On the eve of La Velada del Año VI, one of Spain’s most-watched streaming events, TheGrefg questioned his commitment to the ring after a bruising sparring session. The popular content creator, whose real name is David Cánovas, said the force of his first training blow nearly convinced him to abandon boxing altogether. Anticipation was building for the basic event at La Cartuja stadium in Seville, where TheGrefg was set to face IlloJuan, another prominent Spanish streamer entering the ring for the first time.
Both fighters had spent months preparing for the boxing spectacle organized by Ibai Llanos, whose event has become a fixture in Spain’s digital entertainment calendar. The sixth edition took place in July 2026 at Seville’s Estadio La Cartuja, pairing creator boxing matches with live music. TheGrefg entered the contest after beating WestCol the previous year; this time, he faced a fellow Spaniard and friend, giving the rivalry a personal edge. IlloJuan, known off-screen as Juan Alberto, brought his own nerves and anecdotes to the build-up, recalling a sparring incident that briefly left him stunned.
Their experiences showed the unpredictable demands of amateur boxing, where even seasoned streamers can face unfamiliar tests. TheGrefg said he forgot his mouthguard during a session, leaving him with a painful bruise and a memorable encounter with a sparring partner who, he later learned, had an artificial eye. IlloJuan’s account was less dramatic but just as telling: one punch left him momentarily disoriented. Both kept training for an event that drew 80,000 people to La Cartuja and ran for more than eight hours.
The broadcast reached far beyond the stadium. La Velada del Año VI streamed on Twitch and other platforms, including YouTube and TikTok. Cadena SER reported more than 34 million unique devices, up from 20.5 million in 2025, while the reported peak reached 8.73 million connected devices at once. Those figures count devices, not individual viewers. Netflix, which said the event’s average audience grew from about one million in 2021 to more than six million in 2026, also cited a peak of 9.3 million simultaneous viewers for the fifth edition.
The weigh-in, streamed live and free online, had become a spectacle in its own right, with fans scrutinizing participants’ physical condition and readiness. The sixth edition also featured performances by Juanes and Anuel AA, alongside Yandel and Bad Gyal, reflecting the event’s evolution into a large-scale entertainment production. Its growth has gone hand in hand with a move to major venues, including the Cívitas Metropolitano and Santiago Bernabéu, before La Cartuja.
After the July event, published results listed TheGrefg among the winners of the ten scheduled bouts. That result closed one chapter of the fighters’ preparations. The next phase was announced later in the year: Netflix said it would become the exclusive live-streaming platform for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 editions. Ibai Llanos announced the deal with the words, “La Velada del Año x Netflix. Historia. 2027. 2028. 2029.” Netflix described the agreement as a new era for the event and a continuation of its expansion in Spain and Latin America.
Pre-fight interviews revealed a mix of rivalry and camaraderie between TheGrefg and IlloJuan, who traded competitive banter while showing their genuine friendship. Their dynamic reflects a wider trend in Spanish streaming, where personal stories and behind-the-scenes moments can draw as much attention as the matches. IlloJuan joked about adopting a dog to find peace after the fight, while TheGrefg was still weighing major life changes against new challenges.
La Velada del Año VI was not the only high-profile match to draw attention that season. The clash between Natalia MX and Clerss, also organized by Ibai Llanos, generated interest among fans and is covered in this recent report on another anticipated bout. The event’s continued expansion reflects the growing influence of digital creators in Spain’s entertainment field.
La Velada del Año has grown from a boxing night into a multi-layered entertainment production blending sport, streaming and social media storytelling. Its format pairs athletic competition with the personalities and personal narratives of online creators. At the sixth edition, the journey from sparring mishaps to the spotlight at La Cartuja unfolded before a vast online audience and a packed stadium. The subsequent Netflix agreement extends that trajectory through the 2027, 2028 and 2029 editions.
