8/17 ESPN: Emanuel Navarrete-Francisco De Vaca (WBO 122 Title) / Jessie Magdaleno-Rafael Rivera

[patscorpio]

Jessie Magdaleno vs. Rafael Rivera on August 17th, ESPN

Former junior featherweight world champion Jessie Magdaleno will take on Rafael Rivera in a 10-round featherweight clash Saturday, Aug. 17 at Banc of California Stadium. The Magdaleno-Rivera fight will be the co-feature underneath Emanuel Navarrete’s WBO junior featherweight world title defense against Francisco “Panchito” De Vaca.

Navarrete-De Vaca was elevated to main event status after Jose Benavidez Jr.’s leg injury forced him to pull out of his welterweight bout against Luis Collazo.

Navarrete-De Vaca and Magdaleno-Rivera will headline the inaugural fight card at the year-old stadium and will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“This is a great opportunity as I continue my quest to become a two-weight world champion,” Magdaleno said. “Nothing is going to stand in my way, especially Rafael Rivera. He is a tough guy, but I am in a different class.”

“I have experience at the highest levels of the sport, so Magdaleno is not going to intimidate me,” Rivera said. “I know what a win would mean for my career. I am going to bring my Mexican fighting spirit to Los Angeles and hand Magdaleno the second loss of his career.”

Magdaleno (26-1, 18 KOs) will be making his second ring appearance since losing his world title in April 2018 in a Fight of the Year contender to Isaac Dogboe. The Las Vegas native, who made one successful defense of the belt he won from future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire in November 2016, moved up to featherweight following the Dogboe defeat. He returned March 23 in Costa Mesa, California, and won a wide unanimous decision over former world champion Rico Ramos.

Rivera (27-3-2, 18 KOs), from Tijuana, Mexico, has never been knocked out as a pro and is two fights removed from a spirited effort in a decision loss to WBA super world featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz. In July 2018, he dropped a tightly contested split decision to top featherweight prospect Joet Gonzalez, who was 19-0 at the time.

 

[patscorpio]

However much longer Emanuel Navarrete has left at super bantamweight, it will last at least through Saturday evening.

The streaking 122-pound titlist from Mexico City, Mexico and unbeaten but unheralded title challenger Francisco de Vaca both made weight ahead of their ESPN-televised main event Saturday evening at Banc of California Stadium on USC campus in Los Angeles, Calif.

Both fighters came in right at the 122-pound limit for their headliner, with the show airing live beginning at 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT.

Navarrete (27-1, 23KOs) attempts the second defense of the 122-pound title he claimed just eight months ago. His title win and first defense both came versus Isaac Dogboe, dethroning the previously unbeaten titlist in a 12-round decision last December which he followed with a one-sided 12th round stoppage this past May.

Both bouts aired live on ESPN, with Saturday's headlier marking his third straight network appearance.

Phoenix (Az.)-based de Vaca (20-0, 6KOs) takes his first swing at a major title, along with his televised debut.

In the evening's chief support, former 122-pound titlist Jessie Magdaleno and veteran contender Rafael Rivera collide in a 10-round featherweight crossroads clash.

Las Vegas-based Magdaeleno (26-1, 18KOs) weighed 125.4 pounds for his second fight since losing his title to Dogboe last April; Mexico's Rivera (27-3-2, 18KOs) tipped the scales at 125.6 pounds in search of his second win following a failed title bid versus featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz earlier this year.

Also on the card, South Africa's Chris Van Heerden fights for the second time under the Top Rank banner as he takes on Aslanbek Kozaev in a 10-round welterweight bout.

van Heerden (27-2-1, 12KOS) weighed in at 146.5 pounds, while Russia's Kozaev (32-3-1, 8KOs) came in right at the 147-pound limit.

 

[Omar Little]

NEHO

 

[dizzy4111]

Yun/Martinez def one of the strangest fights I've seen in a while

 

[desjardins]

Kinda meh about these match ups but it's dry tonight so I'll peep this

 

[Bigblackted4]

Undercard god awful

 

[Electric Ladyland]

nice to see its on regular espn, i though it was on +

Navarrete the best at 122 imo

 

[Electric Ladyland]

lets go brehs

 

[Electric Ladyland]

Magdaleno small as fukk at 126

 

[Electric Ladyland]

Magdaleno really cant make 122?

smaller fighter tryin to fight from the outside, dudes gonna get walked down every single time

 

[Electric Ladyland]

Riveras dumbass thinking he won

 

[Dallas' 4 Eva]

Fury talking shyt.

 

[Electric Ladyland]

Manny Robles dont even look confident in his fighter, De Vaca.

 

[Dallas' 4 Eva]

Say these lil ese's scrappin though.

 

[mson]

Throw the damn towel