Tag: MGM Grand

Good, bad, worse: Viktor Postol’s inspiring performance

Viktor Postol gave an inspiring performance in defeat against Jose Ramirez on Saturday in Las Vegas.

A critical look at the past week in boxing.

GOOD

Viktor Postol (right) made a strong impression in defeat against Jose Ramirez on Saturday night. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

The sight of an aging former champion giving a hot young star all he can handle is always inspiring.

That’s what Viktor Postol did against junior welterweight titleholder Jose Ramirez on Saturday in Las Vegas. He boxed beautifully, moved well, was tough when he had to be and nearly pulled off one of the bigger upsets in recent years.

The fact he came up short – losing a majority decision – had to be frustrating for the 36-year-old Ukrainian, who knows such opportunities are precious. However, he left the ring with the admiration of everyone who witnessed his effort.

In fact, his performance probably changed the perception of him to some degree. He has been seen as a good fighter but not quite at the level of such stars as Terence Crawford and Josh Taylor, both of whom defeated him by unanimous decisions.

On Saturday, he fought on even terms with that-level opponent. One judge and Boxing Junkie scored the fight 114-114. That’s a significant accomplishment, perhaps along the lines of Nonito Donaire’s strong performance against Naoya Inoue last year.

That has to provide Postol some gratification. After all, he did something special. That’s precious, too.

Ramirez?

He might be excused for a flat performance. He hadn’t fought in 13 months. The fight was postponed twice because of COVID-19 before it finally happened, meaning Ramirez and Postol had to endure three camps. He also cited personal problems.

And, in the end, he had his hand raised. No one said every fight was going to be easy.

Still, Ramirez didn’t look like a pound-for-pound fighter, which is the image of him that will stick for a while. Of course, you’re only as good as your last fight. His performance on Saturday will be forgotten if he fights and beats Taylor for all the 140-pound titles.

 

BAD

Could contender Oleksandr Usyk ultimately stand in the way of heavyweight title-unification fight. Scott Heavey / Getty Images

First, Dillian Whyte. Now Oleksandr Usyk?

Whyte entered his fight against Alexander Povetkin as the longstanding mandatory challenger to the WBC heavyweight title, held by Tyson Fury. Had he beaten Povetkin, the Fury-Deontay Wilder winner might’ve been forced to defend against Whyte or risk being stripped of the belt.

Thank goodness Povetkin won, which seemed to open the door to a fight between the winners of Fury-Wilder and Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

Now promoter Eddie Hearn is suggesting that Oleksandr Usyk could stand in the way of a title-unification fight. The former undisputed cruiserweight champion reportedly will become the WBO’s mandatory challenger to Joshua’s title if Usyk beats Derek Chisora this fall.

That, Hearn said, could put Joshua – if he beats Pulev – in a position where he must choose between the WBO belt and a fight with Fury or Wilder. So, if Hearn is right, we could be back where we were with Whyte.

What the hell is going on here?

I understand the purpose of mandatory challengers. In theory, the system forces titleholders to defend against the best possible opponents. However, you and I know better. Many times, fighters are maneuvered into the top position because it benefits greedy sanctioning bodies. And only occasionally does the system produce fights fans want to see most.

Are the alphabet organizations really going to be allowed to stand in the way of a fight that will produce an undisputed heavyweight champion, which is good for sport? Let’s hope not.

 

WORSE

Tim Tszyu (right) dominated Jeff Horn on Wednesday in Australia. Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images

Tim Tszyu’s breakthrough performance against Jeff Horn on Wednesday in Australia could’ve landed in the “good” category in this column. Instead, the actions of Jeff Horn’s trainer stole the focus.

The talented son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu was brilliant in his demolition of the former welterweight titleholder, who survived only eight of a scheduled 10 rounds. We might be witnessing the rise of a true star down under.

Of course, Tszyu was celebrated afterward. However, a conversation between Horn and trainer Glenn Rushton at the end of the fight dominated much of the conversation even days after the fact.

Horn was exhausted, beaten, unable to defend himself adequately, utterly spent as he sat on his stool after the eighth round. And everyone watching knew it – except Rushton, apparently.

