Raymond Ford scored a dramatic 12th round stoppage over Otabek Kohlmatov to capture the WBA Featherweight title at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

It was a terrific back and forth bout that saw each fighter score throughout the contest. Ford suffered a cut under his right eye. In round 12, behind on the scores, Ford landed a straight left that forced Kohlmatov across the ring. Kohlmatov was left wide open to eat under flushh left hand that forced referee Charlie Fitch to stop the bout at 2:53.

Ford, 125.9 lbs of Camden, NJ is 15-0-1 with eight knockouts. Kohlmatov, 125.8 lbs of Sirdaryo, UZB is 12-1.

Luis Alberto Lopez Stops Abe in 8; Defends IBF Featherweight Title

Luis Alberto Lopez made the third defense of the IBF Featherweight title with an eighth round stoppage over Reiya Abe.

Lopez dominated the action by coming forward and not letting Abe getting rhythm.

In round two, the right eye of Abe began to swell badly to the point where ringside doctors took a look at it.

In round eight, Lopez turned up the energy and landed a big punches in the middle of the ring which forced referee Mark Nelson to stop the bout at 39 seconds.

Lopez, 125.3 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 30-2 with 17 knockouts. Abe, 125.8 lbs of Yamato, JAP is 25-4-1.

Brian Norman Jr. and Janelson Bocachica battled to a no-contest at the end of round three of their 10-round welterweight bout due to excessive bleeding from Bocachica.

In round one, Norman was cut over his right eye. Later in the round, Bocachica dropped Norman with a perfect right to the head. In round two, Bocachica was cut over his right eye and then a second cut in his hairline. The cuts were due to a headbutt and elbow and was too much for Bocachica and the fight was halted after round three.

Norman, 147.2 lbs of Atlanta is 25-0. Bocachica, 146.6 lbs of Detroit is 17-2-1.

Local favorite Bryce Mills won a six-round unanimous decision over Gerffred Ngaynt in a junior welterweight bout.

Mills, 138.7 lbs of Syracuse, NY won by scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56 and is now 15-1. Ngaynt, 138.7 lbs of Buffalo is 6-2.

Troy Isley remained undefeated with a thudding seventh round stoppage over Marcos Hernandez in an eight-round middleweight bout.

In round seven, Isley landed a big right hand that put Hernandez on the canvas. Hernandez got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Isley, 159.3 lbs of Washington, DC is 12-0 with five knockouts. Hernandez, 160.6 lbs of Fresno, CA 16-7-2.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Edwin Diaz in a bantamweight fight.

Diaz, 118 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 11-0. Rodriguez, 117.8 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 12-8-2.

Rohan Polanco remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Tarik Zaina in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Polanco was credited with a knockdown after what looked like a push put Zaina on the canvas. In round eight, Polanco dropped Zaina with a uppercut.

Polanco, 142.7 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 79-71 twice and 78-72 and is now 12-0. Zaina, 142,4 lbs of Tangier, MOR is 13-1-1.

Nico Ali Walsh won a six-round unanimous decision over Charles Stanford in a middleweight bout.

Walsh, 156.9 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 10-1. Stanford, 155.1 lbs of Cincinnati is 7-6.

Brandon Moore remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Helaman Olguin in a heavyweight bout.

Moore, 242 lbs of Lakeland, FL won by sores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 14-0. Olguin, 281.7 lbs of Salt Lake City, UT is 9-7-1.

Rafael Espinosa wrestled the WBO Featherweight title with an action packed 12-round majority decision over Robeisy Ramirez at The Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

The taller Espinosa had a good start to the fight as he was able to get inside and land punches. Ramirez was able to get in some decent shots of his own. In round five, Ramirez landed a right hook that sent Espinosa to the deck. Espinosa got up but fell back down at the bell.

The two traded flurries of punches which thrilled the sold out crowd which favored the Cuban born Ramirez. In round 12, Espinosa’s pressure finally wilted Ramirez and dropped the now-former champion with a flurry that was capped by a left hook.

