Boxing’s most talked-about teenager, Julian Montalvo, has officially signed with Top Rank and will return to action this summer after cruising past Erick Tovar Gutierrez last weekend in Mexico. The 17-year-old Las Vegas native, 3-0 with 2 knockouts, is already a gym myth thanks to years of sparring top names behind closed doors. Now? No more whispers — it’s time to see what this kid really is.
Top Rank boss Bob Arum isn’t being shy either. According to him, Montalvo “handled numerous world champions with shocking ease.” Okay then.
Vegas gyms kept him quiet — now Top Rank wants the world to watch
Julian “El Natural” Montalvo didn’t waste time with padded amateur tournaments. His team, led by longtime trainer/manager Armando Flores, skipped that route entirely. Instead, they dropped him straight into deep waters: rounds with contenders, champions, and hot prospects all across Vegas.
He racked up a quiet 20-1 amateur record before going pro at 16. By the time he outclassed Gutierrez in Colima, the buzz was already deafening inside gym circles. Now Top Rank has snatched him up and will push him through the pipeline. Flores said it himself — “this was the natural fit.”
Arum’s words were more loaded. He’s calling Montalvo one of the “greatest teenage talents” he’s ever seen. That’s rich praise, but also a target on the kid’s back.
Hype machine is humming — can the kid live up to it?
Top Rank has a reputation for signing phenoms, but it’s a long way from sparring war stories to main-event credibility. Montalvo’s got speed, clean mechanics, and composure, but we haven’t seen him under real lights, real pressure, or against real dogs yet.
That’ll come. His team says he’s been prepping for this since day one — literally. He’s trained with Flores for over a decade. He’s fluent in the pro style. He’s done the rounds with names they’re not ready to reveal yet.
He says he’s “grateful” for the platform. Top Rank says they’re watching a future pound-for-pound guy. We’ll see if the smoke leads to fire.
They say El Natural? more like El Marketing 😂🥊 Ima wait til he gets his nose broke bfore callin him next big ting lmao but srsly good luck to him – hope he don’t end up TikTok boxing in a year 💀
Hmmm… seemz intersting but i dunno man boxin is full of prodigys who dissapoint later… Remember Victor Ortiz?? Or dat other guy who waz promisin then flopd? Keep y’all hopes loww 😤
*sarcastic tone* Oh ya sure lets alll bow down to the gym LEGEND who beat every champ in silent secret dark gym rounds that no one ever saw 😂 what next? He KO’d a bear on treadmill?
@Mmason lolol stoppp 😂😂 I literally snorted at ‘bear on treadmill’ ur not wrong tho this article all hype n zero smoke
Hehehehe love the sarcasm but give kid a chance mayb he rilly is that gud 🤷♀️ we dnt kno yet tbf.
…Greatest teenage talent huh? Bob Arum said that? 🤔 Next thing you know they’ll say he sparred Sugar Ray’s ghost or sumthin 🙄 Chill with the myth making let the dude have ONE real fight first.
*informative tone* While many pro boxers do begin their career through amateur circuits like Golden Gloves, Montalvo’s team opted for sparring-based development—similar to Vasyl Lomachenko’s approach post extensive amateur tenure. Historically this can be effective if managed carefully.
‘Zactly what I was thinking, cept Loma had like 300 fights lol so lil diff but yeah structure matters not just talent
Wen u skip all da ‘amature tournemints’ n just go spar wit champz, that don’t make u ready for real title fights. Dats like jumpin into ocean bfore learning how to swim. This kids gonna drown 💀
wow jus wow this kid 17?? they really gonna put him in with the wolfs this soon?? i mean sure he good but hype dont win fight. 🥊 Hope he gots chin too coz pros aint no joke. Good luk Julian, u gone need it fr.
tru dat, but remember Canelo started young too an look at him now! maybe julien is next one 😏 if top rank believ him then maybe we should 2