Roy Jones Jr., Hall of Famer boxer and now trainer and promoter, will have two of his fighters headline a fight card at Legends Casino in Toppenish, Washington on January 25.
The fight card will be promoted by Roy Jones Jr Boxing and streamed live on DAZN, beginning at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT.
In the main event, hometown favorite, undefeated Yakima born Andrew Murphy will fight in an eight-round bout defending his National Boxing Association (NBA) Super Middleweight Americas title.
In the co-main event, Mandeep Jangra, former Commonwealth Games and Asian Games Silver Medalist, will fight for the NBA vacant Intercontinental Super Featherweight title in a ten-round bout.
“I am very happy to be promoting again back at Legends Casino with my good friend Greg Fritz and the rest of the fine people that work there. Legends provides me and my fighters with wonder hospitality,” said Jones. “I will be bringing with me some treats. One of them is Mandeep Jangra. However many rounds Mandeep fight lasts, they will be exciting rounds. The second is Andrew Murphy, who brings power and aggression and is always looking for the knockout. I am really looking forward to January 25.”
Both train at Roy Jones’s camp on his farm in Pensacola.
“It’s like a family thing, said Murphy, who has been training there since the beginning of the pandemic. “When we are not in the gym, we’re out on the farm helping with the animals. It’s like a zoo – horses, sheep, goats, chickens, deer, and alligators in the pond.”
Murphy (7-0, 5 KOs) was born in nearby Yakima, Washington an d January 25 will be the twenty-three-year-old’s third fight at Legends Casino. His opponent will be local talent Devontae McDonald (5-3, 1 KO” from nearby Wenatchee, Washington.
Regarding having Jones as a trainer, Murphy stated, “He’s the OG in the game. He’s done it all and he has an answer for every question that I have. He teaches me some of the things that he did and some can see that when I fight. Any way we can implement his moves into my game is a plus. But more importantly, he trains me to be the best version of myself, as he does with all of his guys his guys, to be the best version of themselves. On Thursday, my plan is to go dominate. By any means. Whatever he tries to do we have a plan for. I know it’s going to be an entertaining fight that’s for sure.”
Jangra (6-0, 4 KOs), born and raised in Kharian, India, had a wonderful amateur career highlighted by winning Silver Medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships and the Commonwealth Games. This will be Mandeep’s fourth bout under Jones’ tutelage. He will fight a scheduled ten-rounds against Tacoma Washington’s finest, Gerardo Esqivel (5-3-1, 1 KO)
“I am very excited because this is my first title fight and it’s my first fight that is live on DAZN,” said Jangra. “I am good with my weight. I am good with my training. I am right at 130. I’ve been working with Roy for eleven months. Roy works on my skills. I had some skills, but he polished them – so now I fight like a pro boxer. I’ve been working on how I use my feet to get the most out of my hook and my power. I have changed my boxing style some and improved a lot. Before I didn’t throw many combinations, maybe three or four punches at most and in my last fight I threw a thirteen-punch combination, and I couldn’t believe it myself.”
The fight card will also include local talent. Union Gap Washington’s Carlos Villanueva (5-3, 1 KO) will attempt to knock off Bend, Oregon’s undefeated Alberto Rivas (4-0, 1 KO) in a six-round cruiserweight scrap; in a six-round super welterweight bout, Kamar Bray (3-0) from Deerfield Beach, Florida and trained by Stacy McKinley, will battle Kevin Davila (5-11) from Lakewood, Washington; and in a six-round super clash of undefeated boxers, Mount Vernon’s Luis Gallegos (5-0, 2 KOs) battles fellow Washingtonian Josue Cadena (3-0, 1 KO). Opening the card will be two locals making their pro debut in a four-round super welterweight bout, Bryce Wyatt and Gerardo Ceresero.