Planning a boxing night in Orlando? Matchroom Boxing brings Project Series to Caribe Royale Orlando on August 28, 2026, headlined by Corey Marksman against Christian Barreto. Ticket sales are underway, with an unbeaten-heavy card that also includes key ten-round matchups
Project Series in Orlando: Marksman and Barreto in a clash of unbeaten lightweights
Matchroom Boxing, DAZN and Boxlab Promotions are launching Project Series at Caribe Royale Orlando with a main event that immediately explains the idea behind the new format: promising fighters do not simply get another appearance, but an opponent who can seriously slow their rise. At the center of the evening are Corey Marksman and Christian "El CapitΓ‘n" Barreto, two unbeaten lightweights who meet in a ten-round bout.
Marksman enters with a record of 13-0-1 and nine knockouts, while Barreto is 15-0, also with nine knockouts. The WBA Continental Americas and WBO Global lightweight titles are on the line. Marksman is making the first defense of the WBA Continental Americas belt he won against Jaycob Gomez, while Barreto is boxing for a title for the first time in his professional career and is also going ten rounds for the first time. That contrast in experience over a longer fight is one of the key details of the matchup.
Ticket sales for this event are underway. For spectators who choose an event based on the quality of the matchmaking, Project Series has a clear selling point: both the main event and the co-main event pair unbeaten fighters.
Corey Marksman: speed, precision and home ground
Marksman is 25 years old, and organizers state that this will be his tenth professional appearance at Caribe Royale. It was there in March 2026 that he also recorded the most important victory of his career to date.
Against the previously unbeaten Jaycob Gomez, he won by unanimous decision after ten rounds and captured the WBA Continental Americas title. In its report, the WBA highlighted his speed, distance control, accuracy and work with the lead hand. Gomez tried to slow Marksman down with pressure and body shots, but the hometown fighter established his distance in the second half of the bout and landed the cleaner combinations. The judges' scorecards were 98-92, 98-92 and 96-94.
Marksman is described as a boxer-puncher and fights from an orthodox stance. His style is not reduced to a single threat: he can work behind the jab and movement, but nine knockouts show that an opponent cannot ignore his power. Against Gomez, his ability to adapt over ten rounds was especially valuable.
What Marksman needs to impose
For Marksman, the logical plan is to keep the fight at a distance where he sees the opening first, lands first and can get out of the exchange before Barreto's response. Barreto likes to let his hands go and is more dangerous when an opponent remains in front of him after throwing his own combination. That is why finishing combinations with movement, changing the rhythm and using a consistent jab will be important.
The second key is patience. Barreto is going ten rounds for the first time, so Marksman has no need to turn the beginning of the bout into an unnecessary contest of power. His experience from ten rounds against Gomez could become increasingly important as the fight progresses.
Christian Barreto: pressure and punch volume
Barreto is 29 years old, comes from Arecibo in Puerto Rico and is still unbeaten as a professional. His 15-0 record includes nine knockouts, but the description of his style is more interesting than the number itself. BoxingScene described him as a powerful puncher who does not try to turn every shot into a knockout, but instead lets his hands go and keeps the action flowing.
In an earlier U.S. appearance against Luis Acosta, he stepped up the level of competition and won by unanimous decision after six rounds. In 2026, he went eight rounds against the experienced Alberto Mercado and again won by decision. Orlando brings him a different test: more rounds, two belts and an opponent who has already proven himself over ten rounds.
Barreto also fights from an orthodox stance. That means there is no classic story here of an orthodox fighter against a southpaw. Marksman wants enough space for the jab, an accurate first action and an exit. Barreto will benefit more if he closes that space and turns individual exchanges into longer sequences.
Tactical clash of the main event
The most important question is not who hits harder, but who determines where the fight takes place. If Marksman can circle, stop the entry with his lead hand and punish Barreto's first step, the bout can take on a technical rhythm with plenty of work at range. If Barreto cuts down the ring and forces Marksman into longer exchanges at mid-range, his punch volume becomes much more important.
Neither scenario guarantees victory in advance. Marksman has already shown that he can adjust his plan over ten rounds, while Barreto has shown that he can win without a knockout. That is why it is more realistic to expect a tactical contest with changes of rhythm than a simple division between a "technician" and a "knockout artist."
Why the belts and this fight matter
The WBA Continental Americas title that Marksman is defending and the WBO Global title that is also at stake are not world titles, but they give the winner an important result against an unbeaten rival and a stronger argument for the next level of competition.
For Marksman, this is his first title defense. For Barreto, it is his first title fight, his first ten-round appearance and, according to the promoter's announcement, only his third professional appearance in the United States.
Matchroom has already linked this bout with another name on the card. Haven Brady Jr., a new promotional signing, faces Bryan Jimenez, and Eddie Hearn mentioned the possibility that Brady could later box the winner of Marksman and Barreto. That is not an agreed next fight, but it clearly demonstrates the logic of Project Series: several promising boxers from the same division on the same evening, with the possibility that their paths could cross quickly.
Co-main event: Alex Bray against Antraveous Ingram
Alex Bray enters at 11-0 with eight knockouts, while Antraveous "Yamz" Ingram is 13-0-1 with seven knockouts. They fight over ten rounds in the super welterweight division.
Bray is 20 years old and in February he went ten rounds for the first time at Caribe Royale. Against Rodrigo Damian Coria, he won by unanimous decision, using a controlled approach and discipline instead of forcing a stoppage. That is an interesting development for a fighter who has earned eight of his 11 victories by stoppage.
