YUANDALE EVANS IS CONFIDENT OF A VICTORY OVER ALBERTO MACHADO

Yuandale Evans comes from a family of four, including himself, the oldest, and only mom was always present.

Dad was in and out of his life and it was a very strict home, Evans recalls to RingTV.com, and Mom made sure rules were adhered to…Respect had to be shown and grades had to be high.

“My mom made the best for us; she’s the real MVP and she was my father,” the 20-1 (with 14 knockouts) hitter from Cleveland, Ohio, continues. “She went out, made the money, hunted, brought food back for the cubs and gave us hot water, heat, air conditioning and clothes, with a roof. I grew up in East Cleveland, not the projects but the hood but everyone is like family. We don’t even go by Cleveland when speaking of East Cleveland; it is just different. Today it’s tarnishing and I really wanna be help to bring it back to what it used to be. I go and speak to youth on my own and try give them hope and help.”

Evans’ voice will be amplified if he win his October 27 bout against Alberto Machado, at the MSG Theater, in support of the Danny Jacobs vs. Sergey Derevyanchenko main event.

“My younger brother Lavonte Green, aka ‘Bulldog,’ started boxing way before me, I think around 1998, and he is the reason I got into it. And today he’s incarcerated and still the reason why I go so hard for this sport. The sport life I am living right now is his dreams.”

Evans, who last fought in November 2017, beating Luis Rosa by split decision, started boxing in East Cleveland on Shaw Avenue. “I used to go up to the gym and watch my brother train and spar, then I went to one of his bouts and decided I wanted to start boxing. The action I saw excited me and, being the oldest, I wanted things to do to keep me occupied outside of home.”

The Ohioan started boxing as a amateur in 2000, at age 10. The junior lightweight, now promoted by Lou DiBella, had 179 wins 13 losses, with 15 KOs. He won the National Silver Gloves in 2002, 2003 and 2005, won the 2008 Ohio Golden Gloves, went to the nationals and made it to the semifinals against Erick De Leon. “I was robbed of a decision,” Evans said. “Also I won the Ohio State Fair tournament in 2009.

“I decided to turn pro, once I figured my style wasn’t for amateur boxing, with the computer scoring. Roy Jones Jr. had (matchmaker) Eric Bottjer scouting during the Golden Gloves Nationals in Salt Lake City, Utah, and, after winning one of my fights during the nationals, he approached me about a pro career under Square Ring Promotions. I had my pro debut on the Roy Jones Jr. vs. Jeff Lacy undercard (August 15, 2009).”

In April 2012, Evans stepped up against Javier Fortuna. He lost via TKO, in round one.

“Not much to say honestly. If it’s not going to get me a rematch, there is no reason to speak about it,” lamented Evans. “Great fighter then, great now. Fighters fall down and get up everyday; it’s boxing, got a lot of room to grow then and I’m very mature now!”

He beat Billel Dib in April 2017, via unanimous decision, then handled Rosa. “Those were great fights of my comeback to boxing. Winning the WBA NABA title at 130 against Billel and the WBC Continental Americas at 126 against Rosa were well-accomplished goals. They were step-up fights and, of course, I had some layoff time in between the both. Elite fighters don’t get rusty,” Evans said, chuckling. “Billel gave me that tall fight until I took his reach away. I totally controlled the fight comfortably. Rosa was a lot more challenging because he made it a fight along with me. He stunned me; I stunned him but, last two rounds, I just boxed him easily. The fight was close, my opinion. I just pulled it out in the end and stayed on the gas. Best ‘ShoBox’ fight of 2017! I wish that right after that, I could have got a big one, at least two, three months later, but I don’t know what happened. Me and Billel are actually good friends today; I told him he resembles Machado!”

And what about Machado (20-0, 16 KOs), the 5-foot-10 Puerto Rican junior lightweight?

“Simple but not simple, I don’t discredit any fighter but, for him to be that tall, he shouldn’t be fighting anybody, just boxing. He’s a puncher and everyone knows punchers have a lesson to learn. He is patient, though. In shape, always good speed, great jab, loves to rock back for the counter and uses his reach. All around, he’s a great fighter. His last opponents have been OK; some of them beat a bunch of nobodies though. I will be a great test for him, as him for me. Fights like this make boxing. I don’t duck anybody and if I ever turned a fight down, it’s only because the fighter wasn’t up to par.”

Prediction please, Mr. Evans?

He replied with authority, “Unanimous ‘and the newwwwww!’”