In a battle of former world champions, Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey battled to a 10-round split draw in a junior welterweight bout at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Th fight was entertaining with each guy landing some great flurries. Over the first half of the fight, Commey was getting through with some great power shots. He seemed to have built up a small lead as the second half of the fight commenced.
In round six, Commey was cut around his left head from an accidental headbutt. That seemed to slow him down a little bit as Pedraza was able to stage a furious rally in rounds nine and 10. It looked like Pedraza may have eked the fight out as Pedraza won a scorecard 97-93; Commey 96-94 and 95-95.
Pedraza landed 165 of 496 punches; Commey was 149 of 684.
Pedraza, 139.8 lbs of Cidra, PR is now 29-4-1. Commey, 138.8 lbs of Accra, GHA is 30-4-1.
“Even though my eye was inflamed, we understood that it was done because he has a good right hand. The entire night, the whole point was to neutralize that right hand. Despite the fact that it was inflamed, I was able to do that,” Pedraza said. “I’ve never turned down a fight, and I’m not going to start now. Whatever Top Rank wants for me. If they demand a rematch, I’m ready to give Richard Commey a rematch because he deserves it and I have the utmost respect for him. Ultimately, my goal is to win a world title once again. Whatever I have to do, that’s what I’m willing to do.”
Commey said, “It is a draw. Obviously, I have to go back home and see my people. I love my people, and I gotta go back there, do what I gotta do.”
Anderson Stops Ravcanin in 2
Heavyweight Jared Anderson remained perfect stopped Mijan Ravcanin in round two of an eight-round heavyweight bout.
In round two, Anderson landed a blistering right that sent Ravcanin down for the 10-count at 3:00.
Anderson, 241.4 lbs of Toledo, OH is 12-0 with 12 knockouts. Ravcanin, 230.6 lbs of Belgrade, SER is 24-3.
“I was very calm. I was very patient. Actually {trainer Darrie Riley} was more nervous than I was as usual, though. I felt very relaxed, pretty much the most relaxed I’ve ever been,” Anderson said. “I heard my coach tell me to switch {to southpaw}. I listened to him as always, so that was really the reason I switched.”
Torrez Destroys Canedo
Olympic Silver medal winner Richard Torrez Jr. annihilated Marco Antonio Canedo in the opening round of their six-round heavyweight bout.
In the opening seconds, Torrez dropped Candedo with a left hand. He then landed a big left and right and sent Canedo down on his face and was motionless at 44 seconds.
Torrez, 225.4 lbs of Tulare, CA is 3-0 with three knockouts. Canedo, 215.8 lbs of Mexico is 4-3.
“I am happy with the result, but my thoughts right now are with Canedo,” Torrez said. “He’s a tough man, and I have the utmost respect for him. It happens to the best of us.”
Tiger Johnson stopped Harry Gigliotti in round five of their six-round junior welterweight bout.
In round two, Johnson opened up a cut under the left eye of Gigliotti with a hard right hand. Johnson battered and bloodied Gigliotti, and in round five, Johnson landed a hard combination that was punctuated by a left hook that made Gigliotti turn and the fight was stopped at 2:17.
Johnson, 141.8 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 5-0 with four knockoouts. Gigliotti, 140.6 lbs of Lowell, MA is 8-4.
Efe Ajagba stopped Jozsef Darmos in round two of their eight-round heavyweight bout.
In round two, Ajagba dropped Darmos with a right to the body. Seconds later, it was a right to the temple that put Darmos to a knee and the fight was stopped at 1:15.
Ajagba, 232.2 lbs of Ugetlli, UGA is 16-1 with 13 knockouts. Darmos, 239.2 lbs of Hungary is 14-5-1.
Jeremiah Milton remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over Nick Jones in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.
In round two, Milton landed a huge right that dumped Jones on the canvas, and the fight was stopped at 2:49.
Milton, 245.6 lbs of Tulsa, OK is 6-0 with five knockouts. Jones, 217.2 lbs of Jackson, MS is 9-5.
Kelvin Davis remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Sebastian Gabriel Chaves in a junior middleweight bout.
In round two, Davis landed a big left-right combination that put Chaves on the deck. Chaves began to bleed from his nose.
Davis, 141 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 60-52 on all cards and is now 6-0. Chaves, 142.6 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 5-5.
Frevian Gonzalez won a six-round unanimous decision over Gerardo Esquivel in a junior welterweight bout.
In round one, Gonzalez scored a knockdown from a left hook.
In round six, Esquivel began to bleed from the nose.
Gonzalez, 135.8 lbs of Cidra, PR won by scores of 59-54 twice and 58-55 and is now 6-1. Esquivel, 135.6 lbs of Tacoma, WA is 3-3-1.
In a battle of undefeated 18 year-olds, prized prospect Abdullah Mason pounded out a four-round unanimous decision over Angel Rebollar in a lightweight contest.
In the opening seconds, Mason dropped Rebollar with a right hook to the head. In round two, Rebollar started to bleed from his nose. In round three, Mason began to bleed from his nose.
Mason, 135.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 40-35 twice and 39-36 and is now 4-0. Rebollar, 133.6 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 5-1.
Dante Benjamin Jr. remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Leandro Silva in a light heavyweight bout.
Benjamin, 174.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Silva, 175 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 3-7.