Most Valuable Promotions has announced the entire card for its inaugural U.S. event for MVPW, the new global platform for women’s boxing which will be headlined by Alycia Baumgardner’s unified junior lightweight title defense against Bo Mi Re Shin at Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden on April 17.
Undefeated middleweight title contender Tamm Thibeault (4-0, 3 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten Nadja Jesus (5-0, 3 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Puerto Rico’s Krystal Rosado (8-1, 2 KOs) will open the main card against Mexico’s Fernanda Reyes (8-0) in an eight-round battle of bantamweights. Those two fights will join Baumgardner-Shin and Shadasia Green’s unified super middleweight title defense against Lani Daniels to make up an all-women’s main card to cap the evening.
“I’m proud to be part of the first all-women’s main card on ESPN,” Thibeault said in a statement. “ESPN and MVP are making a statement by putting women’s boxing at the forefront, and on Friday, April 17, I’ll be ready to show my talent, my elegance, and exactly why I belong on this stage.”
The prelims will also feature several men’s bouts, including U.S. Olympian Jahmal Harvey (2-0, 1 KOs) taking on Argentina’s Leandro Medina (7-3-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round lightweight tilt. Javon “Wanna” Walton (3-0-1, 1 KO) of HBO’s “Euphoria” continues his quest as a pro boxer when he steps into the ring with Dionne Ruvalcaba (2-2, 1 KO) in a six-round battle of lightweights.
Unbeaten flyweight Nat “No Love” Dove (7-0-1, 2 KOs) is scheduled to face Maria Micheo in an eight-round fight and Raquel “Pretty Beast” Miller (13-0, 6 KOs) is slated for her MVP debut against Adriana Araujo (6-3, 1 KO) in a six-round, super middleweight match. Both of those bouts are pending final approval from the New York State Athletic Commission.
Rounding out the card will be bantamweight Elon De Jesus (11-1-2, 8 KOs) facing Connor Adaway (10-2-1, 4 KOs) and Alex Vargas (14-0, 5 KOs) meeting Ryan O’Rourke (13-0, 3 KOs).
“MVPW was created to give the best women in boxing the same platform, spotlight, and opportunity as male counterparts in the sport, and this card shows exactly what that looks like,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “We’re proud to have women leading the charge with MVPW. This is what true equality in the sport looks like.
“For years, women fought on the undercards of men’s events, and now the roles can be reversed, with the best female fighters headlining, supported by incredible male talent on the undercard. MVPW-02 highlights the incredible depth of talent in women’s boxing today and bringing this event to New York at Madison Square Garden and delivering it live on ESPN is another major step in establishing MVPW as the global home for women’s boxing.”
