Salita Promotions continues to keep the lights on for the U.S. club scene.
The company founded by former title challenger Dmitry Salita is set for its first show of the year. Joshua Pagan, 15-0 (5 KOs) prevailed in the DAZN headliner with a 10-round, unanimous decision victory over Nicaragua's Bryan Jimenez, 18-3 (10 KOs). Scores were 100-90, 99-91 and 99-91 for Pagan, who enjoyed his first hometown main event Tuesday evening from GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"It was tough in there, but we got the job done," Pagan told DAZN's Naji "Chill" Grampus.
Pagan fended off a brief surge by Jimenez midway through the fight to otherwise dominate in their lightweight affair. The bout marked the third time that Pagan went the full 10-round distance, this coming off a 9th round knockout of Maliek Montgomery in a stellar showing last October 23 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
Caroline Veyre claimed the vacant WBC 130lbs title with a ten-round, unanimous decision over former longtime WBC 135lbs titlist Delfine Persoon. Scores were 94-92, 95-91 and a laughable 98-88 for Veyre, 11-1 (0 KOs) - a 2020 Olympian for Canada who was loudly booed by the crowd for her excessive holding. Both boxers lost two points - Persoon docked in rounds four and seven, Veyre in rounds five and nine - in a roughhouse affair that served as the evening's chief support.
- faces , 50-3 (20 KOs) for the vacant WBC 130lbs title.
Garrett Rice Jnr. has now faced two Scotts (not related) to start his career, though to drastically varying results.
Less than two months after his 61-second debut, "Baby Gee" went the full four-round distance in a shutout victory over Charles Scott Jnr., 0-3 (0 KOs). Scores were 40-36 across the board for Rice, 2-0 (1 KO) a 24-year-old junior lightweight newcomer from Dearborn.
Opening the four-fight DAZN show, promising heavyweight prospect Sardius Simmons fended off a scrappy challenge from Jonathan Lee Rice to claim a six-round, unanimous decision. Scores were 59-55, 58-56 and 58-56 for Flint's Simmons, 6-0 (3 KOs) who was given six quality rounds. Combination punching by the 32-year-old southpaw proved to be the difference, though Rice, 5-4 (3 KOs) enjoyed his moments of success in the later rounds.
