Welterweight Nicklaus Flaz has shown that a record is just a snapshot of the past, as he has revived his pro fighting career in only three bouts.
Flaz is now set to be the co-feature on Wednesday Night Fights against Arizona’s Alfredo Escarcega Jr. in a 10-round main event on ProBox TV.
Flaz (12-2, 8 KOs), 28, from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, is on an impressive three-fight winning streak. He defeated former undefeated prospect Brian Ceballo, upset another undefeated prospect, Top Rank fighter Jahi Tucker, and then stopped Luke Santamaria. But words alone don’t capture his journey.
In October 2020, Flaz was stopped by Janelson Figueroa Bocachica in a round. It was his second loss, seemingly relegating him to the status of a gatekeeper – a fighter who tests up-and-coming fighters before they move on to title bouts. Yet, just more than two years after that first-round loss, Flaz, fighting at home in Puerto Rico, secured a majority decision over Ceballo (16-1, 8 KOs), of New York City.
Ceballo, once signed by 360 Promotions, had been inactive, only returning to fight at middleweight in 2022 after defeating Larry Gomez in 2020. Despite the long layoff, Flaz edged him out at a catchweight of 150 pounds.
Some might argue that Ceballo’s inactivity played a role, but nine months later, in July, Flaz won another majority decision, this time against 21-year-old Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KOs) of Deer Park, New York. Tucker, a welterweight with momentum from his victory over Nikoloz Sekhniashvili, was expected to triumph, but Flaz defied expectations once more.
In March, Flaz returned to ProBox TV to face Santamaria (14-4-1, 7 KOs), 26, of Garden Grove, California. In what was billed as a 50-50 fight, Flaz dominated, stopping Santamaria in the sixth round.
Following this victory, Sampson Boxing announced they had signed Flaz. Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz commented, “Losing may have helped him. He was overconfident and it cost him. Now he doesn’t take anyone lightly and puts in the work it takes to become a champion. I am very happy to be part of his team and will be working hard to help him realize his boxing dreams.”
Escarcega (15-1-1, 7 KOs), 26, aims to end Flaz’s winning streak. His only loss was to Julian Smith, a deaf boxer who recently stopped undefeated Orestes Velazquez and is set to fight welterweight Shohjahon Ergashev on July 27. Escarcega bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Brian Mora Munoz in Mexico. Like Flaz, he is looking to redefine his career, moving from a promising prospect to a contender. This bout will be crucial in determining his future.
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