Undefeated prospect and Grand Rapids, Michigan-native Joshua Pagan has relished in the support he’s gotten from fans, family and friends in his home state as he prepares to take on fellow unbeaten Ronnell Burnett Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streaming live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.
“I’ve been getting a lot of support back home,” said Pagan. “Everyone is really excited to see me fight. I’m getting a lot of people hitting me up about coming to this fight and that really motivates me to show up and show off my skills on June 3.”
“Joshua is a U.S. national champion and an undefeated prospect who has shown the ability to challenge himself as he’s already beaten two undefeated fighters in just six fights,” added Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “He’s taking on his toughest test of his career and as the boxing saying goes, ‘somebody’s ‘0’ has got to go.’ I believe that Joshua has all the tools to be successful and be part of the resurgence of championship boxing in Detroit. June 3 is going to be an exciting night from the opening bell all the way until Claressa Shields steps into the ring.”
Pagan (6-0, 2 KOs) recently arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to continue his training with renowned coach John David Jackson, and alongside Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields, who headlines the June 3 event in a rematch against four-division champion Hanna Gabriels.
“I’ve been training for about a week down here,” said Pagan. “The heat is no joke, but training has been great. It’s easy to sweat and it’s a great vibe all around.”
Pagan won the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a unanimous decision over Keon Davis, completing a big step on his boxing journey that began as a teenager with his father and trainer Tony. Pagan explained that after initially getting into the sport because of his father, it was regular viewings of another Grand Rapids native, Floyd Mayweather, that motivated him to see how far he could go in the sport.
“My dad used to box and it was something that our family always watched as well,” said Pagan. “Being from Grand Rapids we would always gather to watch the Floyd Mayweather fights. That really motivated me to want to give it a go in this sport.”
The 23-year-old turned pro in January 2022, earning four victories that year. Most recently, Pagan won back-to-back decisions in Detroit to kick off 2023 as he bested Istvan Bela Orban in February and Wesley Rivers in April. Now already competing in his third fight of the year, Pagan’s time in the amateurs has prepared him well to keep up a busy schedule as a pro.
“I spent a lot of my amateur career fighting guys all around the country and gaining experience,” said Pagan. “It’s the same mentality in the pros. I’m always prepared to fight anyone, so there isn’t a style that’s going to surprise me.
“I’m training year-round and staying ready for what’s next. Each fight we’re learning something new and working on different things. I’m going to keep myself prepared so I can continue to take advantage of opportunities like this. I’m resilient and I’m consistent in my craft. That allows me to be at my best each time that I fight.”
As he prepares to compete on the biggest card of his pro career, Pagan is relishing in the opportunity and is confident that his training has him more than prepared for fight night.
“It’s truly a blessing to be in this position,” said Pagan. “I’m very thankful to Dmitriy Salita for getting me this opportunity to showcase me skills. I’m just ready to go. The way I’ve been working down here, I’m more than ready.”
