Danny Garcia Named Season 21 Winner of Bravo’s “Top Chef”

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Garcia is bringin’ home the bacon while making history…

The Latino chef has been crowned the new winner of Season 21 of Bravo’s culinary competition series Top Chef, becoming the first Puerto Rican, Dominican and Muslim winner.

Garcia, Daniel Jacobs and Savannah Miller made it to the finals, hoping to win the grand prize of $250,000.

Season 21 took place in Wisconsin, with the two-part finale in the Caribbean.

Ultimately, it was Garcia who took the Season 21 crown. He also earned an additional $53,000 in prize money, the most of any chef in a season, which he won throughout the challenges.

“I’m honored to be the first Puerto Rican, Dominican and Muslim Top Chef,” Garcia said. “I take immense pride in the dishes I’ve presented during this competition as they embody my evolution as a chef.”

He continued, “I dedicate this win to my mentor, the late Chef Jamal James Kent, whose steadfast support, leadership, guidance, and friendship have been instrumental in shaping the chef I’ve become today.”

Michelle Wallace was named as Top Chef Fan Favorite of the season and won $10,000.

The Top Chef Season 21 finale took place aboard MS Eurodam, where Garcia, Miller, and Jacobs served the most important meal of their careers to judges Kristen Kish, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons, along with guest judge Emeril Lagasse.

Garcia, Miller, and Jacobs had to impress a table of culinary luminaries, including Carrie Nahabedian, Bricia Lopez, Justin Pichetrungsi, and Top Chef Canada judge David Zilber.

Ultimately, Garcia’s four-course progressive seafood menu, which took the diners on a journey of his significant culinary memories, earned him the illustrious title of Top Chef.

Colicchio stated his dessert Piragua con Leche was “fantastic … and going to be a signature” dish.

Canelo Álvarez Defeats Jaime Munguía by Unanimous Decision to Retain Undisputed Super Middleweight Championship

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a win…

The 33-year-old Mexican professional boxer, one of the sport’s biggest stars, defeated Jaime Munguía in an all-Mexican battle on Cinco de Mayo weekend before 17,492 at T-Mobile Arena to retain his undisputed super middleweight championship.

The boisterous, surprising support for Munguia was swiftly extinguished with a patented Alvarez combination, a left hook followed by a right uppercut that planted the challenger on the canvas for the first knockdown of his 44-fight career.

Alvarez’s fourth successful defense of his four 168-pound titles was made official via scores of 115-113, 117-110 and 116-111. This was the third consecutive fight that Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) scored a knockdown. He also dropped Jermell Charlo and John Ryder in decision wins last year.

“I’m very proud that all the Mexicans are here watching us,” Alvarez, ESPN‘s No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer, said. “… He’s a great fighter. He’s strong, he’s smart. … But he’s a little slow. I can see every punch. Sometimes he got me because I get so confident. … I did really good and I feel proud about it. … I’m the best fighter right now for sure.”

Munguia, the former junior middleweight titleholder, was competing on the elite level of the sport for the first time. And he no doubt acquitted himself well. The 27-year-old from Tijuana fought with passion and showed an improved jab in his second fight with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

The pressure and aggression of Munguia was effective over the first two rounds, but Alvarez eventually timed his opponent, as he usually does. “I take my time,” Alvarez said. “That’s why I have a lot of experience. … I have 12 rounds to win the fight and I did.”

Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) won three rounds unanimously: the opening frame along with Rounds 3 and 9. He boxed well, but his punches never appeared to have enough pop to gain Alvarez’s respect.

Àlvarez has typically turned Cinco de Mayo weekend into a marquee attraction in the boxing world. He’s used the date as the platform for his wins over John Ryder, Billy Joe Saunders and Daniel Jacobs in recent years.

It was also the date for his loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.

Another strong performance from Àlvarez is good for the star and it’s good for the sport of boxing. He remains one of the sport’s biggest draws and there are still some big fights to make for him.

Specificially, a rematch with Bivol would be one of the biggest fights the sport could make right now.

However, there could be other matters for him to attend to in his current weight class that would prevent a move up.

The WBA recently named Edgar Berlanga a mandatory challenger.

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) would be a viable candidate to see Canelo next, but there’s more money to be made with a potential matchup against rising star David Benavidez or a rematch with Bivol.

