Rafael Espinosa wrestled the WBO Featherweight title with an action packed 12-round majority decision over Robeisy Ramirez at The Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
The taller Espinosa had a good start to the fight as he was able to get inside and land punches. Ramirez was able to get in some decent shots of his own. In round five, Ramirez landed a right hook that sent Espinosa to the deck. Espinosa got up but fell back down at the bell.
The two traded flurries of punches which thrilled the sold out crowd which favored the Cuban born Ramirez. In round 12, Espinosa’s pressure finally wilted Ramirez and dropped the now-former champion with a flurry that was capped by a left hook.
That seemed to be the difference as Espinosa won by scores of 115-111, 114-112 and 113-113.
Espinosa, 125.3 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is now 22-0. Ramirez, 125.6 lbs of Cuba is 13-2.
Espinoza said, “I didn’t think about anything in here. I just thought about winning. I even asked what round we were in. And I knew that I had to drop him in order to win. I just put my heart into it. I always do that. And thank God it happened.
“I think I’ve had a broken foot since the second round. But what kept me on my feet was my daughter, my parents, my wife and my family. I knew that all of Mexico was watching me. And I knew that I had to become a world champion.”
Ramirez said, “We did what we always do. We followed what Ismael Salas told us to do. We scored the knockdown and tried to end the fight, but it didn’t happen.
“I thought the fight was won. But he got his second wind. I tried to catch mine. But I’ve got to give him credit. He came after me. He got the knockdown. I didn’t think it would determine the result, but that’s what the judges decided.”
Zayas Stops Fortea in 5
Promising Xander Zayas stopped Jorge Fortea in round five of their 10-round junior middleweight bout.
In round one, Zayas dropped Fortea with a left to the body. In round five, it as another left to the body that put Fortea down for the 10-count at 1:37.
Zayas, 153.6 lbs of San Juan, PR is 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Fortea, 153,7 lbs of Souce, ESP is 24-4-1.
Zayas, “We knew that he likes to keep his elbows out. And it was just a matter of time after we got him in the first round. After that, he went into survival mode and brought his elbows down. But then we got him with another body shot.”
Good looking Bruce Carrington remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over Jason Sanchez in a 10-round featherweight fight.
In round two, Carrington rocked Sanchez with a right. He followed him around the ring and dropped Sanchez with a hard right. Sanchez was not all the way back and then ate a left hook just before the bell and went to the canvas again and the fight was over at 2:59.
Carrington, 125.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 10-0 with six knockouts. Sanchez, 125.7 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 16-5.
Carrington said, “This was a statement to the rest of the featherweight division. I want all the smoke. It doesn’t’ matter who it is.”
Richard Torrez Jr. had to almost go the distance for the first time. The key word is almost as he stopped veteran Curtis Harper in the eighth and final round of their heavyweight bout.
Torrez battered Harper throughout the fight and finished him with a hard flurry of punches on the ropes before a referee stoppage at 2:03.
Torrez, 230.8 lbs of Tulure, CA is 8-0 with eight knockouts. Harper, 273.9 lbs of Clarksville, TN is 14-11.
Torrez said, “I knew I needed the rounds, and Curtis Harper was a tough, game opponent. This is an experience that will only help me as I progress.
“When I saw his mouthpiece fly out, I knew the knockout was coming. I’m happy I got the rounds in and a knockout.”
Jahi Tucker and Francisco Daniel Veron fought to a eight-round majority draw in a junior middleweight contest.
Tucker won a scorecard by a 77-75 tally, that was overruled by two 76-76 cards.
Tucker, 155.2 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 10-1-1. Veron, 155.1 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 13-0-1.
Rohan Polanco scored a sixth round stoppage over Keith Hunter in a eight-round junior welterweight bout.
In round six, Polanco hurt Hunter and landed a huge flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:06. Hunter was visibly upset and may have struck the referee.
Polanco, 142.9 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 11-0 with seven knockouts. Hunter, 139.3 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is now 15-2.
Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with an eight-round split decision over Jimmer Espinosa in a junior welterweight bout.
Johnson, 141.6 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 79-73 and 78-74, while Espinosa took a card 77-75.
Johnson is now 11-0. Espinosa, 141.2 lbs of Tuxtl, MEX is 15-2.
Damian Knyba remained undefeated with eight-round unanimous decision over Michael Coffie in a heavyweight bout.
Knyba, 264.1 lbs of Wodzyn, POL won by scores 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is 13-0. Coffie, 290.9 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 13-5.