That seemed to be the difference as Espinosa won by scores of 115-111, 114-112 and 113-113.

Espinosa, 125.3 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is now 22-0. Ramirez, 125.6 lbs of Cuba is 13-2.

Espinoza said, “I didn’t think about anything in here. I just thought about winning. I even asked what round we were in. And I knew that I had to drop him in order to win. I just put my heart into it. I always do that. And thank God it happened.

“I think I’ve had a broken foot since the second round. But what kept me on my feet was my daughter, my parents, my wife and my family. I knew that all of Mexico was watching me. And I knew that I had to become a world champion.”

Ramirez said, “We did what we always do. We followed what Ismael Salas told us to do. We scored the knockdown and tried to end the fight, but it didn’t happen.

“I thought the fight was won. But he got his second wind. I tried to catch mine. But I’ve got to give him credit. He came after me. He got the knockdown. I didn’t think it would determine the result, but that’s what the judges decided.”

Zayas Stops Fortea in 5

Promising Xander Zayas stopped Jorge Fortea in round five of their 10-round junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Zayas dropped Fortea with a left to the body. In round five, it as another left to the body that put Fortea down for the 10-count at 1:37.

Zayas, 153.6 lbs of San Juan, PR is 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Fortea, 153,7 lbs of Souce, ESP is 24-4-1.

Zayas, “We knew that he likes to keep his elbows out. And it was just a matter of time after we got him in the first round. After that, he went into survival mode and brought his elbows down. But then we got him with another body shot.”

Good looking Bruce Carrington remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over Jason Sanchez in a 10-round featherweight fight.

In round two, Carrington rocked Sanchez with a right. He followed him around the ring and dropped Sanchez with a hard right. Sanchez was not all the way back and then ate a left hook just before the bell and went to the canvas again and the fight was over at 2:59.

Carrington, 125.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 10-0 with six knockouts. Sanchez, 125.7 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 16-5.

Carrington said, “This was a statement to the rest of the featherweight division. I want all the smoke. It doesn’t’ matter who it is.”

Richard Torrez Jr. had to almost go the distance for the first time. The key word is almost as he stopped veteran Curtis Harper in the eighth and final round of their heavyweight bout.

Torrez battered Harper throughout the fight and finished him with a hard flurry of punches on the ropes before a referee stoppage at 2:03.

Torrez, 230.8 lbs of Tulure, CA is 8-0 with eight knockouts. Harper, 273.9 lbs of Clarksville, TN is 14-11.

Torrez said, “I knew I needed the rounds, and Curtis Harper was a tough, game opponent. This is an experience that will only help me as I progress.
 
“When I saw his mouthpiece fly out, I knew the knockout was coming. I’m happy I got the rounds in and a knockout.”

Jahi Tucker and Francisco Daniel Veron fought to a eight-round majority draw in a junior middleweight contest.

Tucker won a scorecard by a 77-75 tally, that was overruled by two 76-76 cards.

Tucker, 155.2 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 10-1-1. Veron, 155.1 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 13-0-1.

Rohan Polanco scored a sixth round stoppage over Keith Hunter in a eight-round junior welterweight bout.

In round six, Polanco hurt Hunter and landed a huge flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:06. Hunter was visibly upset and may have struck the referee.

Polanco, 142.9 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 11-0 with seven knockouts. Hunter, 139.3 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is now 15-2.

Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with an eight-round split decision over Jimmer Espinosa in a junior welterweight bout.

Johnson, 141.6 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 79-73 and 78-74, while Espinosa took a card 77-75.

Johnson is now 11-0. Espinosa, 141.2 lbs of Tuxtl, MEX is 15-2.

Damian Knyba remained undefeated with eight-round unanimous decision over Michael Coffie in a heavyweight bout.

Knyba, 264.1 lbs of Wodzyn, POL won by scores 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is 13-0. Coffie, 290.9 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 13-5.

LAS VEGAS – Seniesa Estrada retained the WBA/WBC Ninimumweight titles with a unanimous decision over Leonela Yudica at The Palms Casino Resort.

