Lucas Matthysse scored a tenth round stoppage over previously undefeated Alusegun Ajose to win the WCC Interim Super Lightweight title at the Joint at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas.
Matthysse battered the tough Ajose with some wicked shots that the Nigerian took and showed a granite chin. Ajose tried and at times was competitive from his southpaw stance. Matthysse was relentless in landing some wicked power shots until he was able to to drop Ajose and the fight was stopped at 2:59 of round ten
Ajose, clearly frustrated with his performance also spoke with Gray. “I’m alright. Matthysse is a terrific fighter. This is what inactivity will do to you. I am a bit rusty, nothing to take away from Matthysse. He is a terrific puncher. He came to fight and he came to win.”
Ajose graciously continued, “I think he is the hardest puncher I have ever fought. I have to give it to him. I know I can do better than what I did tonight. I’m a good champion. I fall down and I get back up. I’ll be back.”
Matthysse, 139 lbs of Trelew, Argentina is now 32-2-1 with thirty knockouts. Ajose, 139 lbs of New York is now 30-1.
After the victory Matthysse told SHOWTIME reporter Jim Gray, “He was a tough rival and he had a lot of mobility in this fight. I thought I had him a couple of times. He is a strong fighter and I felt his power tonight.”
When asked who he would like to face next Matthysse answered confidently, “Anybody. It will be very difficult to take this belt. I’ll fight anybody right now.”
Ajose, clearly frustrated with his performance also spoke with Gray. “I’m alright. Matthysse is a terrific fighter. This is what inactivity will do to you. I am a bit rusty, nothing to take away from Matthysse. He is a terrific puncher. He came to fight and he came to win.”
Middleweight J’Leon Love scored an eight round victory over Ramon Valenzuela via disqualification after Valenzuela attempted to lift up Love in a scheduled ten round bout.
Love was very solid by boxing and working Valenzuela by landing shots with bot hands. Valenzuela had minimal success trying to work the body. Ironically Valenzuela had his best flurry early in round seven as he tried to make it a rough fight. Later in the round, Love landed a big flurry in the corner for which it made Valenzuela hold on and was docked a point by referee Jay Nady.
In the next round, Love picked up where he left off and when the two clinched, Valenzuela lifted Love off his feet and Nady waved the bout off at thirty-seven seconds.
Love, 161 lbs of Las Vegas is now 13-0. Valenzuela, 159 1/2 lbs of Chicago is 7-2.
Perennial contender Ishe Smith scored a ten round unanimous decision over Irving Garcia in a Jr. Middleweight bout.
Smith was very solid throughout the fight as he dropped Garcia in round two from a right hand that preceded by a hard body shot. Smith dominated as he boxed very well and landed many solid shots for which Garcia took well but was never able to mount any sustained offense.
Smith, 154 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 100-89, 100-89 and 99-90 and is now 24-5. Garcia, 154 lbs of Vega Baja, PR is now 17-8-1.
Good looking teenager Dequan Arnett scored a fourth round stoppage over Jesus Tavera in a scheduled six round Jr. Middleweight bout.
Arnett dominated from the first bell as he showed terrific speed while landing some hard combinations against the overmatched Tavera. In the fourth round, Arnett continued to land quick shots and combinations before a big right hand forced referee Tony Weeks to stop the bout at 1:37 of round four.
Arnett, 153 lbs of Orlando, FL is now 7-0 with five knockouts. Tavera, 153 lbs of Atlanta, GA is now 4-3-1.
