Alan Chaves vs. Eridson Garcia added to Sept. 4 card at Prudential Center
Unbeaten lightweight contender Alan Chaves will defend his WBO Latino title against Eridson Garcia on Friday, Sept. 4 at Prudential Center in Newark.
The 10-round bout has been added to the third installment of “The Fight,” the monthly boxing series presented by TNT Sports and DAZN. The event will air in the United States on TNT, truTV and DAZN, with worldwide coverage available through DAZN.
Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. will headline the card against unbeaten Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba.
Chaves (22-0, 19 knockouts), a 25-year-old from Argentina, returns after scoring a highlight-reel third-round knockout of Miguel Madueno in April in Las Vegas. Chaves ended the fight with a powerful left hook while making the fifth defense of his WBO Latino title.
The knockout extended Chaves’ stoppage streak to five consecutive fights. He is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBO, No. 4 by the IBF and No. 7 by the WBC at 135 pounds.
“I appreciate Eridson accepting the fight when others didn’t,” Chaves said. “He earned the opportunity. Now he has to earn the victory—and that’s a much harder task.”
Garcia (23-2, 14 KOs), a 32-year-old Dominican, is looking to rebound after losing a close 10-round decision in April in Las Vegas. The defeat ended Garcia’s six-fight winning streak.
A victory over Chaves would give Garcia a regional title and move him into the lightweight world rankings.
“Alan Chaves is undefeated, dangerous and coming off a knockout everyone is talking about,” Garcia said. “Good—that means there will be no excuses when I beat him. He has never faced anyone with my experience or the ability to take away his weapons.
“They call him ‘Veneno,’ but I’m bringing the antidote, and I’m coming to hand him the first loss of his career.”
The card will also feature New Jersey junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. against Austin “Ammo” Williams in the co-main event.
Newark native Zaquin Moses is scheduled to compete in his first eight-round bout and will fight in his home state for the first time as a professional.
Two fighters promoted by Philadelphia welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis are also scheduled to appear. Dennis Thompson will compete in his second eight-round fight after winning on the June undercard of Ennis’ victory over Xander Zayas in Brooklyn, while welterweight Brooke Mullen will make her fourth professional appearance.
“September 4 in New Jersey just got even better with Alan Chaves being added to the card,” promoter Eddie Hearn said. “Alan proved in April that he is a must-watch talent in the sport with his incredible knockout-of-the-year contender.
“Eridson is the latest man to try to stop his rapid ascent and can crash into the lightweight rankings in a big way with a win, so this has all the hallmarks of a show-stealing fight on an already stacked card.”