Estrada landed 161 of 549 punches. Yudica was 144 of 506.

Estrada, 104.4 lbs of East Los Angeles won by scores of 97-93 on all cards and is now 25-0. Yudica, 103.7 lbs of San Juan, ARG is now 19-2-3.

“I knew coming into this fight that she was a boxer who would move away from me and not come forward much. In my preparation, I knew I had to show something different in myself. In my last fight, I fought a good champion who came forward and was aggressive, and I easily outboxed her. In this fight, she’s a boxer and a mover, and I showed that I can fight any type of style because my style is very versatile,” said Estrada. 

Going into this fight, I knew she was a natural flyweight so she is a lot bigger than me physically. So I knew she was going to be able to hang in there. She’s fought very good champions before and always went the distance with them.

I definitely had to use my footwork. I have very good footwork. I had to use my feints and movements to make sure I was close enough to land punches and not get countered. I did get countered, of course. It’s a fight, so that’s going to happen. But I just continue to prove that I’m the best in the division. 

I want Yokasta Valle. I’m the best in this division. I want to prove it by beating her. She can just hand me those belts right now because when we fight it’s going to be bad for her. 

Andres Cortes Stops Xavier Martinez After 7

Andres Cortes beatdown Xavier Martinez after round seven of their 10-round junior lightweight bout.

Cortes, 130 lbs of Las Vegas is now 20-0 with 11 knockouts. Martinez, 129.7 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 18-2.

In a competitive eight round lightweight bout, Nahir Albright pounded out ab eight-round unanimous decision over Karlos Balderas.

Balderas, 134.1 lbs of Santa Maria, CA won by scores of 77-75 twice and 76-76 and is now 16-2. Balderas, 135.9 lbs of Santa Maria, CA is 14-2.

“I was feeling myself, and I started finding a groove. When that happens, the fight’s over.” said Cortes.

“It was a good stoppage. His eye was messed up. He was having trouble seeing with the eye because he kept blinking.”

“I want the winner of Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez. I want any champion at 130. If not, I’m going to move up 135 and get all of those champions there.”

Rohan Polanco remained undefeated with a fifth round stoppage over Cesar Francis in a scheduled eight-round super welterweight fight.

At the end of round four, Polanco landed a looping left to the head that was followed by a straight right that put Francis on the canvas.

Early in round five, Polanco dropped Francis again with a right hand and the fight was stopped at 1:05.

Polanco, 142.9 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR 10-0 with six knockouts. Francis, 141.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 12-2.

It was a war while it lasted, but Abraham Nova stopped former world champion Johnathan Romero in round three of their 10-round junior lightweight bout.

After a furious exchange in round two, Nova dropped Romero with a hard left hook. In round three, the two stood toe-to-toe, and Nova uncorked a hard right over the top that sent Romero down face first and he did not beat the the count at 2:47.

Nova, 130.8 lbs of Albany, NY is now 23-1 with 16 knockouts. Romero, 130.8 lbs of Cali, COL is 35-2.

Suburu Murata stopped Juan Centeno after round four of their six-round junior featherweight bout.

In round three, Murata dropped Centeno with a left hook to the body. Murata continued to dominate and Centeno did no come out for round five.

Murata, 121.5 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is 5-0 with five knockouts. Centeno, 123.3 lbs of Managua, NIC is 8-9-3.

Dante Benjamin Jr. and William Langston fought to a six-round majority draw in a light heavyweight bout.

Scores were 58-56 for Langston and 57-57 twice. Benjamín, 170.1 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 7-0-1. Langston, 171.9 lbs of Kenosha, WI is 8-3-1.

Charlie Sheehy stopped Kaylyn Alford in round three of their six-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Sheehy dropped Alford with a vicious left hook to the head. Alford got to his feet, but the referee waved the fight off at 31 seconds.

Sheehy, 134.5 lbs of Brisbane, CA is now 7-0 with five knockouts. Alford, 133.4 lbs of Lafyette, LA is 4-5-2.

