo’s latest win sums up his career; he faced some adversity, but battled back.

Pauldo stopped Nike Theran on November 29 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The win that main evented a ProBox TV card came after Pauldo was rocked by Theran in the second round, leaving him on unsteady legs.

Pauldo, 20-2 (10 KOs), recalled that he got hit with the left hook-right hand combination when he tried to land a right uppercut. The left hook was the damaging blow as it hit Pauldo on his temple. He remembered looking to his corner, led by trainer Ronnie Shields, to let them know he was fine.

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“When I got hit, I figured I was okay, and I reminded myself to stay calm and get out of the round,” Pauldo said. “Ronnie said [in the corner] to make sure to bring my hands back, and that I got caught with a shot.”

Pauldo, a 31-year-old from Houston, did just that as he stayed composed, fighting behind a jab and targeting Theran’s body. Pauldo saw a change in Theran’s demeanor toward the end of the fourth round.

“His punches weren’t the same,” Pauldo said. “They didn’t have the same steam on them. By the end of the sixth round, I knew it was coming to an end soon. In the sixth or seventh round, he almost turned his back like he was going to walk off. I knew it was getting close.”

Pauldo also shared that Theran complained of hip shots as the fight persisted.

“When a guy starts complaining like that and not letting the referee do their job, it is a sign that they are frustrated,” Pauldo said.

Pauldo is now on a three-fight win streak after a loss in 2024 to Miguel Maduno. The fight reflects the resilience Pauldo has shown in his career. Pauldo has bounced back from his loss nearly two years ago, not unlike his bounce back from the glancing blow that buzzed him in the second round.

“He had a setback and showed he belongs at the top,” Jolene Mizzone, Pauldo’s manager, said. “If an opportunity presents itself and it makes sense, we are going to jump on the opportunity, but we are not going to stop what he has been doing to wait for any particular fighter.”

It appears Pauldo’s team will value activity in the near future over targeting a specific titleholder. As for now, Pauldo is ranked No.11 in the WBC rankings. Pauldo explained his hopes for 2026.

“The goal is to fight for a title or title eliminator,” Pauldo said. “I want to be mentioned with the top fighters of the division.”