The trainer asked Horn whether he had one more minute in him, one more punch, the hope being that he could produce a miracle. That’s not Rushton’s job. His most important function is to determine whether his fighter is in danger of serious injury and save him from it.

In the end, it was another cornerman who told the referee to stop the fight and Horn remained on his stool.

Some observers have called for the revocation of Rushton’s license to work corners. That might be over the top. However, it’s particularly difficult to defend him when he refused to admit afterward that he had done anything wrong.

The fact is he did. He was willing to place his fighter in undue danger to give him a minuscule chance winning. Once again: We need to do a better job of protecting the fighters.

[lawrence-related id=13372,13280,13255,13130]

 

 

 

 

Good, bad, worse: Viktor Postol’s inspiring performance

Viktor Postol gave an inspiring performance in defeat against Jose Ramirez on Saturday in Las Vegas.

A critical look at the past week in boxing.

GOOD

Viktor Postol (right) made a strong impression in defeat against Jose Ramirez on Saturday night. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

The sight of an aging former champion giving a hot young star all he can handle is always inspiring.

That’s what Viktor Postol did against junior welterweight titleholder Jose Ramirez on Saturday in Las Vegas. He boxed beautifully, moved well, was tough when he had to be and nearly pulled off one of the bigger upsets in recent years.

The fact he came up short – losing a majority decision – had to be frustrating for the 36-year-old Ukrainian, who knows such opportunities are precious. However, he left the ring with the admiration of everyone who witnessed his effort.

In fact, his performance probably changed the perception of him to some degree. He has been seen as a good fighter but not quite at the level of such stars as Terence Crawford and Josh Taylor, both of whom defeated him by unanimous decisions.

On Saturday, he fought on even terms with that-level opponent. One judge and Boxing Junkie scored the fight 114-114. That’s a significant accomplishment, perhaps along the lines of Nonito Donaire’s strong performance against Naoya Inoue last year.

That has to provide Postol some gratification. After all, he did something special. That’s precious, too.

Ramirez?

He might be excused for a flat performance. He hadn’t fought in 13 months. The fight was postponed twice because of COVID-19 before it finally happened, meaning Ramirez and Postol had to endure three camps. He also cited personal problems.

And, in the end, he had his hand raised. No one said every fight was going to be easy.

Still, Ramirez didn’t look like a pound-for-pound fighter, which is the image of him that will stick for a while. Of course, you’re only as good as your last fight. His performance on Saturday will be forgotten if he fights and beats Taylor for all the 140-pound titles.

 

BAD

Could contender Oleksandr Usyk ultimately stand in the way of heavyweight title-unification fight. Scott Heavey / Getty Images

First, Dillian Whyte. Now Oleksandr Usyk?

Whyte entered his fight against Alexander Povetkin as the longstanding mandatory challenger to the WBC heavyweight title, held by Tyson Fury. Had he beaten Povetkin, the Fury-Deontay Wilder winner might’ve been forced to defend against Whyte or risk being stripped of the belt.

Thank goodness Povetkin won, which seemed to open the door to a fight between the winners of Fury-Wilder and Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

Now promoter Eddie Hearn is suggesting that Oleksandr Usyk could stand in the way of a title-unification fight. The former undisputed cruiserweight champion reportedly will become the WBO’s mandatory challenger to Joshua’s title if Usyk beats Derek Chisora this fall.

That, Hearn said, could put Joshua – if he beats Pulev – in a position where he must choose between the WBO belt and a fight with Fury or Wilder. So, if Hearn is right, we could be back where we were with Whyte.

What the hell is going on here?

I understand the purpose of mandatory challengers. In theory, the system forces titleholders to defend against the best possible opponents. However, you and I know better. Many times, fighters are maneuvered into the top position because it benefits greedy sanctioning bodies. And only occasionally does the system produce fights fans want to see most.

Are the alphabet organizations really going to be allowed to stand in the way of a fight that will produce an undisputed heavyweight champion, which is good for sport? Let’s hope not.