Matchroom states that this will be Ingram's eleventh consecutive appearance at Caribe Royale. In March, he stopped Christopher Thompson in the fourth round after previously drawing by split decision with Yoelvis Gomez. Ingram is a southpaw, so the co-main event presents a different tactical problem from the main bout.
Currently confirmed fight card
According to the organizers' current announcements, five bouts have been confirmed. Since boxing event schedules can change, this is the currently confirmed card, without speculation about additional pairings.
- Corey Marksman (13-0-1, 9 KO) - Christian Barreto (15-0, 9 KO), ten rounds, lightweight division, WBA Continental Americas and WBO Global titles.
- Alex Bray (11-0, 8 KO) - Antraveous Ingram (13-0-1, 7 KO), ten rounds, super welterweight division.
- Haven Brady Jr. (17-0, 7 KO) - Bryan Jimenez (18-4, 10 KO), eight rounds, lightweight division.
- Kaipo Gallegos (12-0-1, 9 KO) - Desmond Lyons (11-3, 2 KO), eight rounds, lightweight division.
- Carlos DeLeon (8-0, 6 KO) - Maxwel Montes (13-5-1, 7 KO), eight rounds, super featherweight division.
Brady's appearance further increases the importance of the lightweight division. He has 17 victories without a defeat, trains under Bozy Ennis and will be seeking his first victory of 2026 against Jimenez. Jimenez enters at 18-4 with ten knockouts, so this is a genuine test for Matchroom's new signing.
Kaipo Gallegos also arrives unbeaten, but after a demanding appearance in which he had to respond to being knocked down and still come away with a unanimous decision. Desmond Lyons enters Orlando on a three-fight winning streak. Carlos DeLeon against Maxwel Montes brings a different developmental test: an unbeaten younger fighter against an opponent with more professional experience.
Caribe Royale Orlando as a boxing venue
Caribe Royale Orlando is located at 8101 World Center Drive. The complex has 260,000 square feet of meeting and event space, four large ballrooms and a series of smaller rooms. The largest, Palms Ballroom, can accommodate up to 5,000 people in a theater-style setup, but the capacity of the specific ring and seating configuration for this boxing event has not been announced, so that figure should not be treated as the capacity for the fight.
For boxing, the continuity of events is more important. Marksman is appearing there for the tenth time, while Ingram is making his eleventh consecutive appearance. Boxlab Promotions has used Caribe Royale for professional boxing nights for years. In such a more compact venue, the experience is different from a stadium: the focus remains around the ring, and the crowd's reactions during exchanges feel more immediate.
It is worth securing tickets in time, especially if you want to choose your position according to how you like to watch boxing. Seats closer to the ring provide a better sense of the speed and sound of the punches, while a slightly elevated position often makes it easier to follow footwork and movement around the entire ring.
Arrival, parking and practical information
The first fight is scheduled for 18:00, with the organizer noting that the time is subject to change. Visitors who want to watch the entire card should plan to arrive sufficiently early for security screening, finding their seats and getting oriented within the complex.
Caribe Royale is approximately 15 miles from Orlando International Airport. For travelers arriving by plane, practical options include a car, taxi or ride-hailing service. The property has its own parking, but conditions and fees may depend on the type of visit and accommodation booking, so it is advisable to check them immediately before the event instead of relying on hotel rates from other packages.
The resort has several restaurants and internal shuttle connections between the main parts of the property, including the Convention Center. For visitors who are also staying there, this simplifies the evening because they do not necessarily need to arrange additional transportation through Orlando after the fights.
What to check before leaving
- the time of the first fight and any schedule change on the day of the event
- entry rules, permitted items and bag restrictions
- the exact entrance zone and seating layout for your ticket
- current parking conditions if you are arriving by car
- the time of your return transportation if you are not staying at Caribe Royale after the event
What to expect live
A boxing night with five confirmed bouts naturally builds tension toward Bray - Ingram and Marksman - Barreto. The moments between rounds are interesting as well: reactions from the corners, tactical changes, assessing who is dictating the distance and how the crowd responds to clean exchanges.
The main event has enough clear questions without the need for grand promises. Can Marksman once again use his speed, jab and ability to adapt over a longer bout? Can Barreto close the space, maintain his volume and, for the first time, sustain his effectiveness over ten rounds? Will Marksman's experience at Caribe Royale bring composure, or will Barreto take away that advantage with a more aggressive rhythm?
The co-main event further increases the value of the evening because one unbeaten record must disappear unless there is a draw. Behind them are several lightweight bouts that could influence how Matchroom develops its new Project Series line.
It is worth securing tickets in time. The greatest value of this evening is not the promise of an outcome known in advance, but the opposite: several matchups in which promising fighters receive a genuine test.
Sources:
- Matchroom Boxing - Project Series announcement, confirmed bouts, fighter records, belts and context of the main and co-main events.
- Matchroom Boxing - announcement of the signing of Haven Brady Jr. and confirmation of the bout against Bryan Jimenez.
- Caribe Royale Orlando - event date, first-fight time, address and basic event information.
- Caribe Royale Meetings - information on event space, capacities, accessibility and distance from Orlando International Airport.
- World Boxing Association - report and context of Marksman's victory over Jaycob Gomez for the WBA Continental Americas title.
- BoxingScene - reports on Christian Barreto's style, his victory over Luis Acosta and the development of Alex Bray.
- FIGHTMAG - current overview of the main event and the recent form of Marksman and Barreto.