(August 13th) Two more intriguing matchups have been added to the increasingly deep Ryan Garcia–Conor Benn card, with unbeaten American heavyweight prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter and former WBC Featherweight World Champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo set to compete September 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Garcia and Benn will meet in the 12-round main event, with Garcia putting his WBC welterweight championship on the line against the British challenger. The event, officially confirmed for T-Mobile Arena during Mexican Independence Day weekend, represents one of the biggest boxing stages of the year and another major showcase for the expanding Zuffa Boxing roster.

Vanhouter, 21, will make his third Zuffa Boxing appearance when he faces Nigerian-born heavyweight Raphael Akpejiori in an eight-round contest. The unbeaten American enters the fight with a 12-0 record, including nine victories inside the distance, and has quickly established himself as one of the more intriguing young heavyweights on the Zuffa roster.

The matchup also provides Vanhouter with a significant test in terms of size and punching power. Akpejiori is listed at 19-3 with 18 knockouts and stands 6-foot-8. His last fight was a unanimous-decision loss to Mourad Aliev on May 23, but his 94-percent knockout ratio makes him a dangerous opponent for any developing heavyweight.

Vanhouter's Zuffa run began in February at Zuffa Boxing 02, where he stopped the much heavier Julian Gomez in the third round. He followed that performance with another explosive victory over veteran Raphael Murphy at Zuffa Boxing 06 on May 10, stopping Murphy at 1:06 of the opening round. Vanhouter weighed 228½ pounds for that contest, while Murphy came in at 251½.

The 6-foot-3 Vanhouter arrived in professional boxing with an unusually extensive amateur résumé. Before turning professional at 17, he won 10 national amateur titles across multiple weight classes. His development has taken him through several divisions, but his size and power have ultimately pointed toward the heavyweight division.

Seven of Vanhouter's first eight professional knockouts had come in the opening round entering his May matchup with Murphy, according to Zuffa Boxing's own preview, illustrating the kind of early-round danger he presents. Against Akpejiori, however, he will be facing a considerably taller and more experienced opponent, making the bout an important examination of whether his speed and explosiveness can translate against a heavyweight with a substantial physical advantage.

Also joining the September 12 card is Filipino star Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo, who will meet unbeaten Las Vegas-area lightweight Andres “Savage” Cortes in a 10-round bout. The contest is slated to open the main card and matches Magsayo's championship experience against Cortes' undefeated record and youth.

Magsayo, 31, is now 29-2 with 19 knockouts and is riding a five-fight winning streak. The Tagbilaran City, Bohol native's defining career achievement came in January 2022, when he defeated longtime champion Gary Russell Jr. by majority decision to capture the WBC featherweight championship. The official scores were 115-113 twice and 114-114.

The Filipino's championship reign lasted only one fight, as he dropped a split decision to Rey Vargas in his first defense later in 2022. He subsequently suffered another decision defeat to Brandon Figueroa in a 2023 WBC interim featherweight title fight. Magsayo has never been stopped as a professional, and he has since rebuilt his career with victories across the super featherweight and lightweight divisions.

His most recent performance was particularly emphatic. On April 5 at Zuffa Boxing 05 in Las Vegas, Magsayo stopped Ireland's Feargal McCrory by corner stoppage at 21 seconds of the fifth round. The victory came in a 135-pound bout and marked Magsayo's first fight at lightweight under the Zuffa Boxing banner.

Now Magsayo faces an unbeaten opponent who is already familiar with the Zuffa spotlight. Cortes is 25-0 with 13 knockouts and most recently defeated Eridson Garcia by unanimous decision over 10 rounds on April 5. The 29-year-old Las Vegas-area fighter has built an unblemished professional record while collecting wins over the likes of Xavier Martinez, Bryan Chevalier and Abraham Nova.

The Magsayo vs Cortes matchup therefore carries genuine significance beyond its place on the undercard. Magsayo brings world championship experience, proven power and a résumé built against elite opposition, while Cortes brings an undefeated record, home-area support and the confidence of having already established himself as one of Zuffa Boxing's leading young lightweights.

The addition of Magsayo and Vanhouter further strengthens a card that already features Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelian in a major cruiserweight contest. Together, the bouts give Zuffa Boxing an opportunity to showcase established championship-level talent alongside fighters it believes can become future stars.

For Vanhouter, the assignment is a chance to make his biggest impression yet in the heavyweight division. For Magsayo, it is another opportunity to demonstrate that the former WBC champion remains a serious force at 135 pounds. And with Garcia and Benn headlining the September 12 event, both fighters will have the kind of global platform that can rapidly change the trajectory of a boxing career.