 

WORSE

Tim Tszyu (right) dominated Jeff Horn on Wednesday in Australia. Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images

Tim Tszyu’s breakthrough performance against Jeff Horn on Wednesday in Australia could’ve landed in the “good” category in this column. Instead, the actions of Jeff Horn’s trainer stole the focus.

The talented son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu was brilliant in his demolition of the former welterweight titleholder, who survived only eight of a scheduled 10 rounds. We might be witnessing the rise of a true star down under.

Of course, Tszyu was celebrated afterward. However, a conversation between Horn and trainer Glenn Rushton at the end of the fight dominated much of the conversation even days after the fact.

Horn was exhausted, beaten, unable to defend himself adequately, utterly spent as he sat on his stool after the eighth round. And everyone watching knew it – except Rushton, apparently.

The trainer asked Horn whether he had one more minute in him, one more punch, the hope being that he could produce a miracle. That’s not Rushton’s job. His most important function is to determine whether his fighter is in danger of serious injury and save him from it.

In the end, it was another cornerman who told the referee to stop the fight and Horn remained on his stool.

Some observers have called for the revocation of Rushton’s license to work corners. That might be over the top. However, it’s particularly difficult to defend him when he refused to admit afterward that he had done anything wrong.

The fact is he did. He was willing to place his fighter in undue danger to give him a minuscule chance winning. Once again: We need to do a better job of protecting the fighters.

[lawrence-related id=13372,13280,13255,13130]

 

 

 

 

Jose Ramirez survives scare against Viktor Postol, retains titles

Jose Ramirez defeated Viktor Postol by a majority decision to retain his 140-pound titles Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jose Ramirez was fortunate to leave the ring with his junior welterweight titles Saturday in Las Vegas.

Viktor Postol, the wily veteran from Ukraine, gave an inspired performance to push one of the top young stars to his limits but ultimately fell just short of scoring a major upset in the MGM Grand “bubble.”

Ramirez, relying as much on grit as skill, won a majority decision to retain his two belts and potentially set up a unification bout with Josh Taylor.

Postol (31-3, 12 KOs) performed particularly well in the first five rounds, using his long, stiff jab, occasional combinations and fleet feet to frustrate an aggressive, but relatively ineffective Ramirez.

However, by the sixth round, Ramirez, grasping the urgency of the moment, raised his level of aggressiveness and climbed back into the fight. Suddenly, with Ramirez firing to his head and body with ferocity, it was more difficult for Postol to jab, throw power shots and move.

Still, Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) was never able to take firm control of the fight. Postol continued to fight his fight, continued to land telling blows and continued to be an elusive target.

The challenger fought Ramirez on even terms in the final three rounds, when it seemed as if the fight was up for grabs. In the end, two of the judges apparently favored Ramirez’s aggression and power punching to Postol’s effective boxing.

Judge Dave Moretti scored the fight 114-114 but Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld had it 115-113 and 116-112, respectively, for Ramirez. Boxing Junkie scored it 114-114.

By comparison, Taylor defeated Postol by a unanimous decision in June 2018. The scores were 119-108, 118-110 and 117-110.

Of course, that has no bearing on how Ramirez and Taylor would fare against one another. They’ll most likely get the opportunity to unify all four 140-pound titles if Taylor gets past Apinun Khongsong on Sept. 26.

Meanwhile, Postol, a former junior welterweight titleholder, proved at 36 that he can still fight at an elite level. He obviously will be heard from again.

Jose Ramirez survives scare against Viktor Postol, retains titles

Jose Ramirez defeated Viktor Postol by a majority decision to retain his 140-pound titles Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jose Ramirez was fortunate to leave the ring with his junior welterweight titles Saturday in Las Vegas.

Viktor Postol, the wily veteran from Ukraine, gave an inspired performance to push one of the top young stars to his limits but ultimately fell just short of scoring a major upset in the MGM Grand “bubble.”

Ramirez, relying as much on grit as skill, won a majority decision to retain his two belts and potentially set up a unification bout with Josh Taylor.