Àlvarez recently noted that he’s open to a fight with Benavidez in an appearance on First Take with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

“We’ll see, why not? If the money is correct, why not? I can fight him Saturday night, too,” Álvarez said in the lead-up to this bout.

Regardless of who winds up being next, it’s clear that Canelo can still be the king of his division right now.

Jaime Munguia to Fight John Ryder in a Super Middleweight Bout in January

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Munguia has secured his next opponent…

The 27-year-old Mexican professional boxer, who held the WBO junior middleweight title from 2018 to 2019, will meet John Ryder in a super middleweight bout on January 27 in Phoenix.

Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs), a native of Mexico, is coming off a career-best victory, a unanimous-decision win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in June. Munguia scored a 12th-round knockdown to pull out the decision in a leading candidate for ESPN‘s Fight of the Year.

Now, Munguia will enter what shapes up as another slugfest.

England’s Ryder is coming off the biggest bout of his career, a spirited unanimous-decision loss to Canelo Alvarez in May.

Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) was floored in Round 5 and suffered a broken nose against boxing’s top star but was able to land some effective blows down the stretch in Alvarez’s homecoming bout in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Munguia, ESPN‘s No. 6 boxer at 168 pounds, was a titleholder at 154 pounds and is hoping for his own crack at Alvarez next year.

Ryder, ESPN’s No. 4 super middleweight, defeated former champion Daniel Jacobs in 2022 in a career-best win.

Canelo Alvarez Will Defend Undisputed Super Middleweight Championship vs. John Ryder in May

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Canelo Alvarez is going on the defensive…

The 32-year-old Mexican professional boxer, the sport’s top star, will defend his undisputed super middleweight championship versus John Ryder on May 6 in Jalisco, Mexico, the fighter has announced.

The Alvarez-Ryder bout will take place at Akron Stadium, a soccer venue with a capacity of nearly 50,000.

It will be Alvarez’s first in Mexico since 2011, when he defeated Kermit Cintron to retain his 154-pound title. That event was in Mexico City. Alvarez hasn’t competed in Guadalajara since 2010, before he won his first championship.

Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) will step inside the ropes for the first time since he underwent left wrist surgery in October. The procedure followed Alvarez’s win over Gennadiy Golovkin in September to close out the trilogy.

“I feel really happy to be coming back in May, because following my surgery, I was unsure of when I’d be coming back,” said Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer. “Returning to the ring and coming back to fight in Jalisco, where I’m from, makes me especially happy. And in John Ryder, I’m facing a very competitive fighter.”

The injury also hampered Alvarez in an upset loss to Dmitry Bivol in May at 175 pounds, Alvarez’s first defeat since he was routed by Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

Ryder, a 34-year-old Londoner, will be a major underdog in his second world title opportunity. He was on the wrong end of a controversial decision when he challenged Callum Smith for his 168-pound title in 2019.

Since the defeat, Ryder has won four straight. His most recent two victories came against Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker last year, in February and November, respectively. The victory over Jacobs was a tight decision, while Parker retired on his stool with a broken hand following Round 4.

Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) won the vacant WBO interim title when he defeated Parker, so Alvarez could be in position to fulfill one of the obligations for the four 168-pound titles he possesses. Ryder, a pressure-fighting southpaw, is ESPN’s No. 4 super middleweight.

“There’s no denying that Canelo is one of the greats, and I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s achieved in the sport, but I fully believe this is my time [to] fulfil my dream of becoming a world champion,” Ryder said.

“I’m not going over there for a holiday. For me, this is purely business, and my full focus is on going into his backyard in Guadalajara on May 6 and bringing those belts back with me to the U.K.”

Alvarez, meanwhile, could face Bivol in a September rematch, but this time at 168 pounds for his undisputed championship. Bivol has expressed a willingness to drop down in weight, so the bout could materialize once Alvarez pushes past Ryder as expected.

Alvarez is a promotional and network free agent, but he’ll be fighting for Eddie Hearn‘s Matchroom Boxing on DAZN for the third consecutive outing.

WBC Orders Jaime Munguia to Face Sergiy Derevyanchenko in Middleweight Title Eliminator

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Munguia has been assigned his next opponent…

The 24-year-old Mexican boxer has been ordered to face Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a middleweight title eliminator by the WBC.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told ESPN that if no deal is struck by September 17, a purse bid will be ordered.

