CHICAGO — America’s latest heavyweight prospect, Joshua “Rocket” Edwards, continued his impressive and methodical march through the division on Saturday night, securing another stoppage victory at the Wintrust Arena. With the win, the 2024 U.S. Olympian improved his professional record to a spotless 8-0, boasting seven victories inside the distance, after opponent Craig Lewis failed to answer the bell for the third round.
The co-promoted Golden Boy Promotions and Most Valuable Promotions event, broadcast live globally on DAZN, delivered a packed night of high-stakes action in the Windy City. While Edwards ultimately added another stoppage to his ledger, the manner in which the bout concluded left the young heavyweight prospect craving more active ring time. After completely dictating the pace and controlling the opening two rounds against the seasoned veteran, Edwards expected to secure a more definitive finish with his own hands rather than watching his opponent stay on the stool.
"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 the bout.
The Houston heavyweight has been making rapid strides under the tutelage of renowned trainer Ronnie Shields. Since transitioning to the professional ranks, Edwards has placed a heavy emphasis on refining his technical abilities, focusing particularly on his right-hand delivery, ring balance, and shot selection. Those hours spent in the gym paid tangible dividends on Saturday, as the 2024 Olympian systematically broke down Lewis before the stoppage intervened.
"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 the victory safely secured and his body largely unscathed, Edwards is already looking ahead to the remainder of the calendar year. True to the mindset of a dedicated contender, the heavyweight powerhouse made it clear that a lengthy layoff is not part of his immediate plans.
"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."
Meanwhile, Lewis saw his professional record drop to 15-10-1 with eight knockouts, unable to weather the sustained power and tactical pressure brought by the rising American star.
Mendoza Stops Sandoval for Titles
While Edwards showcased the future of the heavyweight division, the standout performance and most significant title change of the evening belonged to Sergio “Yoreme” Mendoza. In a high-octane battle that captured the attention of the Chicago crowd, Mendoza produced a career-best display by stopping Ricardo Sandoval in the fifth round to capture the prestigious WBA and WBC flyweight world championships.
Mendoza established his dominance early, dropping Sandoval twice during a turbulent second round. Refusing to let his opponent off the hook, the Mexican contender maintained relentless pressure until the fifth frame, where another crushing knockdown prompted the referee to step in and wave off the contest, bringing an official halt to the action.
The triumph elevated Mendoza’s professional record to an impressive 28-1, with 24 of those victories coming by way of knockout. Sandoval, who fought with immense courage, suffered only the third defeat of his professional career, slipping to 27-3 with 18 stoppages.
Speaking after his crowning achievement, Mendoza credited his success to a disciplined training camp and the physical benefits of competing at his ideal 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. "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."
Mendoza also took a moment to express his gratitude to the vocal contingent of Mexican fans who turned out in force at the Wintrust Arena, creating an atmosphere that felt remarkably like a homecoming.
"I loved fighting here in Chicago in front of so many Mexican fans," he added. "It made me feel like I was fighting at home."
Chicago Undercard Results
The supporting card in Chicago featured a series of compelling matchups that highlighted several of boxing’s brightest up-and-coming talents and established contenders.
American Olympian Jahmal Harvey continued his smooth transition to the professional ranks, advancing to 5-0 with four knockouts following a dominant performance against Pedro Castaneda. Harvey ended matters 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 the relentless inside work, saw his record fall to 9-2-1 with five knockouts. Following the victory, Harvey expressed his desire to showcase his skills in front of his home supporters in Maryland for his next outing.
Jan Paul Rivera maintained his undefeated status, pushing his record to 17-0 with seven knockouts after securing a comprehensive unanimous decision victory 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 defeat leaves Valdez with a professional mark of 14-3 with nine knockouts.
In the cruiserweight division, Tristan Kalkreuth delivered a swift and destructive statement, stopping the previously unbeaten Ivan Rosado just 44 seconds into the third round. The explosive finish improved Kalkreuth’s record to 18-1 with 13 knockouts, while handing Rosado his first career loss, dropping the latter to 12-1 with nine knockouts. Kalkreuth signaled his intent to stay active, setting his sights on a quick return to the ring early in 2027.
Cristian Williams successfully navigated a tough eight-round test against Asa Stevens, capturing a hard-fought victory via decision. The ringside judges scored the bout 78-74, 78-74, and 77-75 in favor of Williams, who improved his unblemished record to 15-0 with eight knockouts. Stevens, whose technical skill kept him competitive throughout the duration, slipped to 7-1-1 with two knockouts.
Super welterweight prospect Grant Flores kept his knockout streak rolling with an emphatic second-round stoppage of Mikey Dahlman. Flores ended the contest at the 1:48 mark courtesy of a punishing accumulation of punches to the body, elevating his professional ledger to 14-0 with ten knockouts. Dahlman, a rugged veteran, fell to 19-3 with 17 knockouts.
In women’s international competition, Costa Rica’s Naomy Valle earned a well-deserved eight-round unanimous decision victory over Sheyla Moreno. Valle put on a polished boxing display to sweep the scorecards at 77-74, 78-72, and 78-73, improving her professional record to 16-1 with nine knockouts. Moreno fought tenaciously throughout the eight frames, moving to 5-2-1 with one knockout as the curtain fell on a memorable night of championship boxing in Chicago.