Postol (31-3, 12 KOs) performed particularly well in the first five rounds, using his long, stiff jab, occasional combinations and fleet feet to frustrate an aggressive, but relatively ineffective Ramirez.

However, by the sixth round, Ramirez, grasping the urgency of the moment, raised his level of aggressiveness and climbed back into the fight. Suddenly, with Ramirez firing to his head and body with ferocity, it was more difficult for Postol to jab, throw power shots and move.

Still, Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) was never able to take firm control of the fight. Postol continued to fight his fight, continued to land telling blows and continued to be an elusive target.

The challenger fought Ramirez on even terms in the final three rounds, when it seemed as if the fight was up for grabs. In the end, two of the judges apparently favored Ramirez’s aggression and power punching to Postol’s effective boxing.

Judge Dave Moretti scored the fight 114-114 but Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld had it 115-113 and 116-112, respectively, for Ramirez. Boxing Junkie scored it 114-114.

By comparison, Taylor defeated Postol by a unanimous decision in June 2018. The scores were 119-108, 118-110 and 117-110.

Of course, that has no bearing on how Ramirez and Taylor would fare against one another. They’ll most likely get the opportunity to unify all four 140-pound titles if Taylor gets past Apinun Khongsong on Sept. 26.

Meanwhile, Postol, a former junior welterweight titleholder, proved at 36 that he can still fight at an elite level. He obviously will be heard from again.

Isaac Dogboe stops Chris Avalos in eighth round

Isaac Dogboe stopped Chris Avalos in the eighth round on the Oscar Valdez-Jayson Velez card Tuesday in Las Vegas.

Isaac Dogboe took a step forward on the Oscar Valdez-Jayson Velez card Tuesday.

The Ghanaian fighter, coming off back-to-back losses to Emanuel Navarrete, stopped Chris Avalos with 35 seconds remaining in an eight-round featherweight bout inside the bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

It was Dogboe’s first victory since he stopped Hidenori Otake in August 2018.

“We’re still warming up. I felt great in there today,” Dogboe said.

Dogboe (21-2, 15 KOs) lost his 122-pound title to Navarrete by a unanimous decision in December 2018. In the rematch, five months later, the Mexican stopped him in the 12th round.

That led to a big change. He hired Barry Hunter to supplant his father as his trainer and got to work rebuilding his career.

Avalos (27-8, 20 KOs) wasn’t the stiffest test — the former title challenger was 2-5 in his previous seven fights — but he remains a decent, game fighter.  And Dogboe handled him easily.

The first few rounds were competitive but, by Round 3, brutal power shots — particularly those to the body — began to take a toll on Avalos, who took considerable punishment in the later rounds.

As the final round was winding down, Dogboe, obviously trying to score a knockout, landed a big left hand. That was followed moments later by a damaging right, which prompted referee Russel Mora to stop the fight.

Dogboe landed three times as many punches as Avalos, according to CompuBox.

 

 

Jose Pedraza schools Mikkel LesPierre, resurrects career

Jose Pedraza put Mikkel LesPierre down twice and defeated him by a wide decision Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

For Jose Pedraza, it was worth the wait.

Pedraza, at a crossroads in his career, was supposed to have fought slick Mikkel LesPierre on June 18 in Las Vegas but the fight was canceled because LesPierre’s manager tested positive for COVID-19. The fight was rescheduled for Tuesday. And Pedraza made the most of it.

The Puerto Rican put LesPierre down twice and otherwise outclassed him en route to a near-shut decision in the MGM Grand bubble in Las Vegas.

In the process, the 31-year-old from Cidra, who had lost two of his previous three fights, put the top 140-pounders on notice that he has plenty more to give.

“I had it all coming together for me,” Pedraza said through a translator. “In boxing you can’t have an off night. [On Tuesday] I was physically fit, mentally fit and spiritually fit. And no matter what happened [in the past] … I put it all together this evening because I couldn’t afford not to.

“That’s the kind of performance you get from me when I’m 100-percent focused.”