Tickets are on sale now via AXS.com.

Ryan Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) will put his welterweight world title on the line against England's Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) on September 12 over Mexican Independence Day Weekend, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The entire Garcia vs. Benn card will stream exclusively on Paramount+ at no additional cost to subscribers worldwide (excluding UK & Ireland.)

“This is such a great fight,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “Conor Benn has won 26 of his 27 professional fights and is coming off a big win in the U.K. earlier this year. Ryan Garcia is one of the biggest stars in  boxing and a world champion. These guys are in their prime, and it’s a fight they’ve both wanted for a long time. They’ll come face-to-face for the first time today before stepping into the ring on September 12 during Mexican Independence Day weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The energy in that place will be incredible.”

"For decades, Mexican Independence Day weekend has served as the main stage for some of the most highly anticipated boxing matches in the sport. Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn will author the next chapter in this tradition and we are thrilled to bring this premium live event to audiences around the globe," said Efrain Miron, EVP, Head of Content Strategy and Licensing, Direct-to-Consumer at Paramount.

Garcia headlines boxing's premier Mexican Independence Day weekend event for the first time in his career, returning to T-Mobile Arena where he captured the title over Mario Barrios in February.

Benn enters his toughest test yet — challenging for his first world title off a decisive win over two-time world champion Regis Prograis in his Zuffa Boxing debut.

Garcia and Benn face off this evening ahead of ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 329 in Las Vegas

Strengthening the bill, Queensland, Australia, undefeated Australian powerhouse Jai Opetaia, 30-0, 23Ko’s returns to the ring on September 12, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, appearing on the high-octane undercard of Ryan Garcia’s WBC welterweight title defense against Conor Benn. Promoted under the Zuffa Boxing banner and streaming live on DAZN internationally and Paramount+ in the United States, the night positions one of boxing’s premier pound-for-pound talents in front of a global audience. While Opetaia’s opponent has yet to be officially announced, the unbeaten southpaw’s next outing is already among the most anticipated cruiserweight appearances of the year.

Widely regarded as the finest cruiserweight in the sport today, Opetaia enters the bout riding a dominant career that has seen him defeat every opponent placed before him. Blessed with elite footwork, blistering hand speed, devastating power, and exceptional ring IQ, the 30-year-old has established himself as the division’s standard-bearer through a string of commanding victories over world-class opposition.

Opetaia last competed on March 8, 2026, making an impressive United States debut by outclassing rugged American contender Brandon Glanton over twelve one-sided rounds at Zuffa Boxing 04 in Las Vegas (Meta APEX). Winning every round on all three scorecards (119-106), Opetaia captured the inaugural Zuffa Boxing Cruiserweight Championship while successfully retaining possession of his prestigious Ring Magazine championship, further cementing his status as the division’s premier fighter.

However, the victory came with significant consequences. Shortly after the Glanton bout, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) vacated Opetaia’s cruiserweight world title after determining that his participation in the Zuffa Boxing event violated the organization’s rules regarding champions competing in unsanctioned contests. Although he no longer holds the IBF belt, few observers believe the sanctioning body’s decision diminished Opetaia’s standing as the world’s leading 200-pound fighter. His performances inside the ropes have continued to reinforce his reputation as the man to beat in the cruiserweight division.

Before making his successful American debut, Opetaia enjoyed a remarkable 2025 campaign. He opened the year by stopping highly regarded New Zealander David Nyika in four rounds before defending his titles with a fifth-round technical knockout over previously unbeaten Claudio Squeo. He concluded the year with an emphatic eighth-round knockout of mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara on the Gold Coast, extending his unbeaten record while continuing to demonstrate the explosive finishing ability that has become his trademark.

As anticipation builds for September 12, speculation continues regarding Opetaia’s next opponent. Among the leading candidates is former WBO world champion Chris Billam-Smith, who has openly expressed his desire to face the Australian champion. Billam-Smith recently stated that a showdown with Opetaia is the fight he wants most, although he also indicated he cannot afford to wait indefinitely while negotiations unfold.

Another intriguing possibility remains Miami, Florida based Armenian, WBC Cruiserweight Champion Noel Mikaelian. Negotiations between the two camps have reportedly been ongoing for months, but those talks have repeatedly been complicated after the WBC ordered Mikaelian, 28-3, 12Ko’s toward a potential title obligation involving unified WBA and WBO champion David Benavidez, temporarily delaying what many consider one of the most compelling fights in the division.

