Boxing continues to have a hot summer, and Showtime looks to keep its momentum with an IBF bantamweight title fight on August 12. In the main event, former champion Emmanuel Rodriguez faces Melvin Lopez.
The fight emanates from the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino in Maryland.
Rodriguez (21-2) won the IBF title in 2018 against Paul Butler but lost it against Naoya Inoue in 2019. Now that the belt is available again, the 31-year-old wants to hold it once more, among other titles in the division.
"I'm happy to have this chance to become a world champion again," said Rodriguez. "We're going to go out there to win in spectacular fashion, and my goal is to show that I'm the best fighter in the world at 118 pounds. My goal is to become undisputed at bantamweight; however, I'm not overlooking Melvin Lopez because he's a good fighter and will come to give it his all on August 12."
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Lopez (29-1) is on an eight-fight win streak, with seven coming via KO/TKO. His last bout was a split-decision win in December against Jobert Alvarez. It is the first time fighting for gold for the 25-year-old, something Lopez won't take lightly.
"I'm very excited that the time is almost here to fight for a world title," said Lopez. "We've had a great training camp, and everyone has sacrificed and worked hard so that we're at our best on August 12. I'm going to show everyone why I earned this opportunity and repay my team for all of their efforts. I have a lot of respect for Emmanuel, but the best man will have his hand raised when we share the ring."
Outside the main event, boxing royalty looks to shine while young fighters are ready to be showcased on the grand stage. Here is a look into the entire main card of Rodriguez vs. Lopez.
Emmanuel Rodriguez vs. Melvin Lopez undercard
Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Kent Cruz
- Division/Weight: Super Lightweight
- Russell record: 16-0
- Cruz record: 16-0-3
- Belts at stake: N/A
The co-feature will be Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Kent Cruz. The brother of former WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr., Antuanne Russell (16-0) competed in the 2016 Olympics, falling short of winning gold. The 27-year-old turned pro in 2017 and has won all his fights via knockout. His last bout was a TKO win against Rances Barthelemy in July.
The fight could be a big test for Russell, who's ready to move to competing in title bouts.
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"When you're a student of the game like me, you have to consider that each step we take is about more than self-gratification. We're doing this for keeps," said Russell. "Kent Cruz has to catch up to me, but there's no need for me to look back. The only direction I'm going is forward, and that means putting on a spectacular performance on August 12 and proving I'm the next world champion in this division."
Cruz (16-0-3) turned pro in 2013. The 30-year-old is 3-0-3 in his last six fights. He fought Enriko Gogokhia to a draw twice, the previous bout in November. It will be a moral victory if he can beat Russell, as Cruz lost in the amateurs against Russell's brother Gary Allan Russell.
"I'm very excited for this fight on August 12," said Cruz. "I've been waiting for a fight like this my whole career, so we didn't hesitate when offered this one. I'm coming in as the underdog, and that's what's fueling me. I've been an underdog my whole life, and on August 12, I'm going to shock the world. When I win this fight, I'll be in contention to fight for a world title and have my chance to achieve my childhood dream."
Travon Marshall vs. Gabriel Maestre
- Division/Weight: Welterweight
- Marshall record: 8-0
- Maestre record: 5-0-1
- Belts at stake: N/A
Opening the card will be Travon Marshall vs. Gabriel Maestre. Marshall (8-0) turned pro in 2021. The 22-year-old has won all but one fight via knockout, and in his last bout in April, Marshall knocked out Justin DeLoach.
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"I'm really excited to be fighting at home in front of my family, friends, and fans on August 12," said Marshall. "I'm working hard every day in the gym so that when fight night comes, I'm 100 percent and ready to put on a great performance for everyone watching. My goal is to show everyone that I belong on the big stage. That starts with a victory over Gabriel Maestre."
A four-time gold medalist, including one in the 2015 Pan American Games, Maestre (5-0-1) turned pro in 2019. The 36-year-old beat Mykal Fox in 2021, winning the interim WBA welterweight title. He is 1-0-1 in his last two, beating Devon Alexander in April via retirement.
"I'm very ready for this fight against Travon Marshall," said Maestre. "We are focused on the work that we need to put in so that we are victorious on August 12. I'm focused on having my hand raised and putting on a good show. We want to leave a good impression with the fans and move on to fight the big names in the welterweight division."
When is Emmanuel Rodriguez vs. Melvin Lopez?
Emmanuel Rodriguez vs. Melvin Lopez is on August 12. The main card starts at 9 p.m. ET or 6 p.m. PT. The main event fighters should make their way to the ring around 11:15 p.m. ET or 8:15 p.m. PT, depending on how long the undercard fights last. Here's how that translates to different timezones globally:
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, August 12 | 9 p.m. ET | 11:15 p.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, August 12 | 6 p.m. PT | 8:15 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Sunday, August 13 | 2 a.m. BST | 4:15 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Sunday, August 13 | 11 a.m. AEST | 1:15 p.m. AEST |
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How to watch Emmanuel Rodriguez vs. Melvin Lopez
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | Showtime | — |
| Canada | — | TBA |
| UK and Ireland | — | TBA |
| Australia | — | TBA |
Rodriguez vs. Lopez will be on Showtime in the U.S. Viewers can stream Showtime via Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Xbox ONE, a laptop, or any mobile or tablet device.
