Joe George stole the first post-lockdown Showtime-PBC card Saturday night with one punch.
The light heavyweight from Houston was losing to Marcos Escudero on two of three cards in the ninth of 10 scheduled rounds in their rematch when he landed a left uppercut to the chin of the Argentine, who fell flat on his back and had no hope of getting up.
At the time of the stoppage, Escudero, who had outworked George, was leading 79-93, 77-75 and 73-79. Judge Tom Carusone’s 79-73 card for George is difficult to explain.
George (11-0, 7 KOs) defeated Escudero (10-2, 9 KOs) by a controversial split decision in November.
#SHOBoxingReturns with a BANG đź’Ą
Joe George KOs Marcos Escudero with a massive uppercut in Round 9. pic.twitter.com/dVdWogdfwe
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) August 2, 2020
“I was setting him up with the jab to the body and had him leaning over a little,” George said. “I wanted him to get relaxed and that’s exactly what he did. He was relaxed, I slipped over and shot it. Really, he gave it to me and I had to take it and put him down.”
Escudero ducked a right hand from George. At that moment, with his head low, George landed the fight-ending shot.
The fight took place behind closed doors at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.