In an electrifying bout, Henry Lebron maintained his unblemished record by delivering a seventh-round knockout to Juan Tapia, marking Tapia's first stoppage loss. This junior lightweight match was part of an exciting undercard featuring Amanda Serrano versus Reina Tellez and took place at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with live streaming available on YouTube before the main event aired on DAZN.
Lebron, boasting an impressive record of 21 wins and no losses (11 KOs), showed dominance throughout the fight. By the sixth round, he intensified his efforts, pushing Tapia into a corner and effectively utilizing a precise right jab to target Tapia's injured left eye. With strategic movements, Lebron attacked from angles that made it difficult for Tapia to defend himself. Ultimately, the referee halted the contest at 2 minutes and 49 seconds into the seventh round, as Tapia could not recover from the mounting pressure.
This bout marked a significant moment in Tapia’s nearly twelve-year professional career, as he suffered his first stoppage loss, now standing at 14 wins and 5 losses (5 KOs).
Following his victory, Lebron, who previously signed with Matchroom Boxing before transitioning to Most Valuable Promotions, expressed his eagerness to compete against the elite fighters in the 130-pound division. "I want the champions," he stated confidently. "Whoever is ready to fight."
In another match on the card, local favorite Chris Echevarria faced Gabriel Bernardi in a six-round bantamweight clash. Echevarria, with a record of 10 wins and 1 loss (4 KOs), secured a unanimous decision victory with scores of 57-56. However, the crowd, which had been supportive of him from the start, booed the verdict due to the nature of the fight. During the fifth round, Echevarria lost a point for repeatedly dropping his mouthpiece. As the rounds progressed, Bernardi appeared to gain momentum, landing effective punches while Echevarria moved straight ahead without sufficient head movement. Nevertheless, Echevarria managed to finish the final round strongly, which likely influenced the judges' decision in his favor.
Alexis Chaparro faced a new challenge by going the full distance for the first time in his professional career, yet emerged victorious in a matchup against Augusto Leal. Chaparro won via unanimous decision, earning scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56 from the judges, thereby improving his record to 7 wins (6 KOs) without a loss. Leal’s record now stands at 3 wins and 1 loss (1 KO). The 25-year-old Chaparro, hailing from Ridgewood, New York, showcased his reach advantage, landing powerful right hands throughout the fight but was unable to secure a knockout.
Elise Soto, an undefeated featherweight prospect and mentee of Amanda Serrano, delivered a stellar performance in her Puerto Rico debut, defeating seasoned opponent Liliana Martinez by stoppage at 1 minute and 58 seconds of the second round. Soto, who demonstrated her strength by dominating Martinez in the opening round, landed a series of right hands and hooks that visibly shook Martinez. Despite Martinez’s efforts to slow the pace in the second round by attempting to box and counter, Soto's relentless aggression forced the referee to halt the fight. Soto now boasts a record of 10 wins (9 KOs) and has transitioned from her New Jersey roots to train in Carolina, Puerto Rico, where she previously excelled in national amateur boxing competitions.
Abner Figueroa Cotto remained undefeated at 8-0 (1 KO) after winning a six-round bantamweight match against Edwin Rodriguez, with the judges scoring the fight 60-54 on one card and 58-56 on the others. Figueroa faced a tough opponent, who was coming off a draw against former title contender Saul Sanchez.
Yandiel Lozano, a silver medalist from last year’s Youth World Championships, improved his professional record to 3-0 after outpointing Johniel Ramos Cotto. The judges scored the fight 60-54 on one card and 58-56 on the other two, while Ramos fell to 3 wins and 3 losses (1 KO).
Finally, in the opening bout, Caleb Tirado successfully launched his professional career by stopping fellow newcomer Justin Hill at 1 minute and 59 seconds of the second round. At 24 years old, Tirado, from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, previously represented his country on the international amateur stage, though he fell short in qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
Ryan Songalia is a seasoned reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com, with contributions to prestigious outlets such as ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice, and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is affiliated with the Boxing Writers Association of America. For inquiries, he can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or followed on Twitter at @ryansongalia.
