NEW YORK, NY – July 3, 2024 – Today, MVP announced that MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 7 will now be headlined by amateur national team standout and top Puerto Rican prospect Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs) vs. Atlanta, Georgia’s Justin Goodson (8-0, 8 KOs) on Friday, July 26 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, available globally on DAZN subscription with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. Rivera vs. Goodson will be an 8-round featherweight bout. Armenian-American rising prospect Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan will no longer face Robert Hall Jr. in the main event due to an injury sustained by Hovhannisyan. Most Valuable Prospects 7, presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, will feature Cuban Olympian and returning Most Valuable Prospects heavyweight favorite Dainier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) in the co-main event, against Toledo, Ohio’s James “Nothing Nice” Evans (7-1-1, 7 KOs) in an 8 round heavyweight bout. On the preliminary card, the 19-year-old St. Petersburg, FL talent Damazion “Mazirati” VanHouter (6-0, 3 KOs) will also return to the Most Valuable Prospects series to face Cody Kerr (3-2-1, 1 KO) in a 6-round heavyweight fight. Also on the preliminary card will be 18-year-old WBO Youth World Champion and 18x national champion Kaipo Gallegos (5-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Armando Frausto (10-4-1, 5 KOs) in a 6-round lightweight bout, and Puerto Rican Carlos de Leon Castro (1-0, 1 KO) will make his Most Valuable Prospects debut over 4 rounds at super featherweight. 24-year-old Sean “Untouchable” Mason (11-0, 8 KOs) will take the ring in a 6-round lightweight fight. Orlando, Florida’s Adrian “Pretty Boy” Pinheiro (10-1-1, 9 KOs) will make his Most Valuable Prospects debut in a 6-round cruiserweight fight, and Orlando’s Jonathan Cortes (4-0, 4 KOs) will also make his series debut in a 4 round super lightweight bout. Friday, July 26 will also feature previously announced bouts including young Puerto Rican sensation and Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighter Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Veronika Dmitriyeva (1-1) in a 6-round bantamweight bout, and a 6-round heavyweight main card bout between Crescent City, FL’s ⁠David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Dominicc Hardy (6-2, 4 KOs). Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 7 are available now on Ticketmaster.com. 

Stepping up to headline a main event for the first time, following a highly successful undefeated start to his pro career, is former Puerto Rican National Team star Jan Paul Rivera (9-0, 5 KOs). Rivera, the 23-year-old prospect from Salinas, Puerto Rico, was a decorated member of the Puerto Rican national boxing team as an amateur, competing in over 200 bouts. His amateur accolades include winning two straight Puerto Rico Elite National Championships in 2020 and 2021, as well as the Puerto Rico Youth National Championships in 2018 and 2019. He also earned a silver medal at the AIBA Youth World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2018. Across his 8-fight professional career to date, Rivera has competed across the USA, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia, furthering his aspirations to become a global star in the sport. 

Rivera will face formidable featherweight Justin Goodson (8-0, 8 KOs) on Friday, July 26 in the main event of Most Valuable Prospects 7. The 28-year-old Goodson, who comes to the ring from Atlanta, Georgia, has built a perfect record since turning pro in 2021. He most recently took home a fifth-round knockout win over former NABO champion Rodolfo Hernandez Montoya, a fighter boasting 30 wins, 28 by way of knockout. Goodson aims to take his next step up as a hopeful contender as he returns to the ring to face the talented Puerto Rican Jan Paul Rivera over 8 rounds at featherweight. 

In the co-main event, Cuban Olympian Dainier “The Fear” Pero (7-0, 5 KOs) will take on James Evans in an 8-round heavyweight fight. Pero makes his third straight appearance on Most Valuable Prospects, following his latest heavyweight bout vs. Jose Mario Tamez on Most Valuable Prospects 6 in April 2024, and his February 2024 bout against Joe Jones on Most Valuable Prospects 5. Pero, the 24-year-old 6’5” talent promoted by Boxlab Promotions, showed his merit as a fighter on the fast track to heavyweight title contender in both recent bouts. His relentless series of power combos earned him a first round TKO win against Tamez, and a second round TKO against Jones. Pero comes to the ring from Orlando, Florida by way of Camaguey, Cuba. With his formidable size, Pero will present a difficult challenge on Friday, July 26, as the heavy-hitter seeks to defend his undefeated streak for the eighth time against James Evans.

