9/19 ESPN+: Jose Pedraza vs Javier Molina / Efe Ajagba vs Jonathan Rice
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Robeisy Ramirez vs Felix Caraballo set for Pedraza-Molina Undercard
By Ryan Burton
Published On Mon Sep 7, 2020, 04:04 PM EST
Top Rank recently announced that former two-division champion Jose Pedraza will face Javier Molina on September 19th in a bout that will headline an ESPN+ card. The two were originally scheduled to square off on May 9th but like many bouts scheduled for the spring, it was cancelled due to COVID-19. The fight will take place in a fanless controlled environment which has been named "The Bubble".
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Both fighters have fought once in 2020. Pedraza defeated Mikkel LesPierre in July as part of Top Rank's series of fights inside of The Bubble at the MGM Grand Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas over the summer while Molina was last in action in February when he defeated former title challenger Amir Imam via unanimous decision on the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury 2 undercard.
BoxingScene.com has been advised that two-time Olympic gold medal winner Robeisy Ramirez (4-1) of Cuba will return to action on the Pedraza-Molina undercard against Puerto Rican Felix Caraballo (13-2-2).
After shockingly losing his pro debut, Ramirez, who campaigns as a featherweight in the pro ranks, has reeled off 4 consecutive victories. Those wins coincide with his linking up with world class trainer Ismael Salas. 2 of those victories have occurred inside of The Bubble.
Caraballo also has experience fighting without fans. He lost by 6th round stoppage to former featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson in the main event of the first fight of Top Rank's summer series on June 9th.
Bigblackted4
Superstar
Not a bad fight winnable but no cake
i want pedraza to win..only because im salty about molina upsetting amir imam...so he needs to lose just off GP lol
Bigblackted4
Superstar
If Pedraza comes with his brain he should be good
Efe Ajagba vs. Jonathan Rice Confirmed For September 19 In Las Vegas
By Jake Donovan
Published On Sat Sep 12, 2020, 08:04 PM EST
Efe Ajagba is officially set for his Top Rank debut.
An opponent has been secured for the unbeaten rising heavyweight, as Ajagba will face Los Angeles’ Jonathan Rice in a 10-round clash on the September 19 show live from The Bubble in Las Vegas. The bout will come in supporting capacity to a 10-round junior welterweight headliner between former two-division titlist Jose Pedraza and Javier Molina.
ESPN.com senior boxing writer Steve Kim was the first to report the news of Rice being named as Ajagba’s opponent.
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Ajagba (13-0, 11KOs) will fight for the second time this year, though his first since signing with Top Rank earlier this summer. The move was the final step in a complete makeover for the 2016 Nigerian Olympian who is now based out of Stafford, Texas. Prior to joining the Las Vegas-based promotional powerhouse, Ajagba entered an advisory deal with James Prince and has since added renowned trainer Kay Koroma to his corner.
With all of that will now come the next step in career with nothing but upside.
“Anytime you have the opportunity to showcase an undefeated power punching heavyweight who will be a player in the division shortly, it’s a win-win,” Carl Moretti, vice president of operations for Top Rank told BoxingScene.com.
Ajagba turned pro in July 2017, with the bulk of his career taking place on the undercard of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) events while fighting for Richard Schaefer’s Ringstar Promotions. The 26-year old knockout now joins a loaded Top Rank heavyweight stable as part of a trio of 2016 Olympians that includes France’s 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Tony Yoka, Italy’s Guido Vianello, along with American prospect Jared ‘Big Baby’ Anderson and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury of Manchester, England.
In his most recent start, Ajagba scored a 9th round stoppage of Razvan Cojanu this past March in Brooklyn, New York.
Rice (13-5-1, 9KOs) suffered a 10th round stoppage at the hands of Australia’s Demsey McKean (18-0, 12KOs) in his last fight, on the same day as Ajagba’s previous contest though on the other side of the world in Queensland, Australia. Prior to the loss, Rice had won three straight, all taking place in Tijuana. Saturday’s bout will mark his first in the United States since September 2018.
Pedraza-Molina ESPN+ Weigh-In Report From The Bubble
By Jake Donovan
Published On Fri Sep 18, 2020, 04:26 PM EST
Jose Pedraza and Javier Molina both aim for a second straight Vegas win.
The pair of 2008 Olympians and junior welterweight hopefuls made weight for their scheduled 10-round contest, which streams live Saturday evening on ESPN+ from The Bubble at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pedraza checked in at 141.5 pounds, while Molina weighed 141.7 pounds.
Pedraza (27-3, 13KOs) makes his third trip to The Bubble, though for just his second fight. The former two-division titlist from Cidra, Puerto Rico had to wait out a two-week delay in order for a clash with Mikkel LesPierre to see the light of day, having weighed in for their planned June 18 ring date LesPierre’s manager to test positive for COVID-19 which forced the entire team off site.
Their bout was rescheduled for July 2, with Pedraza taking a landslide unanimous decision for his first win at the weight. The 31-year old Boricua came up well short in his 140-pound debut, dropping a 10-round decision to Jose Zepeda last September at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Molina (22-2, 9KOs) comes in carrying a five-fight win streak. The 30-year old from Norwalk, California picked up arguably the most significant career victory in his most recent bout, a decisive eight-round points win over former title challenger Amir Imam this past February, also in the main room at MGM Grand.
Saturday’s show also features the Top Rank debut of heavyweight prospect Efe Ajagba, who faces Los Angeles’ Jonathan Rice (13-5-1, 9KOs) in a scheduled 10-round chief support.
Ajagba (13-0, 11KOs)—a 2016 Nigerian Olympian now based out of the greater Houston area—tipped the scale at 242.3 pounds, roughly the same as his weight in a 9th round stoppage of Razvan Cojanu in his most recent bout this past March at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Rice weighed 265.4 pounds, well below the career-high 283 ¼ pounds he posted in a 10th round knockout loss to unbeaten Demsey McKean this past March in Queensland, Australia.
Two-time Olympic Gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez makes his third Bubble appearance, as the 26-year old Miami-based Cuban export faces Felix Caraballo, who fights for the second time in this venue as they collide in an eight-round featherweight contest.
Ramirez (4-1, 3KOs) weighed 125.9 pounds, while Caraballo (13-2-2, 9KOs) came in at 125.7 pounds.
A third straight win in this venue is sought for Ramirez, who scored a 1st round knockout of Yeuri Andjujar in June and a six-round decision over Adan Gonzales in July. The latter win avenged his lone career defeat, which came in his pro debut last August in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Caraballo appeared on the B-side of the marquee for the first-ever Bubble show, though hardly a memorable occasion as the 33-year old from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico was stopped in the 6th round of his June 9 clash with Shakur Stevenson who moved up to junior welterweight and subsequently abandoned his featherweight title reign soon thereafter. Caraballo has since returned to the featherweight division, where he has cma
FULL WEIGHTS
Jose Pedraza (27-3, 13KOs) 141.5 vs. Javier Molina (22-2, 9KOs) 141.7 —10 rds, junior welterweight
Efe Ajagba (13-0, 11KOs) 242.3 vs. Jonathan Rice (13-5-1, 9KOs) 265.4 —10 rds, heavyweight
Robeisy Ramirez (4-1, 3KOs) 125.9 vs. Felix Caraballo (13-2-2, 9KOs) 125.7 —8 rds, featherweight
Leo Ruiz (7-0, 5KOs) 151.4 vs. Rodrigo Solis (4-4-1, 2KOs) 151.4 —6 rds, junior middleweight
Christian Montano (9-0, 7KOs) 167.3 vs. Ryan Adams (7-2-1, 6KOs) 165.5 —6 rds, super middleweight
Bryan Lua (5-0, KOs) 134.5 vs. Luis Norambuena (4-6-1, 0KOs) 134 —4 rds, lightweight
Jahi Tucker (0-0, 0KOs) 143.6 vs. Deandre Anderson (1-1, 0KOs) 147.1 —4 rds, welterweight
Kasir Goldston (0-0, 0KOs) 142.8 vs. Isaiah Varnell (3-2, 2KOs) 142.8 —4 rds, welterweight
Frevian Gonzalez Robles (3-0, 1KO) 131.8 vs. Carlos Marrero (2-3-1, 0KOs) 131.1 —4 rds, junior lightweight
breh ajagba was flexing hard in the background lol
crazy KO
good lord what a brutal knockout 
lomachenko english improved...to the point to call the lopez ko of commey lucky lol
this TR boxing series has had some great KO’s
DAMN I MISSED AJAGBA?
i mean i still don’t understand why Commey came out fighting that fast in the first round
but Teofimo really is a good fighter
he tried to test that chin...and got chinned himselfi mean i still don’t understand why Commey came out fighting that fast in the first round
but Teofimo really is a good fighter
