Richard Commey retained the IBF Lightweight championship with an 8th round stoppage of former champion Ray Beltran at the Pechanga Casino Resort in Temecula, California

In the opening seconds, Commey dropped Beltran with a hard right hand. Beltran was hurt, and Commey landed a hard flurry that sent Beltran plummeting to the canvas. Beltan seemed done, but was able to land a hard right that momentarily stopped Commey in his tracks. Commey was able to finish the round with a hard right on the ropes. Beltran went down again, as in round five a right hand got through that put Beltran on his knees.

In round seven, Commey had swelling around the right eye. In round nine, Commey landed a booming left that sent Beltran to the canvas. Beltran was able get up, but the fight was waved off at 54 seconds.

Commey, 134.4 lbs of Accra, GHA is now 29-2 with 26 knockouts. Beltran, who missed the weight at Thursdays weigh-in is now 36-9-1.

“Beltran showed why he was a champion. He’s a great fighter who showed it against me tonight,” Commey said. “I was happy to get the job done and defend my title for the first time.

“It looks like Teofimo Lopez is next, but he has a job to do first.”

Carlos Adames won an 10-round unanimous decision over Patrick Day in a junior middleweight bout.

Adames pulled away down the stretch, and rocked Day throughout the final round. Day was hurt and was fortunate that he did not go down.

Adames, 154 lbs of Santiago, DR won by scores of 97-93 twice and 98-91 and is now 18-0. Day, 153.8 lbs of Freeport, NY is 17-3-1.

“Tonight was about getting work in. I listened to my coach, Robert Garcia,” Adames said. “This was my second fight with him, and it was about getting good rounds, and we did that. In the 10th round, he told me he was ready to go. If I had one more minute I think I would’ve finished him, but in the end, I think it was a very good performance on my behalf.”

Raymond Muratalla stopped Agustine Mauras after round one of their scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Muratalla dropped Mauras with a left hook. Muratalla continued to land heavy shots up until the bell, and the corner of Mauras pulled the plug.

Muratalla, 135.2 lbs of Fontana, CA is 8-0 with six knockouts. Mauras, 137.4 lbs of Lawrence, MA is 6-6-3.

Elvis Rodriguez and Joaquin Chavez battled to a no-contest after a headbutt caused the action to be halted in the 1st round of their scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

In round one, the two fighters clashed heads and an ugly cut on the forehead of Chavez forced the fight to be stopped at 2:28

Rodriguez, 139.6 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 2-0. Chavez, 141 lbs of Commerce, CA is 9-18-3.

Miguel Angel Gonzalez scored an upset victory by stopping previously undefeated Saul Rodriguez in round three of a scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.

Miguel Angel Gonzalez scored an upset victory by stopping previously undefeated Saul Rodriguez in round three of a scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.

Gonzalez knocked Rodriguez down in the opening seconds of the bout from a left hook. In round two, Gonzalez was cut around the left eye from an accidental headbutt. In round three, Gonzalez landed a booming left that sent Rodriguez hard on his back, and the fight was immediately stopped at 1:23.

Gonzalez, 130.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 25-4 with 22 knockouts. Rodriguez, 130.6 lbs of Riverside, CA is 23-1-1.

Christopher Zavala won a six-round unanimous decision over Prisco Marquez in a super featherweight bout.

Zavala, 129.4 lbs of Los Angeles won by 60-54 tallies on all cards and is now 5-0. Marquez, 129.8 lbs of Austin, TX is 4-1-1.

Dmitry Yun made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza in a lightweight bout.

Yun was deducted a point in the final round for hitting behind the head.

Yun, 135.6 lbs of Baku, AZE won by scores of 39-36 on all cards, and is now 1-0. Meza, 135.2 lbs of Gomez Palcio, MEX is now 6-4.

David Kaminsky remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Osbaldo Gonzalez in a middleweight fight.

Kaminsky, 162 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 40-36. Gonzalez, 162.8 lbs of Tulsa, OK is 6-5.

