Jose Valenzuela Out Points Diego Torres Nunez

In Zuffa 2 Main Event!

By: Edwin Gonzalez

Sunday, February 1st, Meta Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada: In the main event of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing 2 streamed live on Paramount+, Renton, Washington, 26-year-old, former WBA Super Lightweight Champion, Jose Valenzuela recorded a one sided ten round unanimous decision victory over Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s, Diego “Azabache” Nunez.

Despite facing an aggressive start from the heavy-handed Torres Valenzuela returning to action off a March 2025 twelve round unanimous points loss to Gary Antuanne Russell overcame the early pressure and a significant cut over his right eye caused by a clean punch from Torres in round four taking the fight outside working and landing speedy combinations and counters dominating the fading “Azabache” through the later rounds to a three way 99-91 ten round unanimous decision win. Valenzuela improves to 15-3, 9Ko’s. Torres with just his third loss falls to comes to a close at 22-3, 19Ko’s.

In the co-main event, Los Angeles-based Ukrainian power puncher and former WBC Interim World Super Welterweight Champion, Serhii “El Flaco” Bohachuk successfully launched his middleweight campaign with a hard-fought ten-round split-decision victory over Indio, California’s former WBA Welterweight Champion, Radzhab “No Mercy” Butaev.

Butaev enjoyed early success behind his movement and body work, landing the cleaner shots on the inside, but he struggled to keep pace with Bohachuk’s relentless tempo as the fight wore on.

Moving up from 154 pounds following consecutive losses to Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Brandon Adams, Bohachuk committed fully to a pressure-heavy approach, repeatedly finding a home for thudding right hands—particularly at close range. Urged on by trainer Manny Robles to increase the pressure, Bohachuk raised the intensity in the fifth round, consistently catching Butaev with clean right hands and forcing him onto the back foot for much of the second half. Butaev opted to counter the free-swinging Ukrainian but was largely unable to slow Bohachuk’s momentum.

By the eighth round, appearing to be in survival mode, Butaev stood his ground in a spirited tenth and final round, meeting Bohachuk toe-to-toe in a final exchange ending the closely contested bout with a 96–94 Butaev, 96–94 times two Bohachuk split decision win. Bohachuk getsback in the grove at 27-3, 24Ko’s. Butaev 2-2 in his last four bouts dips to 16-2, 12Ko’s.

In a scheduled ten round match, Pinellas Park, Florida, Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic stopped Oxnard, California, based 38-year-old, Ukrainian former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk in seven rounds.           

Coming off an August 2024 twelve round unanimous decision loss to then unbeaten David Morrell, 34 year old, Serbian "Hot Rod" dominated early going down from a Gvozdyk right in round one and a Ukrainian body shot in four would stay on the front foot and rally back slowing down the Ukrainian technician landing heavy right hands of his own in round seven visibly shaking the former champion's legs, following up with a barrage of power shots that sent “The Nail” to the floor. Gvozdyk making it upright only to be immediately met by another "Hot Rod" crushing right hand returning the former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion to the canvas forcing referee Ray Corona to put a stop to the bout at 2:47 of round seven. Kalajdzic back in the win column moves to 30-3, 22Ko’s. Gvozdyk 2-2 in his last four outings falls to 21-3, 17Ko’s.

Washington, District of Columbia, Jalil “El Negro Mexicano” Hackett captured a ten round hard-fought majority decision victory Killeen, Texas based Puerto Rican, Roberto “El Terror de Cayey” Cruz.

Fought at a 157lb catchweight, Hackett using a minor height and reach advantage, controlled the early rounds dictating the space and tempo with his jab and superior lateral movement. Sticking with a steady and balanced fight plan the fight's pivotal moment came in round four when Hackett staggered Cruz with a sharp right uppercut led barrage of straight punches bloodying the Puerto Rican nose.

