Opetaia Decisions Glanton to Win Zuffa Cruiserweight Title

Jai Opetaia won the inaugural Zuffa Boxing Cruiserweight title with a 12-round unimous decision over Brandon Glanton at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

In round six, Glanton was deducted a point for holding.

In round 11, Opetaia was deducted a point for holding.

Opetaia of Australia won by scores of 119-106 on all cards.

The bout was marred in controversy all week as Opetaia was seemingly stripped of his IBF title after the organization was on board with the sanctioning. The IBF made the decision late on Friday night, apparently feeling disrespected for the placement of their title bout during fight week activities.

Salas Stops Saracho in 8

Ricardo Salas stopped Jesus Saracho in round-eight of their scheduled 10-round welterweight bout.

Salas dominated and poured on the volume over the second half of the fight and the bout was stopped at 2:09 of round eight.

Salas is now 23-2 with 18 knockouts. Saracho falls to 16-3-2.

Rubio Gets Dropped Twice But Decisions Palma

Pablo Rubio Jr. was dropped two times in round three, but was able to comeback and out work Adan Palma and take an eight-round unanimous decision in a featherweight bout.

In round three, Palma was able to hurt and drop Rubio with a left hook along the ropes. Later in the round, it was a short right that put Rubio down again. Rubio was able to gather himself and begin landing volume for the remaining round and took the unanimous decision by scores of 77-73 twice and 76-74.

Rubio of Whittier, CA is 15-0. Palma is is 14-1.

Vlad Panin stopped Shinard Bunch in round nine of their 10-round welterweight bout.

Panin dominated the action and a big flurry caused a stoppage ay 2:29 of round nine.

Panin, 146.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 24-2 with 16 knockouts. Bunch, 147 lbs of Trenton, NJ is 22-4-1.

Joshua Juarez remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Jardae Anderson in a heavyweight bout.

Juarez, 256 lbs of Laredo, TX won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 15-0. Anderson, 263 lbs of Davenport, IA is 11-2.

Jaycob Ramos and Ethan Perez battled to a six-round draw in a featherweight battle featuring fighters from the Lone Star State.

Each fighter landed 83 punches.

Ramos took a card 57-55 and two cards were even at 56-56.

Ramos, 126 lbs of Dallas is 4-1-1. Perez, 125.5 lbs of San Antonio is 8-0-1.

In round two, Perez dropped Ramos with a straight left to the chin. In round three, Ramos returned the favor by dropping Perez with a counter right,

In a battle of undefeated lightweights, Brady Ochoa and Adrian Serrano battled to a six-round majority draw.

Ochoa outlanded Serrano 105-104.

Ochoa took a card 58-56 while two cards were even at 57-57.

Ochoa, 134 lbs of Las Vegas is 9-0-1. Serrano, 135 lbs of Salinas, CA is 6-0-2.

Emiliano Alvarado remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Erick Rosado in a featherweight bout.

After a good first round from Rosado, Alvarado landed a perfect double left hook to the body and then head that put Rosado on his back.

Alvarado, 125.5 lbs of Coachella, CA won by scores of 59-54 on all cards and is now 11-0. Rosado, 1245 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 16-5.




Nakathila Stops Berchelt after 6

Jeremiah Nakathila scored the biggest win of his career by stopping former world champion Miguel Berchelt in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout at The Resorts World Casino in Las Vegas.

In round three, Nakathila dropped Berchelt with a jab. Nakathila continued to apply hard pressure with Berchelt offering little to offset the charging Nakathila. In round six, Nakathila landed a blistering right that sent mouthpiece of Berchelt flying. That was enough to force the fight to be stopped.

Nakathila, 133.6 lbs of Winbook, NAM is 23-2 with 19 knockouts. Berchelt, 135 lbs of Cancun, MEX is 38-3.

Nakathila said, “From the first round, my corner told me to take my time. I know what I have. I knew it would be difficult for him to reach the 10th round. It wasn’t so easy, but I made it look easy.

“He didn’t really bother me, the way he swung. I just got back to my game plan, and I capitalized.

“Luckily, {he couldn’t continue}. I was going to knock him out or put him to sleep in a bad way. Luckily, he saw it coming and decided he couldn’t come back.”

Added Berchelt, “I’m going to get up. I’m going to rise from this. The great champions are not the ones who fall. The great champions are those who rise, and I will go home, spend time with my family, visit with them, get some rest, and I am going to come back stronger than ever.”

Eduardo Baez Decisions Jose Enrique Vivas

Eduardo Baez won a 10-round majority decision over Jose Enrique Vivas in a featherweight bout.

Baez landed 304 of 783 punches; Vivas was 215 of 818.

Baez, 126.6 lbs of Mexicali, MEX won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95 and is now 21-2-2. Vivas, 125.8 lbs of Mexico is 21-2.

Carlos Caraballo won a eight-round majority decision over Luis Fernando Saavedra in a junior featherweight bout.

Caraballo, 120 lbs of Puerto Rico won by scores of 79-73, 77-75 and 76-76 and is now 15-1. Saavedra, 120 lbs of Mexico is 9-7.

2021 U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson stopped Sebastian Gabriel Chaves in around four of their six-round welterweight bout.

In round four, Johnson dropped Chaves with a right hand. Later in the round, Johnson dropped Chaves with a massive left hand and the fight was stopped at 1:42.

Johnson, 142 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 3-0 with two knockouts. Chaves, 143.2 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 5-4.

Josue Vargas survived two knockdowns and a bite to win an eight-round unanimous decision over Nicolas Pablo Demario in a junior welterweight bout

In round three, DeNario landed a right against an off-balance Vargas that put Vargas on the canvas.

In round five, DeMario dropped Vargas with a hard left. Later in the round DeMario was deducted a point for biting Vargas on the shoulder.

Vargasm 142 lbs of Bronx, NY won by scores of 76-4 twice and 76-73 and is now 20-2. Demario, 141.6 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 15-6-3.

Haven Brady Jr. stopped Juan Angel in round four of a scheduled six-round featherweight bout.

In round four, Brady landed a hard flurry of punches and was able to put Angel down with a double right. Brady finished off Angel by dropping him with an uppercut and the fight was stopped at 2:05.

Brady, 127 lbs of Albany, GA is 6-0 with four knockouts. Angel, 126.6 lbs of Chile is 8-3.

Dante Benjamin Jr. won a four-round unanimous decision over Kevin Johnson in a battle of undefeated light heavyweights.

Benjamin, 173.6 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 40-36 on all cards is now 2-0. Johnson, 174.4 lbs of Wichita, KS is 2-1.

Juan Hernandez Martinez and Arturo Cardenas battled to a four-round draw in a junior featherweight bout.

Each fighter won a card 39-37 and a third card read 38-38.

Gomez, 123.6 lbs of Gomez Palacios, MEX is 2-0-1. Cardenas, 122.4 lbs of Mexico is 2-0-1

Estevan Partida and Adrian Serrano battled to a four-round draw in a lightweight bout.

In round two, Serrano had blood from his nose.

Each fighter won a card 39-37 and a third card was 38-38.

Partida, 133.6 lbs of Merced, CA is 0-1-1. Serrano, 134.4 lbs of Salinas, CA was making his pro debut.