Philippines, 23 Jun 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Paul Butler now meets Willibaldo Garcia on Friday's #MTKFightNight

PhilBoxing.com




The must-see card takes place at the University of Bolton Stadium this week, and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV.

Former world champion Butler (32-2, 15 KOs) was originally set to face Joseph Agbeko at the event, before visa problems forced the Ghanaian out of the contest.

Mexico's Garcia (12-4-1, 6 KOs) has now stepped in, and he heads into the fight on a great run of form having lost just one of his last 13 fights, and picking up wins over Raul Esquer and Oscar Nery Plata in his last two outings.

Butler said: "I’m really happy to be back in the ring. I’ve been ready for a while and been wanting to box since February, so now that the time is here I’m buzzing.

"It's nice to still be fighting after the Agbeko problems. I’ve trained solid for 10 weeks so it’s good I’m still getting a fight. It's frustrating as I’ve trained for a certain person for so long, but I have to be fully focused on getting the win on Friday night.

"I’ve had a look at who I’m boxing and he's a tougher fighter than Agbeko. He is game, comes to win and doesn’t stop throwing shots, plus he's been in with some good opponents.

"I’m buzzing there’s some fans coming to watch too. I'm gutted it’s not full capacity but hopefully that will be next, and it will be nice to hear fans in the arena this time.

"The win over Ryan Walker last time out was pretty routine. I felt good in there, but maybe switched off a couple of times and could have upped the gears. It was a weird feeling boxing In front of no fans for the first time and it was tough to step it up now and again.

"I’m just really happy to be back in contention for a world title. This is why I signed with MTK Global for these big opportunities. They’ve delivered so now I need to step up and deliver for them.

"Bantamweight is a red hot division at the moment, stacked with class fighters. Even the British champion Lee McGregor is knocking on the door for world honours. It’s definitely one of the hottest weight classes out there at the minute with one of the pound-for-pound stars in Naoya Inoue holding two of the world titles.

"Hosea Burton is on this card too and he has been great to train with. We’ve pushed each other through every training session, in the gym and on the track. It’s been a hard camp but we are both more than ready to go on Friday night."

Elsewhere on Friday's action-packed card, Jay Harris and Ricardo Sandoval meet in a final eliminator for the IBF flyweight title, Hosea Burton takes on Liam Conroy in a final eliminator for the British light-heavyweight title, Gary Cully fights Viorel Simion, Pierce O'Leary returns against Jan Marsalek, Jordan Reynolds faces Jan Ardon, Tyrone McCullagh goes up against Brett Fidoe, Blane Hyland squares off with Reiss Taylor, and Inder Bassi collides with Chris Adaway.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Second Stage of the WBC Boxing Grand Prix Concludes with Great Success: Heavyweight and Featherweight
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 22 Jun 2025
  • Miel Ticket: Vito Mielnicki Jr. Shuts Out Kamil Gardzielik
    , Sun, 22 Jun 2025
  • WBC Grand Prix super lightweight results from Riyadh
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 22 Jun 2025
  • Francisco Rodriguez Jr. Stuns Galal Yafai in Birmingham, Secures Interim WBC Flyweight Title
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 22 Jun 2025
  • Jesse 'The Little Giant' Espinas Crowned WBC Asia Super Flyweight Champion in Exciting Knockout Victory in China
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 22 Jun 2025
  • Bantam and Intermediate Champions Crowned on Day Five of USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival
    , Sun, 22 Jun 2025
  • Filipinos De Barbo, Ognayon, Cha and Torres in Action in Brico Santig’s Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 21 Jun 2025
  • ‘LA FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS 2’: DAVID STEVENS DEFEATS PETR KHAMUKOV BY 10-ROUND UNANIMOUS DECISION
    , Sat, 21 Jun 2025
  • Era and Nantapech Ready to Clash for WBF Asia in Thailand; Filipinos in the Undercard
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 21 Jun 2025
  • Team USA Youth High Performance Steamrolls into Junior Olympics and Summer Festival Semis
    , Sat, 21 Jun 2025
  • Weigh-In Results: Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Kamil Gardzielik
    , Sat, 21 Jun 2025
  • ‘LA FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS 2’ 6 P.M PST/9 P.M. EST TONIGHT, LIVE ON DAZN, FEATURING STEVENS VS. KHAMUKOV
    , Sat, 21 Jun 2025
  • YAFAI VS. RODRIGUEZ WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
    , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Thursday’s Action Featured Stellar Showings at the 2025 USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival
    , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Finals Go All the Way to Game 7 as Indiana Bludgeons Oklahoma in Game 6, 108-91
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Araneta Loses on Points in Odd Judging Setup; Still no Japanese World Welterweight Champion
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Espinas, Cao Make Weight, Ready for WBC Asia Battle Saturday in China
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • ASAPHIL Taps World-Class Coach to Lead RP Blu Girls to Greater Heights
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • YAFAI VS. RODRIGUEZ + UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Press Conference Notes: Vito Mielnicki Jr. Set for Homecoming Versus Kamil Gardzielik
    , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • DUARTE VS. SIMS JR. TICKETS GO ON SALE TOMORROW, FRIDAY, JUNE 20TH
    , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Day Three Finalized at the 2025 USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival
    , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Normel De Jesus rules IIEE Central Luzon Region leg chess tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Jun 2025
  • Thanongsak Simsri Edges Christian Araneta by Split Decision, Claims IBF 108 World Title; Could Vayson Be Simsri's First Challenger?
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 19 Jun 2025
  • Tokyo Fist: Brian Norman Jr. KOs Jin Sasaki to Retain Welterweight Crown
    , Thu, 19 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.