Julian Montalvo is the talk of Las Vegas after a high-pressure sparring session that was recently watched by Terence Crawford and Floyd Mayweather.

Montalvo was raised in the Las Vegas gyms, but has spent the past few years sparring the very best who have walked through the Top Rank Gym.
Montalvo is only 17. He is also a professional, with a record of 2-0. A list exists of all the big-name pros, including Shakur Stevenson, Keyshawn Davis, Angelo Leo, and others he has already sparred. The humble fighter often shrugs and is cordial while his performance serves as a telling reminder of his talent. 

“Being in the gym around high-level pros helped me get experience,” Montalvo told BoxingScene. “It makes you a better fighter, especially if you have the heart to be in the ring with them.”

The most telling was sparring Stevenson that brought out all the big-names in the sport.

“One second, there were only five people here, and the next, crowds of people walked into the gym,” Montalvo said. “That time I didn’t have any space for failure. It was very intimidating.”

Montalvo is known for sparring the top pros first and then asking about their achievements and who they are afterward. On this day, he was not afforded that luxury. He knew who Stevenson was and he knew the famous faces in the crowd.

“They were all going for Shakur, too,” Montalvo said. “Shakur is a very smart fighter so, you have to think to spar with him.”

Montalvo, a 5ft 11ins junior lightweight, turned professional in March 2024. “My best trait as a fighter is to come in as a pressure fighter, but I think I don’t just come in right away,” Montalvo said. “I can confuse fighters.”