Duke Ragan: record, next fight and profile →
Duke Ragan is the latest American boxer to find success in Tokyo. The featherweight representative of the U.S. Olympic boxing squad advances to the quarterfinal round following a three-round unan win over Kazakhstan's Serik Termizhanov. Scores were for Ragan and for Termizhanov in their Round of 16 battle Wednesday afternoon at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo.
After four pro fights, Duke Ragan returned to the amateurs for his toughest fight in more than a year but still found a way to prevail. Cincinnati's Ragan produced an historic win for the U.S. Olympic boxing team, outpointing France's Samuel Kistohurry via split decision in the Round of 32 in the men's featherweight division of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ragan prevailed by scores of 29-28 on three scorecards, with Kistohurry winning 29-28 on two cards.
Albert Bell used a fast start to power his way to his latest victory, scoring an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Ray Rojas. Scores were 78-74 across the board in favor of Bell in an ESPN+ televised junior lightweight bout Saturday on ESPN+ from Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Two months later, Joe Smith Jr. and Maxim Vlasov are ready to fight. Both boxers made weight for their WBO light heavyweight title fight, which takes place Saturday evening live in front of a sold-out crowd at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Smith (26-3, 21KOs) weighed 174.8 pounds in his bid to become just the fourth-ever boxer from Long Island (New York) to win a major title. Russia’s Vlasov (45-3, 26KO) tipped the scale at 175 pounds for his first major title fight.
The heavyweight division’s next king is taking his show on the road. Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson, who knocked out five opponents inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, returns to action Saturday, April 10 against Jeremiah “The Bullfrog” Karpency in a bout scheduled for 8/6 rounds from Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The knockout king of the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, junior welterweight southpaw Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez, hopes to put an exclamation point on his 2020 Prospect of the Year campaign.
Duke Ragan’s second professional fight wasn’t quite as easy as his debut. The talented featherweight from Cincinnati needed all four rounds to defeat former UFC fighter John Moraga on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Ragan (2-0, 1 KO) couldn’t hurt Moraga (1-2, 1 KO), but he beat Moraga comfortably on all three scorecards.
Jose Zepeda had to strip naked, but he made weight on his second attempt Friday afternoon for his fight against Ivan Baranchyk on Saturday night. Zepeda stepped on the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s scale a second time at 139.9 pounds. The La Puente, California, native weighed 140.2 pounds on his first attempt, slightly above the junior welterweight limit of 140 for their 10-round bout at MGM Grand Conference Center.
Gabriel Flores Jr. returns for his MGM Grand Las Vegas “Bubble” encore Saturday, Oct. 3 against veteran contender Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski in the 10-round lightweight co-feature to the highly anticipated junior welterweight bout between Ivan Baranchyk and Jose Zepeda.
Duke Ragan’s pro debut went about as well as his handlers could’ve hoped Saturday night. The 22-year-old Ragan displayed the power he promised he possesses by knocking out Luis Alvarado in the first round of a scheduled four-round featherweight fight on the Eleider Alvarez-Joe Smith Jr. undercard at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. The Cincinnati native nailed Alvarado with a picture-perfect right hand that sent Alvarado to the canvas with 18 seconds to go in the opening round.