James Evans (7-1-1, 7 KOs) comes to the ring from Toledo, Ohio. He first took up boxing after high school, finding his natural power and athleticism well-suited to the sport. These natural talents allowed him to rise in the amateur ranks before eventually competing in the US amateur national tournaments in 2017, 2018 and 2019. After turning pro at the end of 2019, Evans’ seven wins have each come by knockout. He fought to a draw with fellow prospect Steven Torres, and suffered his one loss by stoppage when the pair rematched on short notice in July 2023. Evans is trained by Andy Bell, the father of unbeaten Toledo featherweight “Prince” Albert Bell. Coming to the ring fresh off his latest second-round KO victory in March 2024, Evans will match Pero’s 6’5” size, looking to surprise the local Orlando favorite with a quick knockout on Most Valuable Prospects 7. 

Joining the preliminary card will be the young local talent Damazion “Mazirati” Vanhouter (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Cody Kerr (3-2-1, 1 KO). The 19-year-old Vanhouter, fighting out of St. Petersburg, Florida, returns to the series after making waves on the Serrano vs. Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects 3 undercard with a decisive UD victory over Nafys Anas Garner. Vanhouter will put his undefeated record on the line in a 6-round heavyweight fight against the 6’3” 24-year-old Kerr, who comes to the ring from Spearfish, South Dakota. 

Also joining the card for a 4 round super featherweight bout will be 19-year-old Carlos De Leon Castro (1-0, 1 KO). Born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, De Leon Castro is a promising young talent in the boxing world. Starting his boxing journey at age six, he is guided by his father and trainer, Carlos De León Hernandez. His early start and rigorous training led him to 11 Puerto Rican national championship wins in the amateur ranks. He aims to become the next great Puerto Rican star to emerge from the island, following in the footsteps of boxing legends Tito Trinidad and Miguel Cotto. In June 2024, De Leon Castro made his spectacular entrance into the professional boxing scene, scoring a first-round knockout against Christian Reed, which showed live globally on DAZN and drew attention to his potential and skill in the ring.

Alongside Vahouter vs. Kerr and Carlos De Leon Castro’s preliminary bouts will be a 6 round lightweight bout featuring 18-time national champion and WBO Youth World Champion Kaipo Gallegos (5-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Armando Frausto (10-4-1, 5 KOs). Gallegos, the Las Vegas native, is currently ranked #16 in the world by the WBO at just 18 years old and is promoted by Shuan Boxing and Boxlab Promotions. Frausto comes to the ring from La Marque, Texas by way of Fresno, California. The 24-year-old prospect Sean “Untouchable” Mason (11-0, 8 KOs) will also join the card. The Belgian-born rising talent Mason comes to the ring from Leesburg, Florida and will compete in a 6 round lightweight bout. Adrian “Pretty Boy” Pinheiro (10-1-1, 9 KOs), coming to the ring from Orlando, Florida by way of Poland, will also make his Most Valuable Prospects series debut in a 6 round cruiserweight fight. Jonathan Cortes (4-0, 4 KOs), coming to the ring from Orlando, FL by way of San Juan, Puerto Rico, will also make his debut on the series in a 4 round super lightweight bout. 

Rounding out the card will be the young Puerto Rican sensation and Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighter Krystal Rosado (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Russia’s Veronika Dmitriyeva (1-1) in a 6 round bantamweight bout, and a 6 round heavyweight main card bout between Crescent City, FL’s ⁠David Garcia (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Dominicc Hardy (6-2, 4 KOs).

“Friday, July 26 is shaping up to be one of our most exciting Most Valuable Prospects events to date, featuring our new main event from the exceptionally talented Puerto Rican prospect Jan Paul Rivera vs. an undeniable knockout puncher in Justin Goodson,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of MVP. “We’re pleased to welcome Boxlab Promotions’ Dainier Pero back for his third appearance, following his stunning back-to-back knockouts in Most Valuable Prospects 5 and 6 earlier this spring. This will be another spectacular night of fights in Orlando, and we are excited to continue building young fighters from Puerto Rico through our partnership with Boxlab and Amanda Serrano.”

“We believe this card is stacked with some of the best young prospects and future champions in boxing,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “Caribe Royale is proud to bring these events to the local Orlando fans and our guests alike. These shows just keep getting better and better which is great to see.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The seventh event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.