LAS VEGAS (June 14, 2023) — Pound-for-pound dynamo Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada will defend her WBC and WBA minimumweight world titles against Argentina’s former world champion Leonela Yudica on Friday, July 28 at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

In the 10-round junior lightweight co-feature, unbeaten Las Vegas native Andres “Savage” Cortes will take on Sacramento-born contender Xavier Martinez.

The entire Estrada-Yudica card will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $50 go on sale Thursday, June 15 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

“Seniesa Estrada is one of the very best fighters on the planet and is only getting better with every fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Yudica is an experienced championship-level fighter who will be undeterred fighting on the big stage. I expect a sensational fight on July 28, along with a co-feature between Cortes and Martinez that promises fireworks.”

Estrada (24-0, 9 KOs) is a 12-year pro who has competed at the world class level in three weight classes. In 2019, she beat U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza to capture the WBA interim flyweight world title. Two years later, she captured the WBA minimumweight and WBO light flyweight titles in fights against Anabel Ortiz and Tenkai Tsunami. Estrada then vacated those belts to pursue undisputed glory at minimumweight. She signed with Top Rank in 2022 and returned from a nearly 11-month layoff in November of that year to shut out Jazmin Gala Villarino. In March, she added the WBC belt to her collection with a shutout win over the previously unbeaten Tina Rupprecht.

“I am willing to fight any woman in or around my weight class, and I respect Yudica for accepting the challenge,” Estrada said. “My goal is to become the undisputed champion at minimumweight, but I can’t achieve that goal without defeating Yudica first. She is standing in my way, and I am coming to Las Vegas to make an emphatic statement.”

Yudica (19-1-3, 1 KO) debuted as a pro in April 2012 and captured the IBF flyweight world title with a split decision win against Gabriela Bouvier in December 2014. She held the title for nearly eight years, fighting to a draw in her first defense against Vanesa Lorena Taborda in 2015 before defending it seven times. The native of San Juan, Argentina, lost the belt in a tightly contested split decision loss to Arely Muciño in October 2022 and is coming off a 10-round decision victory over Tamara Elisabet Demarco in April. 

Yudica said, “I’m taking this amazing opportunity to show the world what Argentinian fighters are made of. I’m bringing the belts back home to San Juan with me.”

Cortes (19-0, 10 KOs) was a standout amateur, defeating Teofimo Lopez twice in the unpaid ranks. A seven-year pro, Cortes made his Top Rank debut in 2020 and has built a reputation for engaging in action-packed affairs. He shined on the Emanuel Navarrete-Liam Wilson undercard in February, shutting out Puerto Rican upstart Luis Melendez in his first scheduled 10-rounder. Martinez (18-1, 12 KOs) returns to action following an 11-month layoff, intent on proving he belongs in the junior lightweight title conversation. He rebounded from a one-sided loss to Robson Conceição with a stoppage win over Alejandro Guerrero last August.

Undercard action includes two competitive matchups featuring talents from four different Latin American countries.  

Puerto Rican-born junior lightweight contender Abraham “El Super” Nova (22-1, 15 KOs) will face Colombian former world champion Jonathan Romero (35-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Nova, who fights out Albany, New York, holds wins over Avery Sparrow and William Encarnacion. In June 2022, he suffered his first defeat via fifth-round knockout against two-time Olympic gold medalist and current world champion Robeisy Ramirez. He bounced back in January with a 10-round decision win over Adam Lopez. Romero edged Alejandro Lopez by split decision in 2013 to capture the IBF junior featherweight world title. He is 12-0 since losing the title in his first defense to Kiko Martinez.

Dominican Olympian Rohan “El Rayo” Polanco (9-0, 5 KOs) steps up against Panamanian-born contender Cesar “Rainman” Francis (12-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight fight. Polanco went 4-0 as a pro before losing in his opening Olympic bout in Tokyo in 2021. Polanco returned to the paid ranks in November 2021 and is coming off a six-round decision win against Ricardo Quiroz in April. Francis seeks to regain his momentum following a 10-round decision loss to Jesus Saracho in January. 