Pedraza (27-3, 13 KOs) took control of what was expected to be a competitive fight from the beginning, simply outboxing the Brooklyn-based Trinidad and Tobago native and consistently landing a variety of punches while taking few in return.

Pedraza landed 168 of 406 punches (41%), LesPierre 69 of 443 (only 16%), according to CompuBox. That tells the story.

LesPierre (22-2-1, 10 KOs) was hurt by a body shot in the second round but, after taking a flurry of punches as he covered up for dear life against the ropes, he survived.

Round 5 and the period before Round 6 were bizarre. Pedraza went down from a punch to the body about halfway through the stanza but it was later ruled that he tripped. He reciprocated about 30 seconds later by landing a multi-punch combination that put LesPierre down and hurt him.

Between rounds, referee Kenny Bayless, alerted to the trip, stopped the action, climbed through the ropes and conferred with his Nevada State Athletic Commission colleagues about whether to reverse the knockdown call. He did.

However, more than two minutes passed during the discussion, which allowed LesPierre time to recover fully from the punches he took in Round 5 and sucked some of the life out of the fight.

Pedraza cruised over the next few rounds before putting LesPierre down again in the 10th and final round. He followed with a flurry that staggered LesPierre and seemed close to scoring a knockout but LesPierre, brave if little else, survived to the final bell.

The scores: 100-88, 99-89 and 99-89.  As TV analyst Tim Bradley put it at the end, “Vintage Pedraza.”

Indeed, the former junior lightweight and lightweight titleholder went from potential has-been to a viable contender with a single impressive victory. His goal is to win a junior welterweight title, thus becoming a three-division champion.

The 140-pound weight class is deep but he has his eye on either Jose Ramirez or Josh Taylor, both of whom hold two major title belts.

“I’ll take on any of the champions,” he said. “There are only two in the weight class that are … quality fighters. I just hope they accept my challenge?

In preliminaries, Albert Bell, a 6-foot 130-pounder from Toledo, Ohio, outclassed an overmatched Mark Bernaldez of the Philippines for 10 solid rounds to win a shutout decision.

Bell (17-0, 5 KOs) pumped his jab most of the fight, landed more than enough power shots to win rounds and used his feet to prevent the much shorter Bernaldez (20-4, 14 KOs) from cutting off the ring. In short, Bernaldez landed a minuscule percentage of the punches he threw.

Thus, all three judges scored the fight 100-90 in Bell’s favor.

Bell injured his right hand when he landed a hard punch in the final seconds of Round 9. In the 10th, trying to protect the hand, he jabbed his way to the final bell. He was seen with his hand immersed in ice afterward.

Also, junior welterweight prospect Elvis Rodriguez (7-0-1, 7 KOs) of the Dominican Republic remained unbeaten, stopping Danny Murray (5-4, 0 KOs) at 2:13 of the opening round of a scheduled six-rounder.

Rodriguez, who is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, put Murray down and hurt him badly with a short, stiff jab to the left eye. The Lanoka Harbor, N.J., fighter, whose orbital bone might’ve been damaged, was unable to continue.

And, in a six-round heavyweight bout, Nigeria-born Kingsley Ibeh (5-1, 4 KOs) of Phoenix defeated Kiwi Patrick Mailata (4-1, 2 KOs) by a majority decision. The scores were 57-57, 58-56 and 58-56.

Jose Pedraza vs. Mikkel LesPierre ready for takeoff again

The delayed fight between Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre is scheduled to take place Thursday in Las Vegas.

Jose Pedraza vs. Mikkel LesPierre, Take 2.

The fight was scheduled to take place on June 18 inside the bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas but it was canceled after LesPierre’s manager tested positive for COVID-19, leaving both fighters disappointed.

The boxers quickly agreed to reschedule for Thursday (July 2). The fight will be the main event on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

“Mikkel and Jose deserve this opportunity, and I commend both camps for agreeing to reschedule this fight on short notice,” promoter Bob Arum said when the fight was rescheduled.

Pedraza on Wednesday weighed in at 143.9 pounds, Les Pierre 143.5.

