Junior welterweight Joshua James Pagan won the 2021 USA Boxing National Championship and then decided to turn pro with Salita Promotions. His goal is to continue moving up the professional ranks.
Pegan will fight Ronal Rohn in an eight-round bout on February 2 at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan, on the main undercard of Clarissa Shields vs. Daniel Perkins One of the games. The game will be broadcast nationally on DAZN.
Pagan is a 25-year-old player from Grand Rapids, Michigan who turned pro in January 2022. Since then, he has competed in 11 events, the last of which was Pagan’s headline appearance in Puerto Rico. Pagan reflects on his decision to turn pro three years ago.
“I’m fighting Coon Davis for the national title and then I turn pro the next month. It’s definitely a big moment for me,” Pagan, 11-0 (4 KOs), told BoxingScene.
“I’ve been an amateur for a long time. I’ve been fighting since I was 13 years old. The opportunity came up. My teammate Joe Hicks also signed with Salita. He sent some clips of the game Give it to Salita and the rest is history.”
Pagan played four games in 2022 and five games in 2023. In 2024, he fought just twice, but that was increased to eight rounds. His last fight against Haskell Rhodes was a ten-round contest. Rhodes, a 38-fight veteran, had fought 204 rounds before that fight. Pagan played only 49 years as a pro. The game was a learning experience as Pagan began to rise in the rankings.
“I’m just very humble. I work very hard,” Pagan said, describing himself.
These virtues were instilled in him by his father, Victor Pagan, also a former fighter who was one of the most powerful voices in his corner.
“He did some Golden Gloves boxing matches as a kid,” Pagan said of his father. “So that’s what really inspired me to do this. We always watched boxing matches. The first fight I ever watched was when I was seven years old. It was Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La… De La Hoya. So, that’s really how I got into boxing.”
The 27-year-old Ron has now won two consecutive games after experiencing four consecutive losses. He is best known for being stopped by Abdullah Mason. Ron has a record of 16-7 (13 KOs) and is originally from Venezuela but trains in Chino Hills, California. This upcoming fight is another step in his journey to glory as an amateur.
“I’m just ready to create more big moments,” Pagan said. “My dad taught me about hard work and perseverance – that’s what got me to where I am so far. I just encourage anyone, any young person, to keep working hard.
“If you’re pursuing something, don’t give up; just stay consistent.”
