CHICAGO — America’s latest heavyweight hope, Joshua “Rocket” Edwards, continued his impressive and steadily accelerating rise through the professional ranks on Saturday night, delivering another dominant performance at the Wintrust Arena. Improving his unblemished record to 8-0 with seven victories inside the distance, Edwards secured his latest stoppage after his opponent, Craig Lewis, failed to answer the bell for the third round.
The 2024 U.S. Olympian controlled the tempo of the bout from the opening bell, using superior footwork, crisp angles, and punishing power punches to dismantle Lewis over the first two rounds. However, the abrupt and anti-climactic end to the contest left the young heavyweight feeling slightly unfulfilled. Despite the stoppage, Edwards had hoped for a more decisive, traditional finish under the bright lights in the Windy City.
"I wanted a much more conclusive stoppage, but I had hurt him pretty badly and he didn’t want to fight anymore," Edwards reflected candidly after stepping out of the ring.
Operating under the expert guidance of veteran trainer Ronnie Shields, Edwards is showing consistent developmental growth with every trip to the squared circle. Saturday’s performance highlighted noticeable improvements in his overall defensive balance, ring generalship, shot selection, and particularly the devastating effectiveness of his right hand.
While the Houston-born heavyweight initially intended to establish a high-volume jab to dictate the range, his overhand rights quickly took center stage, leaving visible damage on Lewis and altering the course of the fight early on.
"I planned on using my jab a little more, but I was very happy with the way my overhand rights worked; they did a lot of damage," Edwards explained. "My trainer Ronnie Shields and I worked extensively in the gym on my feinting and then using the opponent’s reaction to place the best shots. We’ve worked a lot on my balance in the gym, and it’s improved a great deal."
With another victory safely added to his resume and his professional trajectory pointing firmly upward, Edwards has already turned his attention toward staying active. Known around his training camp as a dedicated gym rat who thrives on routine and constant conditioning, the heavyweight prospect hopes to squeeze in one more appearance before the calendar year closes out.
"I’m a gym rat; I’ll take a week off and be right back in the gym," Edwards said. "I would love to fight again this year."
Following the bout, Craig Lewis saw his professional record drop to 15-10-1 with eight knockouts, having absorbed a heavy dose of punishment before his corner elected to halt the onslaught ahead of the third round.
Sergio Mendoza Stops Ricardo Sandoval for WBA and WBC Flyweight Titles
While Edwards captivated the crowd with his heavyweight potential, the most significant championship result of the evening belonged to Sergio “Yoreme” Mendoza. In a thrilling co-feature that showcased elite-level lower-weight boxing, Mendoza delivered a stellar performance to stop Ricardo Sandoval in the fifth round, capturing the prestigious WBA and WBC flyweight world championships.
Mendoza set a ferocious pace early, stunning the arena by dropping Sandoval twice during a chaotic second round. Showing exceptional composure and relentless pressure, Mendoza maintained control of the action before delivering a final, decisive knockdown in the fifth frame. The accumulation of clean, punishing blows prompted the referee to immediately wave off the contest, sealing a monumental career-defining victory for the Mexican contender.
With the stoppage win, Mendoza elevated his professional record to 28-1 with an impressive 24 knockouts, cementing his status among the elite practitioners in the flyweight division. Meanwhile, Sandoval fell to 27-3 with 18 stoppages, suffering only the third defeat of his career in a high-stakes championship battle.
Mendoza attributed his career-best performance to a combination of disciplined preparation, physical conditioning, and operating at his optimal weight class.
"The difference tonight was being at my natural weight of 112 and having a great training camp—we trained so hard and it paid off," Mendoza said in his post-fight remarks. "I wasn’t concerned about a comeback by Sandoval; he was badly hurt after the two knockdowns, and it was just a matter of time."
The newly crowned dual-champion also took a moment to express his deep appreciation for the passionate local crowd, which turned out in force to support the evening’s Mexican fighters. The vibrant atmosphere inside the Wintrust Arena created an environment that felt remarkably familiar to the visiting champion.
"I loved fighting here in Chicago in front of so many Mexican fans," Mendoza noted. "It made me feel like I was fighting at home."
Chicago Undercard Results
The action-packed DAZN broadcast, co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Most Valuable Promotions, featured a deeply competitive undercard that highlighted rising prospects and established contenders alike.
American Olympian Jahmal Harvey continued his promising transition to the professional ranks, improving to 5-0 with four knockouts following a dominant stoppage victory over Pedro Castaneda. Harvey ended the bout at 1:08 of the third round, utilizing a disciplined and punishing body attack to break down his opponent. Castaneda, who struggled to cope with Harvey’s varied offensive output, fell to 9-2-1 with five knockouts. Following the victory, Harvey expressed his desire to return to the ring and fight in front of his home-state supporters in Maryland next.
In the super featherweight division, Jan Paul Rivera preserved his undefeated status, moving to 17-0 with seven knockouts after securing a commanding unanimous decision over Abraham Perfecto Valdez. Rivera punctuated his performance with a sharp knockdown in the second round, sweeping all three judges’ scorecards by identical tallies of 99-89. The setback left Valdez with a professional mark of 14-3 with nine knockouts.
Cruiserweight prospect Tristan Kalkreuth notched another quick finish, improving to 18-1 with 13 knockouts by stopping the previously undefeated Ivan Rosado. The referee halted the bout at just 44 seconds of the third round after Kalkreuth overwhelmed his opponent with heavy punches. Rosado tasted defeat for the first time, dropping to 12-1 with nine knockouts, while Kalkreuth immediately set his sights on securing another high-profile ring appearance early next year.
In a tightly contested and tactical affair, Cristian Williams pushed his record to 15-0 with eight knockouts by outworking Asa Stevens over eight hard-fought rounds. The judges awarded Williams the victory via scores of 78-74, 78-74, and 77-75, handing Stevens only the second loss of his career as he slipped to 7-1-1.
Super welterweight puncher Grant Flores kept his unblemished professional record intact with an explosive second-round stoppage of Mikey Dahlman. Flores closed the show at the 1:48 mark courtesy of a thumping body attack that forced the stoppage, moving to 14-0 with 10 knockouts. Dahlman, a seasoned competitor, saw his record fall to 19-3 with 17 knockouts.
Rounding out the undercard action, Costa Rica’s Naomy Valle delivered a composed performance to earn an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Sheyla Moreno. Valle secured the win on the judges’ scorecards with tallies of 77-74, 78-72, and 78-73, improving her career record to 16-1 with nine knockouts. Moreno, who fought hard throughout the distance, moved to 5-2-1 with one knockout as the memorable night of championship boxing in Chicago came to a close.