Munguia had been on a collision course with Gabe Rosado for a fall fight before the WBC made the announcement.

If the fight takes place, the winner would become the mandatory challenger to Jermall Charlo, the WBC champion at 160 pounds. However, there’s no guarantee Munguia (37-0, 30 KOs) will go through with the fight.

“Munguia just found out [about the Derevyanchenko possibility],” Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez told ESPN. “He’s going to circle back with us early next week.”

Munguia, a former 154-pound champion, is 3-0 (with three knockouts) since moving up to 160 pounds in January 2020. Despite his experience, Munguia is still raw. He’s clearly improving, though, as he raises his level of competition.

Munguia packs plenty of power and applies nonstop pressure. ESPN’s No. 4 middleweight is also big and strong for the division. If he fights Derevyanchenko, a longtime 160-pounder, Munguia will still easily be the bigger man.

Derevyanchenko (13-3, 10 KOs) has lost two in a row and three of his past four. However, all three losses came against elite competition. The Ukrainian dropped a split decision to Daniel Jacobs in a 2018 middleweight title fight. The following year, Derevyanchenko fought Gennadiy Golovkin in a brutal title bout, one of the best action fights of 2019. GGG won via unanimous decision, but the verdict was disputed by many.

Against Charlo, ESPN’s No. 6 middleweight wasn’t all that competitive. The 35-year-old hasn’t competed since that September 2020 outing.

Dusty Hernández-Harrison to Fight WBO Middleweight Champ Demetrius Andrade in November

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Dusty Hernández-Harrison is taking on a champ…

The 26-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer will fight WBO middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade in a 10-round non-title fight on November 27 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The card, which also features former two-time titlist Daniel Jacobs vs. Gabe Rosado, will take place without fans in attendance due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Andrade (29-0, 18 KOs) is fighting for the first time since he stopped Luke Keeler with a ninth-round TKO in January.

The undefeated Harrison (34-0-1, 20 KOs) sees this as a chance to stamp himself as a world-class fighter.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for my entire life,” Harrison said. “This is why I started boxing. All of the time I have dedicated to this sport, I finally get my opportunity to show the world who I am and what I am capable of. … Demetrius talks a big game and says he is the boogeyman of the division, but who has he fought?”

Harrison said he isn’t impressed by Andrade.

“He goes out, fights whoever it is, runs around the ring, picks up a win and goes back to running his mouth,” Harrison said. “He says that he is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. OK, so be it. On November 27, I take his spot.

“I know that people are going to doubt me going into this fight, and that is fine. That fuels my energy. Keep doubting me. Andrade doesn’t know what he got himself into. He better be ready when we step into that ring because I’m coming for him.”

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to Fight on the Same Card as His Legendary Father, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will be sharing a special billing with his famous father…

The 34-year-old Mexican boxer, who held the WBC middleweight title from 2011 to 2012, will return to the ring on Friday, September 25 in an event that includes his legendary father, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Julio Cesar Chavez J

Chávez Jr. will face Mario Cazares in an event to take place in Tijuana, Mexico, while his former professional boxer dad, a multiple-time world champion, will fight in an exhibition bout against Jorge “Travieso” Arce.

Chavez Jr. (51-4-1, 33 KOs) will face Cazares (11-0, 5 KOs) in a sanctioned 10-round light heavyweight bout. Cazares was the last fighter to defeat Canelo Alvarez as an amateur in 2004.

Chavez Jr. had planned to return October 17, but his father persuaded him to join his exhibition card.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission placed Chavez Jr. under indefinite suspension for refusing a random drug test ahead of his bout against Daniel Jacobs on December 20. That middleweight fight eventually took place in Phoenix, where Chavez Jr. quit in the fifth round with a broken nose to boos from the crowd.

The fight took place after Chavez Jr. won a temporary restraining order lifting the Nevada ban. However, the suspension was reinstated a few months later. Chavez Jr. has been training in California since.

Chavez Sr. and four-division champion and fellow Mexican legend Arce, will headline the card.