Also featured from the DiBella Entertainment stable, undefeated heavyweight contender Junior Fa(18-0, 10 KOs), of New Zealand, won a 10-round unanimous decision against veteran Dominick Guinn (37-13-1, 26 KOs), of Humble, TX. Fa survived a fourth-round knockdown to win by scores of 98-91 twice, and 97-92. Entering the contest, the 29-year-old Fa was ranked #7 by the WBO.

It was billed to be a toe-to-toe action fight, and it lived up to it as Miguel Berchelt beatdown a game Miguel Roman to retain the WBC Super Featherweight title via 9th round stoppage at The Don Haskins Cinvention Center in El Paso, Texas.

The two landed heavy punches over the 1st part of the fight that saw several phone booth exchanges, with Brerchelt getting the better of the action.

In round six, Berchelt finally cracked Roman as he landed a hard right hand that sent Roman to the canvas.  Seconds later it was a quick left-right combination that sent Roman down for a 2nd time.

Berchelt continued to pound away on Roman.  The fight could have been stopped several times if not for Roman showing a tremendous heart and landing a right hand to keep him in the fight.

Roman finally broke for good in round nine as he was dropped by a barrage of punches.  Seconds later, it was another nasty head combination that had referee Jon Schorle stop the bout at 2:58.

Berchelt, 129.6 lbs of Merida,  MEX is 35-1 with 31 knockouts.  Roman, 129.6 lbs of Ciudad Juarez, MEX is 60-13.

“This was the toughest of my four world title defenses,” Berchelt said. “I give my respect to Mickey as an opponent. The key was my body work. He kept getting up and fighting with all of his heart. He’s a valiant Mexican warrior.”

Said Roman: “I feel fine. I gave it 100 percent. I’ll be back.”

Three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga stopped Jose Estrella in round four of their scheduled 10-round featherweight bout.

In round three, Marriaga landed a perfect left to the face that sent Estrella to the canvas.  In round four, it was a hard left to the body that sent Estrella riving in pain on the canvas for the 1-count at 2:43.

Marriaga, 126.5 lbs of Cartagena, COL is 27-3 with 23 knockouts.  Estrella, 126 1/4 lbs of Tijuana. MEX is 20-15-1.

“He was a very tough and strong opponent,” Marriaga said. “I know he trained hard for this fight, but I trained harder. In the end, my experience was key in getting the victory. The plan was to attack the body and that’s exactly what I did. I knocked him out with a huge left hook to the body.

“I know that I have what it takes to become a world champion. I want to challenge for another world title!”

Robson Conceicao won an eight-round unanimous decision over Joey Laviolette in a super featherweight bout.

Conceicao, 130 1/4 lbs of Bahia, BRA won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 10-0.  Laviolette, 129.5 lbs of Sackville, CAN is 9-2.

Conceicao said: “This is my second bout fighting eight rounds and I felt great. I always train hard and I am always in great physical condition. I feel like I’m prepared to go the 12-round distance. I want to face the best. I’m ready to battle against the champions of the junior lightweight division. I want Tevin Farmer, Miguel Berchelt, Alberto Machado, or Gervonta Davis. I don’t care who it is. I want a title!”

Saul Rodriguez remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Claudio Tapia in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Rodriguez landed a left to the body that put Tapia on a knee.  Tapia’s left eye began to swell really badly.  In round two, it was a left hook that sent Tapia to canvas.  Seconds later a right hand ended things when Rodriguez scored a 3rd knockdown at 1:57.

Rodriguez, 135 3/4 lbs of Riverside, CA is 22-0-1 with 16 knockouts.  Tapia, 137 lbs of Ciudad Mendoza, ARG is 28-19-4.

Rodriguez said: “I was anxious and excited to get back in there after such a long time out of the ring. It was a long time coming, but I did what I had to do and got the job done.”

Nicklaus Flaz took an exciting eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Sagadat Rakhmankul in a welterweight bout.

