By Brad Marchetti: Tonight, under the neon glow and electric buzz of Miccosukee Resort & Casino, boxing storms back into Miami. If you want to see tomorrow’s champions today, this is the place to be.
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Headlining the stacked 10-fight card, promoted by M & R Boxing’s ever-active Laura Ching, is blue-chip middleweight prospect Nikita “White Chocolate” Ababiy (13-0, 7 KOs), who continues his climb up the rankings. Even in tough economic times for the sport, M & R keeps pugs in service.
Ababiy, the 6-foot Russian power puncher, is the centerpiece of the City of Magic and now trains out of David Benavidez’s base at BOXR Gym in Miami. Guided by world-class trainer Milton LaCroix, Ababiy honed his raw tools into refined weapons. He brings athleticism, attitude and a seek-and-destroy mentality that puts fans in the seats.
Despite his slender frame, “White Chocolate” is a dedicated body eater in the form of Kelly Pavlik, who fervently digs down. With over 100 amateur fights under his belt, Ababiy looks set to make some serious noise under LaCroix’s watchful eye. Against 68-fight Argentine veteran Ramon De La Cruz Sena, his mission is clear: don’t just win, ignite the Miami crowd with fight-ending fireworks.
M & R Boxing Promotions is also high on 6’3″, 223-pound Cuban heavyweight Carlos Fromenta Romero (17-2, 12 KOs). Nicknamed “Devastating,” the 27-year-old lives up to his ring name with heavy hands and relentless killer instinct.
Defensively sound and quick to fire off crushing overhand rights and uppercuts, Romero’s lone high-profile loss came against top-10 cruiserweight Brandon Glanton in 2023. Since moving up to heavyweight, he has looked dominant. He faces stocky Colombian veteran Juan Camilo Novoa (35-14-1, 32 KOs). EMTs will be on close standby for this one.
At heavyweight, 6’4″, 245-pound Drake Banks (10-0, 6 KOs) continues his steady rise in his second eight-round stint. The 25-year-old Florida-based prospect brings the amateur pedigree and physical tools of a future contender. Across from him is blue-collar veteran Car (9m City veterans, 9m KOs), a rugged 6’4″, 290-pound spoils who will look to test and determine Banks’ chin.
Joshua Amill (6-0, 2 KOs) is a slick 5’11” boxer-puncher armed with a stiff jab and a sneaky right hand in the pipe. He takes on Mexican gatekeeper German Perez (3-8-2, 1 KO), a tough opponent who is much better than his record suggests. rounds This is a legitimate developmental test for Amill in a sport that never offers easy nights.
Cuban lightweight Manuel “Sweet Dreams” Correa (14-2, 10 KOs) is always game, with both losses coming against undefeated prospects. He takes on Angel Hernandez Pillado (13-12, 7 KOs) in a six-round clash. Pillado tends to either be stopped by emerging talents or push fringe prospects into the distance. Expect Correa to press for a statement.
Nicaraguan junior lightweight Maxwell Montes (12-4-1, 7 KOs) aims to bounce back after dropping a competitive 10-round decision to an undefeated southpaw prospect in his last outing.
Twenty-one-year-old Cuban welterweight Geise Reyes Del Verso (8-0, 6 KOs) is a 6-foot prospect to watch closely. Tall, leveraged and aggressive, Del Verso hits with bad intentions. Only two of his opponents escaped the opening round.
Tough bantamweight Aniel “Finito” Viamontes (15-2, 13 KOs) returns in a six-round confidence-building bout after being stopped by a top-10 contender in Mexico. Expect him to showcase the tools that built his reputation as an up-and-comer.
Set against the glitz, energy and nightlife of the Miccosukee Resort & Casino, this map shows South Florida’s hungry young lions as they fight for their future. This is Miami, where you can bet under bright lights, celebrate with a cigar in hand, and talk boxing long after the final bell. Gates open at 6pm Ringside VIP tables available.
Last updated on 02/21/2026 at 19:44
