Paco Damian is co-promoting his second fight card Friday on DAZN with an eagerness to put on competitive fights.
The effort is reflected in the show’s headliner. David Stevens and Petr Khamukov collide in a scheduled ten-round, super middleweight crossroads bout at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California.
Damian has a simple mission: put on compelling fights.
It doesn’t matter whether it is two undefeated fighters, up-and-comers, or even two fighters at odd points in their career. Any event run by Paco Presents needs to carry worthwhile fights for all involved.
“To me, it is a waste of a training camp not only for the fighter, but the promoter and the people watching on TV, when the fights aren’t good,” Damian told BoxingScene. “When something happens and you don’t expect it, that is amazing. Those are the fights we want to put on.”
Stevens, 14-2 (10 KOs), is a 25-year-old from Houston,who enters the bout on the heels of a split decision loss to Bektemir “Bek The Bully” Melikuziev.
Khamukov, 13-0 (6 KOs), is a 2016 Russian Olympian who trains in Woodland Hills, California, and is largely untested as a professional at 33 years old. To this point, Khamukov’s biggest win is a split-decision victory over Vaughn Alexander in 2024.
Both sides of the equation are at must-win status this weekend.
“I do believe the winner will have a great opportunity,” Damian said. “The winner will fight for something meaningful in their next fight.”
Damian pointed to two undercard bouts that could steal the show.
One such matchup pits unbeaten prospect Juan Sanchez and veteran trialhorse Yeis Gabriel Solano in a junior welterweight battle.
Sanchez, 8-0 (7 KOs), a 25-year-old from Buena Park, California, stopped tough veteran Jaylan Phillips in his last fight. Solano enters with a record of 15-5 (10 KOs), as the 32-year-old Colombian who trains in Los Angeles, is no stranger to the Paco Presents family.
Damian secured an opportunity for Phillips to face Mykquan Williams on a January 2021 ShoBox: The Next Generation event.
Solano lost, but Damian remembers his return to the ring afterward.
“Even though Solano has five losses, he has fought very good opposition,” Damian said. “When he fought Alberto Palmetta, I believe he won the fight, even though he moved up in weight for the fight.”
Solano’s last fight was a majority decision loss to Cletus Seldin in March. Sanchez enters on a two-fight knockout streak, but is facing his most experienced opponent.
Also of interest is a bantamweight clash between promising prospects Alexis Alvarado, 7-1 (5 KOs) and Jose Silva, 5-0-1 (4 KOs).
Alvarado is a 23-year-old from La Puente, California. He enters this battle on a four-fight win streak - including stoppages in his last two outings - after a majority decision loss to Lazaro Vargas.
Nevada’s Silva, also 23, ends a near two-year ring absence with the matchup. He’s fought just 92 seconds in the past three years. A first-round TKO of Colby Barr in August 2023 was his lone piece of action since a July 2022 draw with Brayan Ramos.
“Silva has been training hard; his team has been telling me about him before,” Damian said. “He is going to give all of his effort not to lose his zero on Friday.”
Damian is collaborating with Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions for this card and highly acclaimed trainer and former 130lbs titlist Robert Garcia's House of Champions on this show.
For Damian, he is looking to leap to the next level after having developed countless fighters on the regional scene for the past decade. The goal now is to form a televised series of competitive bouts on the contender level for years to come.
“It is important to put on shows, because a lot of young fighters don’t have an opportunity to fight, especially in Los Angeles,” Damian said. “Just as important as putting on the shows is working together from the promoters to managers and fighters.
“As promoters, we have to work together to make meaningful fights.”
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at