April 22 was supposed to be Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring, but Top Rank promoter bob Arum instead is going to dedicate that night to some of the sport’s up-and-coming stars.
Arum said that WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez, WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez and WBO super bantamweight champion Jessie Magdaleno will each defend their titles in a pay-per-view on April 22 from the StubHub Center in Carson California.
The pay-per-view will also feature the pro debut of Shakur Stevenson, who won the silver medal in the featherweight division at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
In a press conference announcing the card, Arum said this card was made to give exposure to the aforementioned WBO champions, whom, according to Arum, “are becoming the new faces of boxing.”
"Oscar Valdez, Gilberto Ramirez and Jessie Magdaleno are becoming the new faces of boxing," Arum said. "They are in the hurt business, and they love their work. That's why their fan base is growing like the S&P. They give the fans great value - a big bang for the buck. And with Shakur Stevenson, the sky is the limit. He is such a talent."
The current fight card for the pay-per-view looks like this:
- Oscar Valdez (c) vs. Miguel Marriaga: WBO featherweight championship bout
- Gilberto Ramirez (c) vs. Max Bursak: WBO super middleweight championship bout
- Jessie Magdaleno (c) vs. Adeilson Dos Santos: WBO super bantamweight championship bout
- Shakur Stevenson vs. TBD: Featherweight bout