Jose Pedraza (left) and Mikkel LesPierre will do battle on Thursday in Las Vegas. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Pedraza (26-3, 13 KOs) is a former two-division titleholder. He outpointed Ray Beltran to win a lightweight title in August 2018 but lost it to Vasiliy Lomachenko by a wide decision in his first defense.

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Jose Zepeda in September.

LesPierre (22-1-1, 10 KOs) lost a one-sided decision to then-junior welterweight champ Maurice Hooker in March of last year, his only title shot. He bounced back to outpoint Roody Pierre Paul in December.
LesPierre is from Trinidad and Tobago but lives in Brooklyn.

In the co-feature, a six-round featherweight bout, Robeisy Ramirez (3-1, 3 KOs), the two-time Olympic champion from Cuba, will seek to avenge his stunning split-decision loss to Adan Gonzalez (5-2-2, 2 KOs) in Ramirez’s pro debut.

Ramirez weighed 125.1, Gonzalez 125.4.

The weights of the other fighters are: Albert Bell (133) vs. Mark Bernaldez (132), 10 rounds; Carlos Jackson (125.1) vs. Jose Vivas (125.9), 10 rounds; Elvis Rodriguez (140.2) vs. Dan Murray (139.2), six rounds; and Patrick Mailata (284) vs. Kingsley Ibeh (284.1), six rounds.

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Jose Pedraza vs. Mikkel LesPierre rescheduled for next Thursday

Jose Pedraza vs. Mikkel LesPierre has been rescheduled for next Thursday (July 2).

Jose Pedraza vs. Mikkel LesPierre has been rescheduled for next Thursday (July 2).

The fight was set to take place on June 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas but it was removed from the card after LesPierre’s manager tested positive for COVID-19, leaving both fighters disappointed.

Pedraza-LesPierre will be the main event on the show, which will be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

“Mikkel and Jose deserve this opportunity, and I commend both camps for agreeing to reschedule this fight on short notice,” promoter Bob Arum said.

Pedraza (26-3, 13 KOs) is a former two-division titleholder. He outpointed Ray Beltran to win a lightweight title in August 2018 but lost it to Vasiliy Lomachenko by a wide decision in his first defense.

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Jose Zepeda in September.

LesPierre (22-1-1, 10 KOs) lost a one-sided decision to then-junior welterweight champ Maurice Hooker in March of last year, his only title shot. He bounced back to outpoint Roody Pierre Paul in December.

LesPierre is from Trinidad and Tobago but lives in Brooklyn.

Tonight, in the next installment of the summer series, Jason Moloney (20-1, 17 KOs) faces Leonardo Baez (18-2, 9 KOs) in a 10-round bantamweight bout at the MGM Grand.

Video: Ak & Barak: Gabriel Flores Jr. says Ryan Garcia overhyped

In this episode of The Ak & Barak Show, the hosts speak to Gabriel Flores Jr. about his immediate future and potential opponents.

Gabriel Flores Jr. is coming off an impressive unanimous-decision victory over Josec Ruiz on June 18 in an MGM Grand ballroom in Las Vegas on national television, thereby raising his stock in the boxing world.

What’s next for the slick, unbeaten lightweight prospect? The Las Vegas resident expects to fight for a world title within a year.

In this episode of The Ak & Barak Show, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Akin Reyes and Barak Bess speak to Flores about his immediate future and potential opponents in and around his weight division.

The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.

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Gabriel Flores Jr. makes most of main event opportunity, wins shutout decision

Gabriel Flores Jr. made the most of his opportunity to fight in a main event on national TV, defeating Josec Ruiz by a shutout decision.

A door was opened for Gabriel Flores Jr. when the scheduled main event Thursday in Las Vegas was pulled off the card. And Flores walked through like a champ.

The talented 20-year-old from Stockton, California gave a mature boxing performance against willing, but overmatched Josec Ruiz, winning by a shutout decision in a tightly controlled MGM Grand ballroom on national television.

One could complain that Flores didn’t take the risks necessary to punctuate his performance with a knockout but, hey, that’s quibbling. The young man dominated from beginning to end. And, for the record, he said afterward that he entered the ring with a lower back injury.