Regardless of who ultimately stands across the ring, Opetaia has made his long-term ambitions crystal clear. His mission is nothing less than complete domination of the cruiserweight division.

“We’re hoping to make that dream possible by the end of the year. We’ve got that perfect plan, but early next year would be good, but undisputed is what I want.”

Those comments underscore the singular objective driving the undefeated champion—becoming the undisputed cruiserweight king by collecting every major championship belt.

One matchup fans continue to demand is a blockbuster unification clash with unbeaten, David “Monster” Benavidez, 32-0, 26Ko’s who has moved up to cruiserweight and currently holds the WBA and WBO world titles after a sixth-round KO of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in May 2026. Opetaia has repeatedly stated that the fight is easy to make from his side, but Benavidez’s immediate focus on fulfilling mandatory obligations has temporarily slowed discussions. Should both men continue winning, however, the showdown could become one of the biggest fights in boxing.

For now, Opetaia’s attention remains fixed on September 12, where another dominant performance could bring him one step closer to realizing his dream of becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion. Already unbeaten through 30 professional fights with 23 knockouts, the Australian star continues to build a résumé worthy of boxing’s elite. Every appearance further strengthens the belief that Jai Opetaia is not only the best cruiserweight in the world today, but one of the sport’s most complete fighters regardless of weight class. On one of boxing’s biggest nights of 2026, he will once again have the opportunity to prove exactly why.

Zuffa Boxing, the joint venture between Dana White, TKO Group and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, is making major waves in the professional boxing industry yet again.

Officially launched in January 2026, the new promotion seeks to introduce a centralized, UFC-style league model featuring a single world title and unified internal rankings. Their partnership with Turki Alalshikh, along with a distribution deal with Paramount+, is shifting the sport’s power dynamic.

The company is headquartered in Las Vegas and aspires to revolutionize the boxing landscape by applying a centralized, promoter-driven model similar to the UFC’s approach, including single belts and unified matchmaking for major titles. White first floated the Zuffa Boxing idea following the 2017 Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather crossover event, citing the need to modernize and streamline boxing promotions, but it wasn’t until June 2025 that the brand was officially launched through high-profile partnerships and funding from Saudi Arabia.

The inaugural Zuffa Boxing event is the blockbuster September 13, 2025, Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford super-fight, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and streaming globally on Netflix—marking a first for a major boxing match of this scale. The promotion is expected to stage 12 events annually for five years, totaling 60 shows, with four of these billed as “mega-fights” similar to the Canelo-Crawford clash.

Zuffa Boxing's first numbered event was Zuffa Boxing 01, held on January 23, 2026, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The inaugural show was headlined by Irish middleweight prospect Callum Walsh against Carlos Ocampo, with Walsh winning by unanimous decision.

Media rights negotiations are ongoing, with Paramount Plus as the leading contender for a broadcast deal in the U.S., while select events may continue behind pay-per-view, but the majority could stream widely and even air on CBS. Zuffa Boxing has already organized a prospect-filled card before its first main event, showcasing its commitment to developing new talent alongside marquee matchups.

Through its social media presence and engagement, Zuffa Boxing has signaled a fully modern approach to promotion, with global streaming, high-profile partnerships, and a strong connection to UFC infrastructure and talent. This new venture represents one of the most ambitious attempts yet to reshape professional boxing, bringing together some of combat sports’ biggest players and promising regular major events, innovative matchmaking, and a unified promotional vision.

About Ring Magazine:

Ring Magazine, the “Bible of Boxing,” has chronicled the sport’s greatest moments since 1922. This event marks another milestone in its commitment to delivering the best matchups and most memorable nights in boxing.

In November 2024, Oscar De La Hoya sold The Ring magazine to Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and a prominent figure in the global boxing scene. This sale marked the end of De La Hoya’s 17-year ownership, during which the magazine was operated under Golden Boy Enterprises and maintained its reputation as "The Bible of Boxing" despite ongoing debates about editorial independence. Under Alalshikh’s leadership, The Ring is expected to undergo significant changes, including a revival of its monthly print edition and a separation of digital and print editorial teams, with Rick Reeno overseeing digital operations and Dougie Fischer continuing as editor-in-chief of the print magazine. The acquisition reflects Alalshikh’s broader efforts to expand Saudi Arabia’s influence in international boxing through high-profile events and media investments.