Fradimil Macayo has already set his sights on his next planned upset.
The Venezuelan lightweight changed his life over the weekend with a stunning ten-round, unanimous decision victory over Cuban export Idalberto Umara. Macayo entered their DAZN-aired bout as a +550 underdog, but scored a knockdown en route to winning on all three scorecards (97-92, 96-93, 95-94) to prevail this past Friday at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
Macayo made his U.S. debut and is willing to add another stamp to his passport for a fight on his current wish list.
“I would love to see him fight Gary Cully next,” Shane Shapiro, Macayo’s promoter, told BoxingScene.com after his fighter’s big win. “[Friday night], Macayo showed the world what he knew about him when I signed him. He was the first fighter I signed to Shapiro Sports.”
Ireland’s Cully (17-1, 10KOs) landed back in the win column with a ten-round decision over Reece Mould on November 25 in Dublin. The 6’2” southpaw is signed with Matchroom Boxing, with whom Shapiro has frequently worked and would love to continue that relationship for the sake of a client near and dear to his heart.
“We witnessed the culmination of Fradimil Macayo’s journey, a true testament to the courage, determination and fighting spirit of Venezuela,” stated Shapiro. “From the streets of Carupano to the main event on DAZN here in the U.S., this was more than a fight; It is a story of resilience, a narrative of triumph over adversity.”
Macayo entered Friday’s bout having won fourteen in a row, with his lone defeat coming in just his second pro bout. Similarly, Umara—a 22-year-old prospect from Miami by way of Holguin, Cuba—overcame a loss in his pro debut to win eleven straight. The run included a brutal second-round knockout of William Encarnacion on July 28 also at Caribe Royale, where he has now fought five straight times and was the clear house favorite on Friday.
That mattered little to Macayo, who rode a knockdown all the way to the finish line in what is by far the biggest win of his five-year career. The fight took place as part of WBA’s annual “KO Drugs” event, and with a regional title at stake. The win should mark his debut as a ranked contender, with the intention now to gun towards a major title.
“Now we enter the top 10 in the world ranking and the hard work begins,” acknowledged Shapiro.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox