One of boxing’s most exciting prospects, Ashton “H20” Sylve and two of his most intriguing newcomers, Chris Avila and Mikhail “Doctor Mike” Varshavski highlight the SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, October 29 (9 pm ET/6 pm PT) headlined by Jake “The Problem Child” Paul against UFC legend Anderson “The Spider” Silva at the Gila River Arena in Glendale. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.
Teenage sensation Sylve (7-0, 7 KOs) will step up his level of competition and put his knockout streak on the line against tough Braulio Rodriguez (20-4, 17 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in an eight-round lightweight bout. contested at 133 pounds. Ávila, a disciple of UFC superstar Nate Díaz, will seek to make a statement against “Dr. Mike” Varshavski, board-certified family physician and social media influencer with nearly 23 million followers. Their four-round cruiserweight bout is booked at 185 pounds.
The first prospect signed by MVP, Sylve of Long Beach, Calif., has stopped all of his opponents in four rounds or less, demonstrating hair-trigger reflexes. The 18-year-old most recently knocked out Giovanni Gutierrez in the first round of his MVP debut at lightweight in May. He has fought three times in 2021 and twice so far in 2022. A talented amateur who turned pro at 16 with over 100 wins and 10 national titles under his belt, Sylve first rose to fame when he was eight years old. when a workout video he made for his father, Ivan, went viral, leading to an invitation to Floyd Mayweather’s famed gym in Las Vegas.
“This is a dream come true and I am so excited for the opportunity to put on a spectacular performance on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View,” said Sylve. “This is my toughest opponent so far and I have been training hard. I am looking forward to introducing the world to H2O on October 29.”
Sylve faces an experienced opponent in Rodriguez, who has scored knockouts in all but three of his victories thanks to an aggressive swinging style for the fences. When he has lost, he has faced top-tier opposition. Rodriguez has shared the ring with lightweight contender Ryan Garcia and title challenger Christopher Diaz. He dropped a split decision to then-undefeated prospect Alberto Mercado and a unanimous decision to then-undefeated Carlos Diaz, the first career blemish for him after scoring 15 straight knockouts to start his pro campaign.
“I’ve fought on big stages before and I’m going to make the most of this great opportunity to show the fans what I’m capable of,” Rodriguez said. “I am grateful for this opportunity. October 29 can’t come soon enough.”
A veteran of both the UFC and Bellator, Chris Avila (1-1 as a boxer) has walked through 17 pro fights and has never been stopped or hurt during his time in the cage and ring. Making his second appearance on a Jake Paul card, the 28-year-old Stockton, California native is a daily sparring partner of Nate Diaz and a signature member of the Nick Diaz Army. As was the case in Tampa, Fla., when Avila defeated Anthony Taylor in a super middleweight boxing match last December, Diaz and more than 40 members of the Nick Diaz Army will once again be on hand for Avila when he faces “Dr. . Miguel.” With a reputation as an aggressive fighter, Avila’s calling card gave him two first-round knockouts in 2021 in MMA fights and a 3-0 combat sports record for the year.
“Hmmm, let’s see. I’m giving him a height advantage, a reach advantage and a medical degree advantage,” Avila said. Although it is whatever. If he wants to go to fantasy boxing camp, I’m happy to give him the lesson he wants. A real fight against a real fighter who is not here to play games or go after Instagram.
It’s a good bet Avila has never faced anyone with a bedside attitude like “Dr. Mike” Varshavski. Voted “Sexiest Doctor Alive” by People magazine, the 6-3 Varshavski will attempt to prescribe a steady diet of right hands for Avila in his professional boxing debut. A fitness fanatic with more than 10 million subscribers on his YouTube channel “Dr. Mike” bled and manhandled YouTube personality Ian “iDubbbz” Washburn last May in the main event of Creator Clash to earn an exhibition match victory. If “Dr. Mike” puts forth a similar effort on October 29, the outlook could be bleak for Avila. “Dr. Mike” donated his entire bag in May to aid relief efforts in Ukraine and plans to donate his bag on October 29 to the Boys & Girls Club of New York.
“As a practicing physician, I have taken an oath to ‘do no harm,’ but when those ‘examination’ gloves come off and the boxing gloves slip off, all bets are off,” said Dr. Varshavski. “With a win under my belt, I’m hungry for more. And this pro fight with Chris Avila could be just what the doctor ordered.”
The event Paul vs. Silva is co-produced by SHOWTIME PPV and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), a company founded by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. Holden Boxing will be the authorized promoter of the event, with Paul and Bidarian serving as executive producers of the event. The pay-per-view broadcast is produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV.
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