Undefeated junior middleweight prospect

Anthony Velazquez won’t be

Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (July 10, 2025) – Right now, unbeaten junior middleweight Anthony “ATV” Velazquez (19-0-1, 14 KOs) may be boxing’s best kept secret, but the plan is for him to make a major jump from prospect to title challenger in 2026.

Fighting out of Springfield, Massachusetts, the 29-year-old Valezquez has flown under the radar, never fighting a world rated opponent or showcased on a marquee event.  His manager, Gunther Fishgold, has set the stage for a breakout 2026 for his talented Puerto Rican-American fighter.

 

The plan calls for Velazquez, who is a promotional free agent, to fight three times, starting July 19th at Mohegan Sun, plus two more times in 2025 or next January, to position him to be world rated and fight on larger stages by the first quarter of 2026.
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“I want to be the best and I’m going to prove myself,” Valezquez remarked.  “I’m boxing’s best kept secret, but everybody is going to know who I am very soon.  I like this pace (fighting every 2-3 months) because I’m always in the gym. No vacations; just the gym and home. This is my job and I’m working hard to keep my skills sharp.  I get good work at our gym because my coach, Hector Bermudez, always has fighters in from around the world.  I’ve sparred a lot with (world-rated welterweight) Rohan Polanco (16-0, 10 KOs), the Dominican Olympian, and I spar bigger guys, too, like super middleweight Steven Butler (36-5-1, 30 KOs) – ‘Bang Bang’ – who was there getting ready for his fight (June 27, WKO4 vs. Jose de Jesus Macias). The work I get in the gym definitely helps me. It feels good fighting different people because they all have different styles.”
Team Velazquez hasn’t targeted any fighter in particular, but a natural foe is fellow New Englander, Chordale “The Gift” Booker (23-2, 11 KOs), of Stamford, Connecticut. Booker recently had his first world title shot, losing his challenge to unified (WBC & WBO) Super Welterweight World Champion Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 14 KOs) by way of a stoppage in round 4.

 

One non-New Englander on Velazquez’ hit list for 2026, perhaps, is welterweight Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-1, 16 KOs), who is currently world rated at No. 1 (WBO), No. 5 (IBF) and No. 9 (WBC), but only if he decides to move up to the junior middleweight division.

 

Velazquez is at training camp preparing for his July 19th return in an 8-round bout vs. Terry Chatwood (12-3-1) at Mohegan Sun in  , which is only a 1 ½ hour drive from Velazquez’ home in Springfield.
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“I know Chatwood likes to box off his back foot and he’s tough,” Velazquez said, “but he has nothing I’m concerned with.  I’m going to break him down and get him out of there.  I’m comfortable in the ring.  My defense and confidence have improved.  And I enjoy fighting at Mohegan Sun because of its history in boxing and how close it is to Springfield.  It’s like my second home (this will be his third fight there).”

Anthony Velazquez is ready to make moves in 2026.

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