LFA 113 results: Thomas Petersen claims vacant heavyweight title with first-round TKO

Thomas Petersen is the new LFA heavyweight champion after his fifth knockout in as many career fights.

[autotag]Thomas Petersen[/autotag] entered LFA 113 ready to wrestle, but he didn’t need it.

Petersen needed just 1:02 to earn a scintillating TKO finish of [autotag]Vernon Lewis[/autotag] to claim the vacant LFA heavyweight championship Friday at Bell County Expo Center in Belton, Texas. It was Petersen’s fifth knockout in as many career professional fights.

Petersen (5-0) and Lewis (8-5) both came out tentatively to open the fight. They circled each other cautiously until Petersen shot in for a takedown that was stuffed by Lewis. After disengaging, the two fighters circled each other again until Petersen, 20 pounds lighter than the 264-pound Lewis, rushed in with a 1-2 combo right down the pipe.

The jab stunned Lewis, and the cross landed flush and dropped him. Petersen hurried for the finish with follow-up punches and nearly let Lewis off the hook by backing off too soon, but he rushed back in. When Lewis dropped to the canvas for a second time, the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Afterward, Petersen had nothing but praise for Lewis, a police officer from Waco who was fighting in front of his hometown fans.

Complete LFA 113 results:

  • Thomas Petersen def. Vernon Lewis via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:02
  • Ricky Camp def. Greg Fischer split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Chris Brown def. Glaucio Eliziario via verbal submission (slam) – Round 2, 4:59
  • Alden Coria def. Donnie Ballou via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 3:35
  • Giovanna Canuto def. Kathy Solorzano via verbal submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 2:10
  • Cezly Collard def. Patrick Ferguson via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 0:44