This is the third exhibition bout between Chavez Sr. and Arce. Another of Chavez Sr.’s sons, Omar (38-6-1, 25 KOs), joins the card in his first fight since a loss to Oziel Santoyo in June 2019. Arce’s nephew, Karim Arce (16-2, 7 KOs), is also scheduled to fight.

The event will be streamed live on pay-per-view.

Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez Signs Co-Promotional Deal with Golden Boy Promotions

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandezhas a new deal…

The 21-year-old Mexican junior lightweight boxer, one of Mexico’s most highly touted up-and-coming boxers, has signed a co-promotional agreement with Golden Boy Promotions, according to CEO Oscar De La Hoya.

Hernandez, who is also co-promoted by Promociones del Pueblo, one of Mexico’s leading promoters, will make his United States debut in his first fight of the deal.

He’ll face Ibrahim Class in a 10-round fight on March 30 on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia–Jose Lopez lightweight bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.

De La Hoya and Oswaldo Kuchleof Promociones del Pueblo have worked together over the years, and they both hope the partnership will help launch Hernandez (27-0, 24 KOs), 21, to stardom.

“At Golden Boy, we are in the business of working with fighters from all over the world and making them into international stars,” De La Hoya said, listing an impressive roster of fighters that Golden Boy helped build into well-known names, including Deontay Wilder, Adrien Broner, Daniel Jacobs, Marcos Maidana, Abner Maresand Jermell and Jermall Charlo.

“We’re doing it presently with the biggest star in the sport, Canelo Alvarez, along with world champions such as Jaime Munguia, Rey Vargas, Xu Can, Angel Acosta and Andrew Cancio; and we have the next generation of stars with Ryan Garcia, Vergil Ortiz, and Lamont Roach Jr.“

“This company knows how to work with fighters from all kinds of backgrounds,” De La Hoya continued, “so we’re more than ready to join forces with Oswaldo Kuchle and Promociones del Pueblo to co-promote Rocky Hernandez as he begins to make big waves in the stacked 130-pound division.”

Hernandez turned pro at age 16 in February 2014.

“I’m very delighted to be presented to fans in the United States,” Hernandez said. “I am preparing very hard to give a great fight to the fans on March 30, and God willing, I will walk away with my hand raised. I have a tough opponent in front of me, but I am training very hard.”Class (22-5, 10 KOs), 28, of Tanzania, also will be fighting in the U.S. for the first time.

Benavidez to Fight Rogelio Medina in Quest for WBC Super Middleweight World Title

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is on the hunt for history…

The 20-year-old Latino boxer is one step closer to achieving his goal of becoming the youngest fighter to win a super middleweight world title.

The WBC has agreed to sanction a title eliminator between Benavidez (17-0, 16 KOs) and former title challenger Rogelio “Porky” Medina (37-7, 31 KOs), according to promoter Sampson Lewkowicz.

“This is the final test for David Benavidez,” Lewkowicz said. “If he does to this guy what he did to so many other fighters, it will be time for the world to acknowledge that David is going to be a star in boxing. This test will show everyone that he is truly everything we’ve been saying he is since he was a teenager. I am proud of the hard work he is doing and look forward to this great victory.”

The date and location of the fight are still to be determined, Lewkowicz said.

England’s Callum Smith (22-0, 17 KOs) and Anthony Dirrell (30-1-1, 24 KOs), the former titleholder, are due to meet this spring for the belt recently vacated by Badou Jack, who is moving up in weight. The winner of that bout must make his first defense against Turkey’s Avni Yildirim (15-0, 10 KOs).

The fighter who emerges with the title following those two bouts will be mandated to face the Benavidez-Medina winner.

“This is the biggest opportunity of my life, and I’m not going to let it go to waste,” said Benavidez, who served as one of unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin‘s chief sparring partners as he prepared for his March 18 fight with Daniel Jacobs. “I’m going to destroy this guy like I do everybody else. I have never trained this hard for a fight, and I feel that, come fight time, I’ll be extremely strong and do it up.”

The super middleweight division was created in 1984 and the youngest fighter to win a world title at 168 pounds is Darin Van Horn, who was 22 years, 8 months and 11 days old when he knocked out Lindell Holmes in the 11th round to win the IBF version of the belt May 18, 1991.

If Benavidez defeats Medina, he would get the opportunity to challenge for a world title well before he turns 22. Benavidez does not turn 21 until Dec. 17.

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