Boxing

Gucci Manny Flores Set To Face Jorge Leyva On Friday

California's rising superbantam weight prospect will fight on a Golden Boy card out of in Indio, California. 
Joseph Hammond|
Manny Flores trains for his next main event bout at Diaz Brothers Boxing gym in Indio, Calif., on June 1, 2023.
Manny Flores trains for his next main event bout at Diaz Brothers Boxing gym in Indio, Calif., on June 1, 2023. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

He doesn’t just beat his opponents—he is a designer brand of devastation. "Gucci" Manny Flores is a rising force in the Super Bantamweight division, though he might want to have a chat with a trademark lawyer before making his ring name official.

Flores is prepared to lay down the law when he faces Jorge Leyva of Mexico on Friday. Leyva is a fringe contender who once held the WBC FECOMBOX Bantamweight title. Manuel Flores is coming off a quick first round stoppage victory late last year.

Flores, who calls himself "Gucci Manny Flores," seems to be channeling not only the Atlanta rap icon, Radric Davis (who, for the record, has already locked down the trademarks for his name in music and related services) but also the high-end Tuscan fashion house known for turning heads on the runway. The promising pugilistic prospect has more “knockouts” (15) than most runway fashion shows.

Leyva, at 23, is three years younger (and one inch shorter) than his opponent in this non-title main event. He is seeking to get back on track after losing to Jose Alberto Arias last March. Since then, he has bounced back with a victory.

Manny Flores is also on his own comeback trail, having rattled off four wins by knockout since his only professional loss.

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Joseph Hammond
JOSEPH HAMMOND

Joseph Hammond is a veteran sports journalist with extensive experience covering world championship fights across three continents. He has interviewed legendary champions such as Julio César Chávez, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Gennady Golovkin, Oscar De La Hoya, and Bernard Hopkins, among many others. He reported ringside for KO On SI in 2024 for the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout in Riyadh - the first undisputed heavyweight championship in 24 years.

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