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

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

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