The ESPN+-streamed undercard also features an eight-round lightweight fight between 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas (14-1, 12 KOs) and Philadelphia standout Nahir Albright (15-2, 7 KOs).

Former Team USA amateur standout Charlie Sheehy (6-0, 4 KOs) will see action in a six-round lightweight tilt, while hard-hitting Japanese southpaw Subaru Murata (4-0, 4 KOs) returns in a six-round junior featherweight battle.

# # #
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 25.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).  

About Palms Casino Resort
Palms Casino Resort is making history as the first resort in Las Vegas fully owned and operated by a Native American Tribe. Palms Casino Resort features two distinct towers with 766 hotel rooms and suites, a diverse mix of bars, restaurants, live entertainment venues, and immersive lifestyle experiences across a 95,000-square-foot reimagined casino. Offering free valet and self-parking, the resort also includes over 190,000 square feet of meeting, convention, and event space; the Pearl, a 2,500-seat theater; an expansive pool, The Spa & Salon at Palms; a wedding chapel; the Brenden Theatre 14-screen cinema and nearly 600 units at Palms Place condominiums. Palms is located just west of the center of the Las Vegas Strip off I-15 on Flamingo Road. Palms Casino Resort is owned by The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority (“SMGHA”) an affiliate of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. For more information visit http://www.palms.com/ or the Palms Press Room. Follow Palms on social media  Facebook Twitter Instagram.

Two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Robeisy Ramirez can add the WBO Featherweight world title to hos trophy case as he won the title with a 12-rounds unanimous decision over former champion Isaac Dogboe at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Ramirez landed 160 of 495 punches; Dogboe was 113 of 619.

Ramirez, 125.6 lbs of Cuba won by scores of 117-110, 118-109, 119-108 and is now 12-1. Dogboe, 124.2 lbs of Ghana is 24-3.

Ramirez said, “I’m living a new stage in my life. This is a new history that I’m writing, and I did everything I had to do. As an Olympian, I won two Olympic gold medals, and now I can call myself a champion.”

“All the respect to a warrior like Isaac Dogboe. He has my admiration, and all it took was me listening to this genius, Ismael Salas, because I did that, and he led me to victory.

“I believe things happened for a reason. If it wasn’t for that loss in my pro debut, I would have never ended up with Ismael Salas. Yordenis Ugas never would’ve told me, ‘You have to move to Vegas, you have to change your life,’ and I never would have gotten this team together to be where I am today.”

Dogboe said, “Let’s run it back. That’s all I have to say. He’s a great fighter.”

In round 12, Ramirez scored a knockdown when he landed a left hand while Dogboe was coming in and Dogboe hit the canvas.

Former world title challenger Joet Gonzalez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Enrique Vivas in a featherweight bout.

Gonzalez landed 271 of 646 punches; Vivas was 207 of 930.

Gonzalez, 126.2 lbs of Glendora, CA won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice and is now 26-3. Vivas, 126.2 ls of Texcoco, MEX is 22-3.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Nikloz Sekhnishvili in a junior middleweight bout.

In round four, Tucker was deducted a point for hitting on the break.

In round six, Sekhniashvili was cut on his face.

Tucker, 151.8 lbs of Deer Park, NY won by scores of 77-74 on all cards and is now 10-0. Sekhnishvili, 150.2 lbs of Gori, Georgia Republic is 8-2.

Jeremiah Milton remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Fabio Maldonado in a heavyweight bout.

In round four, Milton was cut over his right eye from a headbutt.

Milton, 255.8 lbs of Tulsa, OK won by scores of 80-70 twice and 78-72 and is now 9-0, Maldonado 215.8 lbs of Sai Paulo, BRA is 29-7.

Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Alfonso Olvera in a junior welterweight bout.

Johnson, 142.8 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 8-0. Olvera, 142.8 lbs of Tucson, AZ is 12-8-2.

Dante Benjamin Jr. remained undefeated with second round stoppage of Jasper McCargo III in a scheduled six-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Benjamin dropped McCargo with a hard right uppercut to the jaw. Early in round two, Benjamin sent McCargo to the canvas with a left hook. Benjamin dropped McCargo for a third time as he landed a body shot while being held. Benjamin ended things by sending McCargo down again from a right to the top of the head at 2:58.

