Michel Rivera Medina, commonly known as "La Zarza Ali", is a Dominican professional boxer who has held the IBF–USBA lightweight title since 2020.
Rivera made his professional debut on 19 March 2016, just 9 days after his 18th birthday, scoring a third-round technical knockout (TKO) victory against Gregory Estevez at the Gimnasio Pedro Cruz in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
[3] After compiling a record of 15–0 (10 KOs), he made his U.S. debut in June 2019, defeating then-unbeaten René Téllez Girón via eight-round unanimous decision (UD) at the WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa.
Rivera won the bout via fifth-round TKO after referee Marcos Rosales called a halt to the contest before the commencement of the sixth round.
[5] He next faced Fidel Maldonado Jr for the vacant WBC Continental Americas lightweight title on 1 February 2020, at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.