Erislandy Álvarez Shines on Opening Night of WBA’s KO to Drugs Festival – World Boxing Association

The first night of the KO to Drugs Festival, held as part of the WBA Fedelatin Convention, delivered high-stakes action and plenty of fireworks at Casino Buenos Aires. With several belts on the line, the fighters rose to the occasion, showcasing their skills in a night packed with elite-level boxing.

In the main event, Erislandy Álvarez claimed a dominant unanimous decision victory over Brazil’s Eduardo Costa do Nascimento to capture the WBA Latin America super lightweight title. Álvarez dictated the pace from the opening round, controlling the range and landing the cleaner shots en route to wide scorecards: 99-91, 100-90, and 99-91.

Cuban star Lázaro Álvarez added another highlight to the evening, stopping Venezuela’s José Muñoz in the fourth round to claim the WBA Continental Americas lightweight belt. Muñoz hit the canvas twice before the referee waved it off, giving Álvarez a statement win.

Argentina’s Aldana Florencia López earned a hard-fought unanimous decision over veteran Olga Julio in a gritty contest, while Germany’s Hamsat Shadalov outpointed Lázaro Ramiro Escobar in a solid showing.

The biggest surprise of the night came in the form of a split draw between Diego Gabriel Chaves and Jhan Carlos Ubarnes — a back-and-forth war that left the judges unable to declare a winner.

Capping off the night was Enzo Marcelo Delgado, who stopped Ezequiel Palaversic in the eighth round via TKO, sealing a strong finish to an already electric evening.

The KO to Drugs Festival once again proved to be a vital stage for Latin American boxing, mixing championship opportunities with social impact. And the action is far from over — the WBA Fedelatin Convention continues with more fights and key events in the days ahead.