Bayamon, P.R.- Super flyweight veteran José “Carita” López (39-7-2, 32 KO’s) from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico won his first world title in his sixth attempt and on the day of his birthday when he battled Pramaunsak Phosuwan (39-2-1, 21 KO’s), Mahasalakam, Thailand, for twelve action packed rounds in the Rubén Rodriguez Coliseum.
In the action packed main event, José “Carita” López out boxed Pramaunsak “The Cowboy” Phosuwan to make sixth time the charm when he won the vacant WBO super flyweight title by unanimous decision. The fight pitted the two veterans, 38 and 40 years old respectively and now with over 90 bouts between the two, in a fight for the title Fernando Montiel vacated.
López started strong using his jab and lead right hand to control the action while Phosuwan used overhand rights to make the rounds closer. Carita was again successful with his lead right and started adding some body work to his offensive in the third and fourth rounds and along with lead left hooks that would often find their mark managed to raise cheers from the crowd.
Both fighters traded often in the fifth and the Cowboy started to go to the body with left hooks that appeared to slow down Carita. The sixth round saw Phosuwan bleeding from the nose but doing a lot of work downstairs and finding the Puerto Rican more often. In the seventh round Phosuwan was going forward and forcing the action when several shots to the head made him touch the canvas with a glove but the referee didn’t catch it.
Action continued throughout the fight with Lopez’s accuracy and power edging Phosuwan’s second wind. Both fighters were willing to trade and very often did with Carita’s punches and flurries drawing ever louder chants from the seats. In the end, scores were 117-111 twice and 116-112 all for López (39-7-2, 32 KO’s). Phosuwan now has a record of 39-2-1, 21 KO’s. With the win, López makes his dream come true more than seven years since his last attempt and last loss against Fernando Montiel.
The co-feature brought former world champion Eric “Litle hands of Steel” Morel of San Juan Puerto Rico against Roberto Bonilla of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. The bout was set for 118lbs. and scheduled for twelve rounds. The bout saw little action through out with Morel winning the first three rounds by using his jab and being more active while Bonilla was hardly throwing punches.
When the fourth round started, Bonilla started chasing Morel who simply moved away and kept his distance with one two combinations. The following rounds saw more of the same with Bonilla managing to land to the body and Morel using his footwork to move away or two punch combinations to keep his now charging opponent at bay.
The last four rounds were similar in nature but with Bonilla chasing while Morel kept landing one two combinations and good counters to win the rounds but not the favor of the public. In the end, score were 99-91 twice and 100-90 all in favor of Morel who improves to 41-2, 21 KOS and keeps his opportunity for another title shot alive while Bonilla drops to 22-11, 13 KO’s.
The evening started with locals Miguel “El Loco” Robles and Luis Quiñones at the flyweight limit in a bout scheduled for four. The action started quick with Robles hurting his opponent in the first round. The second saw Quiñones hit the canvas twice courtesy of two right hands to the head by “El Loco”. Robles finished it in the third with a powerful right to the body. With the TKO at 1:51 of the third round, Robles gets a 1-0-2 reord and Quinones goes to 0-1-1.
The second bout saw Puerto Rican Luis “Rocky” Cosme (2-1, 1KO) against southpaw Dominican Erickson “Kiki” Martell. The bout, fought at 108 lbs. and scheduled for four rounds, saw action from the start of the bout with both fighters going at it. Martell (1-1-1, 1 KO) would end the fight in the third by taking his opponent to the ropes and finishing him with a vicious right to the head. Cosme got up but the referee correctly stopped it at 1:36 of the third round.
The following bout featured two local pro debutants with Nelson Casanova knocking down Hector Javier Hernández with a right in the opening stanza and following up with a barrage of punches that convinced Referee Ramón Solís to stop the fight at 0:58 of the first round. From the first knockdown Hernández received he appeared completely defenseless and out matched by his opponent. He breaks into prize fighting with a loss while Casanova gets a 1-0-0, 1 KO record.
The fourth fight pitted Puerto Ricans Eric Cruz and José “La Sombra” González in a bout scheduled for six at the lightweight limit. Most rounds were closed with Gonzalez using his height and some ring movement to make his opponent come to him. The last two rounds saw both boxers go at it with Cruz looking a little stronger but Gonzalez being sharper and tighter. Judge’s scorecards 60-54 and 58-55 for Gonzalez(6-0, 4 KO’s) and a 58-56 for Cruz (5-2-2, 5 KO’s).
The following fight, also at lightweight, saw Dominican Marcos “El Tigre Jiménez” twice down his opponent Jaime Palma of San Juan, Puerto Rico en route to a TKO victory at 2:13 of the first round. The second knockdown was a powerful left to the body that showed itself in Palma’s expression of pain. Palma goes to 13-13-1, 3 KO’s while Jiménez improves to 16-1, 10KO’s.
On the first ten rounder of the evening, Henry “El Nitro” Bruseles of Caguas Puerto Rico would outwork and outbox Mario Jose “The Punisher” Rámos to a unanimous decision. The bout was set for the welterweight limit and scheduled for ten rounds.
The first two rounds were a feeling out process with occasional flurries from both boxers. In the third, Rámos landed some uppercuts but Bruseles jab along with strong right hands to close stronger. By the fourth round, the Puerto Rican was letting his hands go a little more and was landing with combinations and counters to the head while Ramos’ punch output seemed to diminish.
Action slowed down in the following rounds drawing boos from the crowd. In round eight Rámos chased his rival, perhaps knowing he was behind, but and landed two body shots and a left hook took Bruseles down. Bruseles got up quickly and showed no signs of being hurt but the round would end before he could land anything more of consequence. He would come back in the next round to land some big right hands and a strong left hook in the best round of the fight.
In the last round, The Punisher chased after his opponent and landed several straights but couldn’t get “El Nitro” to stay and fight. Scores were 95-94, 97-92 and 96-9 all for Bruseles who improves to 28-3-1, 15 Ko’s while Rámos fals to 17-6-1, 3 KO’s.
On the televised portion of the card, Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Negrón made his pro debut against Miguel Angel Jiménez(also his debut). Negrón needed only 1:31 to end the fight by knock out when his opponent, down for the second time from right hands, didn’t stand up for the count. Jiménez’ corner was waving a towel while their boxer was being counted out. Negrón debuts with a 1-0-0 1 KO’s while his opponent goes back to the drawing board with a 0-1-0 record. The bout was fought at the cruiserweight limit and scheduled for four rounds.
Next up was former super middleweight champion Manuel “Manny” Siaca of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico against Gerorge “The Butcher” Klinesmith of Steubenville, Oh. Siaca landed a one two combination beginning the round and from then on it would be Siaca following a hurt and apparently defenseless Klinesmith.
Manny would land several uppers inside, left hooks and a jab followed by a straight right hand that put Klinesmith down. The Buthcer would get up only to fall again and have referee José Rivera stop the bout at 2:03 of the very first round.With the win Siaca improves to 22-6, 19 KO’s and gets the WBA Fedecentro middleweight belt andtakes another step in the right direction for his career while his opponent falls to 24-14-4, 14 KO’s.