LAS VEGAS – May 18, 2022 – 2021 Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, Ohio) will step back in the ring this Saturday, May 21 at the Resorts World Event Center in Las Vegas.
The featherweight contest will be Ragan’s second fight in just six weeks following a unanimous decision victory over Diuhl Olguin on April 9. He will face Victorino Gonzalez in a bout scheduled for four or six rounds on the undercard of Janibek Alimkhanuly – Danny Dignum.
Just two weeks ago, Ragan reunited with his Tokyo teammates for an important post-Olympic visit. He and the full U.S. Olympic Team had the opportunity to visit the White House and meet President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in recognition of the athletes’ incredible accomplishments. Ragan enjoyed the once in a lifetime opportunity before returning his full focus to his sixth professional fight.
Ragan is competing in Las Vegas for the first time since his three bouts in the Top Rank bubble in 2020. He has been through quite a rollercoaster of experiences since that time. Following his fourth professional bout, Ragan represented the United States in the Olympic Games in the summer of 2021. He won a silver medal for the United States squad, becoming the first American featherweight to claim Olympic hardware since Rocky Juarez in 2000.
After his Olympic run, Ragan turned his attention back to his professional career, but he suffered a tragic loss just months after getting home from Tokyo. As Ragan was preparing for his first fight following the Olympic Games, he suddenly lost his father, Derek Ragan.
Ragan’s family and friends rallied around the boxer following his father’s passing. It was his father that first brought him to the gym, and he was actively involved his career even after he was incarcerated in 2019. The two spoke daily and the elder Ragan also kept in consistent contact with his fellow Coach Kay Koroma to ensure his son was on track, even while he was competing on the other side of the world in the Olympic Games.
As he prepares to compete for the second time since his father’s death, Ragan works to honor him with his performances in the ring. He continues to enjoy a strong support system around him through his many siblings as well as his boxing family.
Once again, Ragan is finalizing his preparations for Saturday’s bout in Las Vegas and he will have several of his boxing brothers by his side in addition to Koroma when he takes the ring.
Ragan will be one of four U.S. Olympians to compete in Saturday’s action with his 2021 Olympic teammate Tiger Johnson, 2016 Olympian Karlos Balderas and 2012 Olympian and former World Champion Jamel Herring all fighting on Saturday’s card.
Ragan’s bout is expected to begin at approximately 3 p.m. PT and will stream live on ESPN+.
