Jose Pedraza scores first stoppage win in 5 years
Steve KimESPN
Former light-weight world titleholder Jose Pedraza used his superior expertise and expertise to nullify the strain of Antonio Lozada in a ninth-round TKO victory Saturday night time, on the Masayuki Ito-Jamel Herring junior light-weight title battle at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.
From the very starting, Lozada (40-Three-1, 34 KOs) stored coming ahead and winging punches, and whereas he did land his share of punches, the more durable and extra correct salvos got here from Pedraza (26-2, 13 KOs), who because the night time wore on started to field increasingly more out of the southpaw stance.
Because the rounds went on, Lozada’s punches started to lose their steam and Pedraza’s effectiveness off the ropes grew to become increasingly more obvious as he adroitly rolled with lots of the oncoming punches and successfully counter-punched Lozada.
Closing punch stats
FighterTotalJabsPowerPedraza310 of 817 (38%)73 of 252 (29%)237 of 565 (42%)Lozada150 of 688 (22%)50 of 156 (32%)100 of 532 (19%)– Courtesy of CompuBox
As Pedraza’s physique shot started to build up, the battle grew to become increasingly more one-sided. Pedraza, who misplaced a unanimous resolution in opposition to unified light-weight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko final 12 months, began to dominate the battle.
Within the ninth spherical, a laser-like left hand from Pedraza off the ropes despatched Lozada to the canvas. After getting again on his toes he was struck by one other barrage of punches that had his nook waving off the battle.
“I grew to become a champion on this division, and I wish to change into a champion on this division once more and in [heavier] divisions as nicely,” mentioned Pedraza. “Lozada was a troublesome opponent who got here to battle with all of his coronary heart. He was a terrific take a look at for me, and I handed it with flying colours. I am unable to wait to see what’s subsequent.”
This was his first stoppage victory for Pedraza since a TKO victory over Juan Carlos Martinez in 2014.
Junior bantamweight Koki Eto’s battle in opposition to Jeyvier Cintron was declared a “no contest” in Spherical 1. Mikey Williams/High Rank
Koki Eto (25-Four-1, 20 KOs) thought he had scored a primary spherical TKO of the beforehand undefeated Jeyvier Cintron, a two-time Olympian from Puerto Rico. However he must accept a really unsatisfying “no-contest” after the Florida fee dominated that it was a head butt, and never the best hand that he landed on Cintron, that despatched him to the ground.
Cintron (10-1, 5 KOs), a southpaw, was boxing successfully early within the spherical, beating Eto to the punch as he circled the ring. Instantly, Eto uncorked a large overhand proper that despatched Cintron on the seat of his pants.
Cintron was capable of rise up however was wobbly and by no means fairly capable of regain his bearings. As he stored stumbling across the ring, referee Andrew Glenn stopped the battle. It was a sudden and dramatic ending to this scheduled 10-round bout.
Sadly for Eto, the conflict of heads overruled his huge punch.
Featherweight prospect Adam Lopez, left, acquired up from the canvas to cease Jean Carlos Rivera. Mikey Williams/High Rank
In a forwards and backwards battle between two 23-year-old junior featherweights, Adam Lopez (13-1, 6 KOs) dusted himself off the canvas within the second spherical to cease the hard-hitting Jean Carlos Rivera (15-2, 10 KOs) with a dramatic Spherical 7 TKO.
Each Lopez and Rivera land their share of punches within the center spherical. After the early knockdown, Lopez, the son of former junior welterweight contender, Hector Lopez, surprised Rivera late within the sixth spherical with a proper hand after which adopted up with a barrage of punches that had Rivera out on his toes as he laid on the ropes because the bell sounded. Referee Massimo Montanini gave Rivera the obligatory eight-count regardless that he by no means touched the canvas. However Rivera was badly buzzed and the minute in between rounds wasn’t sufficient, as Lopez jumped throughout him originally of the seventh forcing the referee to name the battle off.
“I began a bit gradual, however I listened to my nook and made changes,” mentioned Lopez. “I knew he had hassle making weight, so I stored urgent him. I noticed my alternative and took full benefit of it.”
Rivera was main 57-55 on all three playing cards on the time of the stoppage.
Bantamweight Jose Cardenas (17-Four, 14 KOs) shocked native favourite Antonio Vargas (10-1, Four KOs) with a primary spherical knockout in a shocking upset. Cardenas, who got here into the battle on a two battle shedding streak, gave Vargas hassle from the very starting with is peak and attain. The night time ended early for Vargas as Cardenas hit him on the chin with an image good proper hand that despatched Vargas to the canvas face first. There actually was no want for referee Tellis Assimenios to manage the rely. The battle was waved off at 1:53 of the spherical.
Extremely touted Puerto Rican prospect Henry Lebron (9-Zero, 7 KOs) did not have a lot time to point out off his expertise as he scored a primary spherical TKO of Luis Lizarraga (6-13-1, 2 KOs). After scoring a knockdown early within the spherical, the nook of Lizarraga waved off the battle at 2:43 of the spherical. Lebron, a left-hander, confirmed good pace and above common energy within the win.
Edgar Berlanga (11-Zero, 11 KOs) remained undefeated and stored his streak of first spherical knockouts intact by drilling Gyorgy Varju (7-5, Four KOs) in 43 seconds. Berlanga took care of enterprise early as he hit Varju with a three-punch mixture that was punctuated by a left hook, as Varju was pinned up alongside the ropes. It nonetheless stays to be seen how Berlanga will do as he faces stiffer competitors however he carries energy in each fingers.
It was a one-punch knockout victory for featherweight Marco Diaz (2-Zero, 2 KOs) who shocked Edgard Figueroa with a pin-point correct proper cross that despatched him down and out for the rely at :50 seconds of the opening spherical.
Orlando Gonzalez (11-Zero, eight KOs) a featherweight prospect from Puerto Rico, confirmed that he’s somebody to control, stopping Patrick Riley (13-2, 7 KOs) in Spherical Three with a formidable show of energy. Gonzalez, 23, despatched Riley to the canvas within the first spherical with a proper hook and damage him once more within the following spherical. Within the third spherical, one other proper hook despatched Riley down and referee Montanini waved off the battle.
Former WBC junior bantamweight champion Carlos Cuadras made his 2019 debut by outpointing Daniel Lozano (15-7, 11 KOs) over eight rounds. Cuadras, who’s finest identified for giving Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada all they might deal with the previous couple of years, gained by the scores of 80-72 (twice) and 79-73.
Steve Nelson (14-Zero, 11 KOs) a stablemate of WBO welterweight titlist Terence Crawford, remained undefeated by stopping Victor Darocha within the seventh spherical of their scheduled eight spherical tremendous middleweight contest.