In round four, Flaz landed a hard right that sent Rakhmankul to the canvas.  Rakhmankul came back in round five to land some crushing shots that rocked Flaz all over the ring, and even open a cut over Flaz’s right eye.

The two pounded it out in the last round with Flaz hammerimg Rakhmankul and almost scoring a knockdown.

Flaz, 147 1/2 lbs of Vaga Alta, PR won by scores of 78-73, 77073 and 76-75 and is now 6-1.  Rakhmankul, 147.25 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 3-1.

Janibek Alimkhanuly took a eight-round split decision over Vaughn Alexander in a super middleweight bout.

Alimkhanunly, 163 1/4 lbs of Almaty, KAZ is 4-0.  Alexander, 162.25 lbs of St. Louis, MO 12-2.

Zach Prieto needed just 45 seconds to dispose of Michael Andrews in their scheduled four round middleweight bout.

Prieto, 158 lbs of El Paso, TX is 4-0 with three knockouts.  Andrews, 157 lbs of Pontiac, MI is 1-3.

 

EL PASO, Texas (Nov. 1, 2018) – WBC super featherweight champion Miguel Berchelt and challenger Miguel “Mickey” Roman stood nose to nose, two days away from what is expected to be a phone booth battle at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas (ESPN+, 9:30 p.m. ET).

Berchelt (34-1, 30 KOs) is the 26-year-old champion looking to make the fourth defense of his world title. Roman (60-12, 47 KOs) is the 32-year-old veteran from Juarez, Mexico, making his third attempt at a world title.

At the final press conference, on the floor of the Don Haskins Center, this is what Berchelt and Roman had to say.

Miguel Berchelt

“I’m very happy to fight here. I have fought in other cities in the United States, but now I’m very happy to fight here in El Paso. I trained very hard. I want to show that I’m the best 130-pounder in the world, and I will show it on Saturday night.”

“I’m going for the knockout and I know that Mickey will be as well, so it’s going to be a great fight.”

“I am coming to give a good fight and defend what is mine. I promise a great show. Blood, knockouts, and emotion are guaranteed.”

Miguel Roman

“This is a fight that had to happen. I earned the right to fight Berchelt, and I was looking for this fight for a long time. Finally, it’s happening.”

“I’m happy that this fight is happening. I’ve dreamed about a fight like this since I started boxing at 13 years old. What can I say? It’s happening on Saturday, and I am going to leave everything in the ring.”

On potentially becoming first world champion from Juarez, Mexico

“That gets me going, and I am very motivated for that reason. I want to be the first world champion from Ciudad Juarez and make history.”

Bob Arum

“El Paso has always been a great, great boxing town. And, therefore, it’s really a fitting stage for a battle which I said on my latest Tweet… I guarantee this {fight} will be considered, once it’s finished, a contender for Fight of the Year. This is no ordinary fight. This is going to be a great, memorable fight.”

“The two Miguels are going to go at it. Hammering time. You’re really in for a treat. These two warriors are really what boxing is all about. Once the bell rings, as long as the fight goes, your eyeballs are going to be riveted on the ring.”

ESPN+, 9:30 p.m. ET

Miguel Berchelt (champion) vs. Miguel Roman (challenger), 12 rounds, WBC Super Featherweight World Championship

Miguel Marriaga vs. Jose Estrella, 10 rounds, Featherweight

ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET

Robson Conceicao vs. Joey Laviolette, 8 rounds, Super Featherweight

Saul Rodriguez vs. Claudio Tapia, 10 rounds, Lightweight

Sagadat Rakhmankul vs. Nicklaus Flaz , 8 rounds, Super Welterweight

Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vaughn Alexander, 8 rounds, Super Middleweight

Zach Prieto vs. Michael Andrews, 4 rounds, Middleweight

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Promociones del Pueblo, tickets are on sale now. Priced at $250, $150, $75, $45, and $35, tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, and in person at the UTEP Ticket Center.

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