All in all, it was an excellent performance, especially considering it was Flores’ first 10-rounder.

“He was a tough guy, but he was not on my level,” Flores said in the ring afterward. “Going 10 rounds for the first time in my career was a valuable learning experience.”

Gabriel Flores Jr. celebrates a good night’s work. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

The pattern of the fight was evident moments after the opening bell, with the athletic Flores sticking and moving and landing more than enough power shots to control round after round while using his quick feet to stay out of Ruiz’s range.

The fight could’ve ended in Round 2, when Flores hurt Ruiz with a left hook and then put him down with a straight right about two minutes into the stanza. However, Ruiz, whose durability was his greatest quality on Thursday, survived and was never seriously hurt again.

Meanwhile, Ruiz (21-3-3, 14 KOs) had moments here and there. Round 4 stands out. Trying to push the action, he landed a few eye-catching power shots but they were the exception, not the rule. Flores was largely untouchable.

Flores’ father/trainer, Gabriel Flores Sr., pushed his son to stand his ground in the second half of the fight to give himself a chance to score that KO but the younger Flores – perhaps suffering to some degree because of the back injury – was content to cruise to an easy victory.

All three judges scored it 100-89, 10 rounds to none.

Flores (18-0, 6 KOs) is gearing up for what seems to be an inevitable shot at world title even at his young age. He and his father recently moved from Stockton to Las Vegas, a center of boxing from where he feels he can take the next step in his promising career.

“I see a world title in the next 12 months,” he said. “That’s my goal. But we have to see what’s out there first. I’m training in Vegas now, and the sparring and training out here has helped elevate my game.”

Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre were scheduled to fight in the main event Thursday but the fight was postponed after LesPierre’s manager tested positive for COVID-19.

Clay Collard (right) rearranged the face of David Kaminsky on the undercard. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

In preliminaries, Clay Collard (7-2-3, 2 KOs) of Cache Valley, Utah spoiled the perfect record of another prospect, defeating David Kaminsky (6-1, 3 KOs) of Israel by a split decision in a six-round super middleweight bout.

Collard, a former mixed martial artist with an amateur boxing background, has an awkward style, throws a lot of punches and is durable, a combination of qualities with which his 19-year-old opponent couldn’t cope. Two judges scored it for Collard 58-56. One, Patricia Morse Jarman, somehow had it for Kaminsky.

The teenager suffered a gash above his left eye in the opening round and left the ring with a face so bruised and swollen that it looked as if he had been in a tough 12-rounder. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance as a precaution.

Collard has spoiled the plans of a number of young prospects. He has taken down four unbeaten opponents.

“I honestly thought he would hit harder,” Collard said. “But once I felt his power, I pressed the action. I didn’t know if the cut came from a punch or a head butt at first, but I knew being aggressive would be the key to victory.

“I was nervous when the cards were being read, but I felt I’d done more than enough to earn the decision.”

Adrian Servin (right) didn’t last two full rounds with Robert Rodriguez. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

In a scheduled six-round bantamweight bout, Robert Rodriguez (8-0-1, 4 KOs) of Riverside, California stopped Adrian Servin (9-1-1, 3 KOs) of Phoenix at 2:48 of Round 2.

Rodriguez and Servin were fighting on roughly even terms when the former landed a short right that forced the latter to take a knee in the second round, which was the beginning of the end. Rodriguez followed with a series of heavy blows that prompted referee Robert Hoyle to stop the fight at 2:48 of the round.

Rodriguez weighed in at 120¼, 2¼ over the bantamweight limit. Servin weighed 118.

Frevian Gonzalez (3-0, 1 KO) of Puerto Rico outboxed Jose Martinez (2-1, 1 KO) of Los Angeles in a four-round junior lightweight bout, winning a unanimous decision by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 39-37. And Victor Rodriguez (3-0, 1 1 KO) of Stanton, California outclassed Justin Horsley (0-2) of Las Vegas in a four-round junior welterweight bout, winning a shutout decision (40-36 on all three cards).