Ricardo “Hindo” Espinoza 22-2 (19 KOs) knocked Colombian Yeison Vargas 17-1 (12 KOs) down three times in round two retaining the WBO-NABO strap live on Telemundo. In what was sure to be a slugfest with the hard-hitting Espinoza and undefeated Vargas, the two stayed on script and came out firing at the bell in round one. Hindo pushed forward with conviction while Vargas did all he could not to take a backward step, Hindo won this chess match and landed the heavier shots and started to wear Vargas down early. Hindo knocked Vargas down twice early in round two with two heavy left hooks and then a third and final time at 1:19 of round one. Espinoza went from an unknown fighter to a legitimate world ranked contender overnight. He’s coming off an impressive second-round stoppage of then #3 WBO ranked bantamweight Daniel “El Alacran” Lozano during the Telemundo summer series.
Promoter Kris Lawrence and The Heavyweight Factory, in association with All Star Boxing, returned to the Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla with “Rumble at the Rock III.” and was live on Telemundo with former world champion Abner Mares 31-3-1 (15 KO) calling the action ringside. According to ESPN a matchup between 130-pound titleholder Gervonta Davis and Mares could happen in February on Showtime
In the 10-round welterweight co-main event, Derrieck Cuevas (19-0-1, 14 KOs) knocked Breidis “Khanqueror” Prescott (31-15, 22 KOs) down in round one with a big chopping left hook. Prescott was on unsteady legs, barely made the count and was saved by the bell. Where it looked like it could be an early night for Prescott, the veteran and well-known Miami via Barranquilla, Colombia, he came back strong in the mid rounds with volume head and body punching. Cuevas of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico was sharp with his attack, firing blistering shots down the line and creating a fun technical clean fight. Cuevas is impressive and beats the gatekeeper with a unanimous decision victory.
Light Heavyweight Ulysses Diaz 8-0(7KO) stopped Fabian Valdez 3-5 at :49 of round number two in a fight Valdez was never in. Diaz overpowered Valdez from the opening bell.
Lightweight Manuel Correa 3-0 (2KO) took the unanimous decision win over Dustin Arnold 6-2(1KO) with all the cards reading 40-36.
In the opening bout of the evening heavyweight Hector “Ready for War” Hodge 3-3 (1KO) was too much for Jairus Gladney 1-1 as he put the Philly fighter down twice in round two. Officially a TKO for Hodge at 1:43 of round number two.
Puerto Rican amateur standout featherweight Luis “El Chucho” Melendez 3-1(3KO) destroyed Jonathan Conde 0-1 fighting out of Miami. El Chucho first dropped Conde with a huge left hook, Conde got up, then a devastating right hand, Conde got up, and yet another big right hand, Conde did not get up. Officially TKO 2:13 of round number two.
Super Middleweight Irosvani Duvergel 4-0(3KO) made quick work of Yendris Rodriguez Valdez 2-4(2KO). Duvergal, a Cuban youth Amateur standout, wasted no time and came right after Valdez, knocking him down twice in round one with the final call a TKO win at 1:46 of the first stanza.
Crowd favorite and local brawler Jessy Cruz 15-7-1 (6KO) opened strong against
A fleet-footed Isaias Martin Cardona 25-14(17KO) who did all he could to keep distance from the hard-charging southpaw Cruz, including several Ali Shuffles, which was by far his most effective tactic. A right hand in round three from Cruz dropped Cardona in again in the fourth with Cruz starting to close distance only to be saved by the bell, and saved yet again by referee Frank Gentile who stepped into the corner of the Mexican fighter and waved the fight off, officially a TKO win at :01 of round number five.
In a bizarre matchup between Super Featherweights Hairon Socarras 20-0-3(13KO) and Mike Oliver 26-10(8KO) the end came quickly as Oliver went down twice and visibly unwilling to continue as he was rendered his second count, officially KO win for Socarras at :50 of round one. It was clear Oliver did not want to fight.
In a spirited slugfest Cuban amateur star Livan Navarro “Machine Gun Kid”10-0(7KO) outpunched and dropped Colombian Wilfrido Buelvas 19-11(13KO) twice in round three and twice in round four earning himself a TKO win at :54 of round number four.