Battling the nose bleed and Hackett’s accurate punching Cruz rallied back in the middle rounds effectively closing the distance landing edging gritty inside exchanges consistently working to the body. The 22-year-old, “El Negro Mexicano” digging down re-establishing his range with his jab and momentum landing the cleaner, more accurate combinations-maintained control down the stretch countering the 28-year-old, Cruz's unrelenting pressure with the cleaner, sharper more influential shots to gain the edge on the judges’ cards announced a 97-93, 96-94, 95-95 Hackett majority decision win. Hackett improves to 12-1, 9Ko’s as Cruz coming in off a May 2025 seventh round TKO loss to still unbeaten Andreas Katzourakis slips to 11-2, 7Ko’s.

In an eight-round pairing of unbeaten, southpaw, lightweights, Whittier, California, 21-year-old, Justin “Chosen” Viloria passed a significant litmus test with a high energy tactical unanimous decision win over Houston, Texas, Oscar Alan Perez.

The high-intensity, nonstop war marked by intense exchanges with neither fighter hitting the canvas, the action remained steady. Perez's durability and grit kept the contest competitive, but Viloria's superior conditioning, speed and punch selection, highlighted by tactical genius in the pocket helped the skilled Californian edge out the gritty Texan with a fan friendly 77-75, 79-73, 78-74 unanimous decision win. Viloria improves to 12-0, 8Ko’s while the 26-year-old Perez suffering his first defeat slips to 14-1-2, 7Ko’s.      

In 150lb catchweight action, Oakland, California’s, Damoni Cato-Cain, returned from a 415-day hiatus to comprehensively outpoint Las Vegas, Nevada’s, previously “perfect” Christian “El Mejor” Morales over eight rounds.

With every round featured competitive exchanges, the 28year old, Oakland native controlled most of the bout with his experience and ring craft holding of 22-year-old, Morales ambition, catching Cato-Cain with a sharp, well-timed shot that sent him staggering in round three. To his credit, Cato-Cain steadied himself quickly and answered with poise, trading confidently before reasserting control boxing smartly from the midpoint on limited Morales’ opportunities pulling away down the stretch to a solid 80-72, 79-73, 77-75 eight round unanimous decision win. Cato-Cain unbeaten since a March 2023 eight round points loss to then unbeaten Eric Tudor moves to 9-1-2, 7Ko’s, Morales taking the fight on eleven days’ notice slips to 7-1, 7Ko’s.   

In a scheduled six round heavyweight affair, Saint Petersburg, Florida, 21-year-old, prospect, Damazion “Mazi” Vanhouter stayed unbeaten with a dominant third‑round stoppage of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico’s, Francisco “La Bomba” Flores.

Following an extended feeling out period, Vanhouter increased his pressure and punch volume “La flooring Bomba” with a clean left hook in round three forcing referee Robert Hoyle to call it with an unanswered, undefended follow-up barrage of punches at 1:27 of round three. Vanhouter runs his new KO streak to five at 12-0, 9Ko’s. Flores stopped in back-to-back bouts drops to 7-5, 2Ko’s.

In the scheduled six round opener, Camden, New Jersey, cruiserweight, Jamar "No Mercy" Talley stayed unbeaten with a second-round knockout of Houston, Texas, Devonte “Boogeyman” Williams.

The 26-year-old, Brian McIntyre trained Talley marched on the 32-year-old, “Boogeyman” behind a crisp jab and heavy body shots at the opening sound, showing "No Mercy" systematically pressing Williams breaking through dropping the unsteady Texan hard with a heavy right hand forcing referee Thomas Taylor to call it done at 2:59 of round two. Talley improves to 6-0, 5Ko’s as Williams stopped in three straight bouts falls to 13-4, 6Ko’s.

Zuffa Boxing is a new professional boxing promotion created in 2025 by TKO Group Holdings—the parent company of UFC and WWE—in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and the events company Sela, led by UFC CEO Dana White and Turki Alalshikh. 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 Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford superfight, set for September 13, 2025, 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 “megafights” similar to the Canelo-Crawford clash. 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.