A Mexican Olympian who medalled at the Paris 2024 games is set to make waves in the pro game after scoring wins over two new Matchroom prospects.
Marco Verde won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but was beaten by Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev and missed out on gold.
Verde defeated British boxer Lewis Richardson in the semi-finals, but before that denied one of Matchroom’s newest signings a medal after beating him in the quarter-finals.
Marco Verde defeated Matchroom’s new ‘world champion in the waiting’ and another of their top prospects
In the quarter-finals, Verde defeated Nishant Dev, who made his pro debut with Matchroom in January this year. Verde has also lost to Dev though back in 2021 on a split decision.
Dev scored a first-round stoppage win over 1-0-1 Alton Wiggins on the undercard of Diego Pacheco, who may fight Christian Mbilli soon, vs Steven Nelson.
Another fighter Verde has defeated is Omari Jones. Eddie Hearn spoke highly of the new Olympic signing, and told DAZN: “I watched this man in Paris, straightaway I thought this kid is a world champion in waiting, we have to sign this young man.”
Verde, whose amateur record is 43-7, defeated Jones twice, once in 2022 by split decision, and again in 2023 by unanimous decision at the Pan American Games Santiago quarterfinals.
Jones made his pro debut on the Ammo Williams vs Patrice Volny undercard and scored a second-round KO over his 14-5 opponent. Fans suggested Omari Jones’ win was an early stoppage though.
Marco Verde will debut on stablemate Canelo’s undercard
Since turning pro after his Olympic showing, Verde has teamed up with Eddy Reynoso, the trainer and manager of Canelo, who drew with journeyman early in his career.
Verde, now a stablemate of Canelo, is set to make his professional debut on the undercard of Canelo’s bid to become a two-time undisputed middleweight champion.
He will face 4-5-3 Michel Galvan Polina.
Canelo, who negotiated with the Mexican cartel, will take on the undefeated William Scull in May, and will face Terence Crawford later this year if he proves successful.