Phoenix Rises: Matchroom team up with Delivering Dreams to kit out Glendale schoolchildren

Emanuel Navarrete and Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Núñez headline a huge Mexican showdown this weekend, with the IBF & WBO World Super Featherweight Title Unification set to light up the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

As anticipation builds for the headline attraction, fight week in Phoenix began not under the arena lights, but within the local community – ensuring the scale of the event is matched by meaningful engagement across the city.

In partnership with Delivering Dreams of Arizona, three local fighters featuring on Saturday’s undercard stepped into the heart of the community for a special visit to Borman Elementary School – where 50 children, aged 6 to 12, were carefully selected by the school’s social worker to take part, guaranteeing the support reached young people most in need.

Joining the Delivering Dreams Bus on site – a fully equipped mobile hub delivering new clothing, shoes and essential school supplies directly to underserved students – were super bantamweight star Jordan Martinez, unbeaten super lightweight Trini Ochoa and welterweight prospect Rahman Muhammad.

For Martinez, a Phoenix native building momentum at 122lbs, the visit carried added significance. Still early in an undefeated professional run, he spoke to youngsters about the discipline required to move from local gyms to national platforms and the importance of staying grounded in the community that shaped him.

Ochoa, 21-0 at super lightweight, has quietly built one of the most consistent records on the domestic circuit. Known for his composure and work rate, he spoke to students about patience and long-term focus – traits that have underpinned his progression in the professional ranks to date.

Muhammad, at the start of his professional journey following a decorated amateur career that brought national honours, spoke about the importance of giving back and the positive influence boxing has had on his life.

“It’s always a wonderful feeling to be amongst the youth and to give back. It’s always a good feeling,” he said.

“I feel like if you’re a human being with even half a heart then you enjoy stuff like this. It’s good, a cool new experience!”

The visit was relaxed and informal, giving students the chance to speak openly with the fighters and engage in genuine conversation that left a lasting impression.

Founded more than six decades ago, Delivering Dreams AZ works across the Greater Phoenix area to address clothing insecurity among children.

Its 40-foot mobile bus – central to this week’s activation – travels directly to high-poverty schools, stocked with brand-new clothing, shoes and essential supplies. The bus operates as a fully fitted mobile hub, complete with shelving, changing areas and organised displays, allowing students to select items in a dignified and supportive environment.

By delivering resources directly onto school grounds, the charity removes immediate barriers that can affect attendance, confidence and classroom engagement. The model is simple and effective: meet families where they are, work alongside school staff and provide practical help that makes a difference the same day.

This week’s collaboration aligned seamlessly with that approach – using the scale of a major international fight to amplify work already embedded within the city.

Reflecting on the visit, Matchroom’s Head of Community Development, Alex Le Guével, spoke about the wider intent behind the initiative and the importance of using moments like this to create meaningful connections within the host city.

“When we arrive in a city for a fight of this magnitude, we’re conscious of the responsibility that comes with the platform,” explained Le Guével.

“Working alongside trusted local partners like Delivering Dreams AZ ensures we’re adding value in a way that’s authentic and sustainable,” he continued.

“Across the UK, the US and beyond, we’re building a global movement that connects elite sport with grassroots communities. Our fighters are powerful role models – and using their presence to support underserved neighbourhoods is something we take seriously.”

As Phoenix prepares to crown The Next King of Mexico, the visit to Borman Elementary School provided a reminder of what major sporting moments can represent when aligned with local purpose.

For the students who stepped onto the Delivering Dreams Bus, selected new clothing and heard directly from undefeated professionals about their journeys, fight week arrived not through headlines or hype, but through tangible support delivered on their own doorstep.

Long after the final bell sounds at Desert Diamond Arena on Saturday night, the support delivered that day – from the kit provided to the time invested – will continue to matter for the students and families involved.