Boxing

Yoenis Tellez: The Dark Horse Of The Junior Middleweight Division (Exclusive)

"El Bandolero" is back in action this Saturday, and with so many moving parts at 154 lbs, the Cuban can sneak his way to the top of the division.
Johan Alyas Blanco|
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Undefeated junior middleweight Yoenis Tellez is set to defend his interim WBA title this Saturday, and there's a lot at stake for "El Bandolero".

Tellez (10-0, 7 KOs) is set to face Abass Barou (16-1, 9 KOs) in the co-main event of Most Valuable Promotions' first ever "Fight Night". The fight will take place at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Despite the high profile event, and Jake Paul and Amanda Serrano expected to be in attendance, Tellez told KO On SI that he doesn't pay no mind to anything but the task at hand.

"I'm just too focused all the time. I'm just going in there to fight and do my thing."
Tellez told KO on SI

Meteoric Rise

Yoenis Tellez (left) landing a left hook to the body against Julian Williams (right)
Yoenis Tellez (left) landing a left hook to the body against Julian Williams (right) | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Along with being interim WBA champion, the 25-year-old is currently the No. 10 ranked junior middleweight according to Ring Magazine.

Since turning pro in 2020, the Cuban has skyrocketed up the ranks, already next in line for a WBA world title fight, or even the chance to be elevated up to world champion. But the momentum really started to pick up on July 29th, 2023, when he stopped Sergio Garcia in the third round. From there, Tellez would pick apart top-tier opponent after top-tier opponent.

And while Tellez is getting high praise, he said that he didn't expect to achieve all this success so quickly.

"I've never been in a rush to get anywhere in my career. I've just accepted the challenges and battles that have came."
Tellez told KO on SI

To add to his already stacked resume, Tellez faces a challenger in Barou, who is ranked No. 1 in the WBA, and won the European title last year. The rise of the Cuban is meteoric yet underrated.

The Shadows of Boxing's Most Stacked Division

Despite being a title holder in one of boxing's glamour divisions, 154 lbs is so stacked with big names and top contenders that Tellez gets lost in the shuffle.

In the WBA alone, the 25-year-old is interim champion behind Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), who currently holds the WBA world title. And while logistically the next step is for Tellez to fight "Bud", the world champion may vacate the belt ahead of his highly anticipated fight against Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 13th.

The names of top level boxers go on-and-on: Vergil Ortiz, Sebastian Fundora, Israil Madrimov, Bakhram Murtazaliev, Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Xander Zayas are just among the many names of high profile 154 lbers.

With so many boxers eyeing one of the four world titles, Tellez said he's happy about the idea of defending the interim belt against any of them.

"That just shows I'm doing a good job. I'm really dedicated to the sport and going after everyone."
Tellez told KO on SI

Biggest Lessons Learned

Rising up the ranks so quickly makes you mature fast and that's especially true for Tellez.

Through 10 pro fights, he has evolved as a fighter. The Cuban is one of the most effective switch hitters in boxing today. He counterpunches on a dime, and his timing makes him a matchup nightmare for anyone. But Tellez said where he's grown the most in his career is in his focus and desire to be the best in the world.

"When I got the position of being an underdog, I believed in myself. That's what made me grow as a fighter."
Tellez told KO on SI
Yoenis Tellez
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Another growing moment for Tellez came in his first two pro fights. Instead of fighting in the states or in his home country of Cuba, the 25-year-old fought in Russia back-to-back. It was something that the undefeated champion said was a difficult time but helped him progressed through life.

"I struggled a lot, it was some hard times for me. I learned that if you focus and make the right decisions, that's what counts."
Tellez told KO on SI

"El Bandolero" is looking to put his name at the top of the junior middleweight division, and he gave a preview of what fans can expect this Saturday.

"Everybody can expect my victory, that's for sure. I'm always gonna come out and put on a show. This is just a step moving forward in my career, and I'm ready to face more battles after this.
Tellez told KO on SI

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Johan Alyas Blanco
JOHAN ALYAS BLANCO

Johan Alyas Blanco is a writer for KO On SI. Before joining in March 2025, he worked as a News Producer in Tallahassee and Orlando. He also works for several fight promotions in boxing and MMA, working on social media content. When he’s not writing, Alyas covers boxing on his own YouTube channel, The Split Decision. Blanco has a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from UCF, with a minor in sports business management. Alyas has interviewed several big names in combat sports, including Jorge Masvidal, Edgar Berlanga and Brian Norman Jr. His goal is to bring boxing back to prominence.

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