Benjamin, 175 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 6-0 with four knockouts. McCargo, 174.4 lbs of Richmond, CA is 4-4-2.

Emiliano Fernando Vargas stopped Edgar Livalle in round two of their four-round lightweight fight.

In round two, Vargas landed a right to the body that put Livalle down and the fight was over at 1:21

Vargas, 133 lbs of Las Vegas is 4-0 with three knockouts. Livalle, 132.2 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 2-4-2.

Good looking 18 year-old prospect Abdullah Mason stopped Erick Garcia Benitez in the opening round of their six-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Mason dropped Benitez with a counter right hand and the fight was over at 1:32.

Mason, 135.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 7-0 with six knockouts. Benitez, 135.4 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 4-2.

Rohan Polanco remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Ricardo Quiroz in a junior welterweight fight.

Polanco, 142.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 7-0. Quiroz, 142.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 12-2.

TULSA, OK (Feb. 8, 2023) — Two of Top Rank’s brightest young talents—lightweight prospect Emiliano Fernando Vargas and undefeated Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco—are set to return on Saturday, April 1, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

Vargas, who is coming off a unanimous decision win against Francisco Duque last week, will face an opponent to be named in a four-round lightweight clash. Polanco, who was originally scheduled to fight in January, will make his Top Rank debut in a six-round junior welterweight fight against an opponent to be determined. The two join an already stacked card headlined by the interim WBO featherweight title bout between Robeisy Ramirez and Issac Dogboe and the eight-round co-feature between undefeated Puerto Rican star Xander Zayas and Ronald “Diablo” Cruz.

Ramirez-Dogboe, Zayas-Cruz, and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

Vargas (3-0, 2 KOs) was a seven-time national amateur champion before turning pro in May 2022 with a first-round stoppage over Mark Salgado. In October, “El General” signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank and made his debut with the company with a highlight-reel knockout over Julio Martinez. Under the guidance of his father and trainer, Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas, the 18-year-old set his sights on becoming Prospect of the Year in 2023. 

Check out Vargas’ latest interview on our new podcast series, Top Rank: Unbox’d.

Polanco (8-0, 5 KOs) turned pro before the Tokyo Olympics, earning wins in Mexico and in the Dominican Republic. After losing by split decision to Uzbekistan’s Bobo-Usmon Baturov in his opening bout, Polanco continued his professional career with a third-round knockout win over Gabriel Fernando Punalef Calfin. “El Rayo” ended 2021 with a decision win over Jonathan Jose Eniz before going 2-0 in 2022. The 24-year-old was initially scheduled to return on the Efe Ajagba-Stephan Shaw undercard in January, but an injury sidelined his opponent.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).  

Vergil Ortiz Jr. came off almost a year layoff to keep his perfect knockout streak intact as he stopped Michael McKinson in round nine of their welterweight bout at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

In round one, Ortiz was cut around the left eye from an accidental headbutt

In round eight, Ortiz landed a hard left hook to the body that dropped McKinson  In the opening seconds of round nine, Ortiz landed a big left to the body.  McKinson was hurt and the corner waved the towel and the fight was stopped at 27 seconds.

Ortiz, 146.6 lbs of Grand Prairie, Texas is 19-0 with 19 knockouts.  McKinson, 146.8 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG is 22-1.

Marlen Esparza Decisions Guzman; Retains Flyweight Titles

Marlen Esparza defended WBA/WBC Flyweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over Eva Guzman.

In round six, Esparza was cut on the side of her left eye. Esparza was very pinpoint on her punches and won by scores of 98-92 twice and 99-91.

Esparza, 111.8 lbs of Houston, Texas is 13-1.  Guzman, 109 lbs of Marcay, VEN is 19-2.

Blair Cobbs Drops Hooker 3 times; Wins Decision

Blair Cobbs won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Maurice Hooker in a welterweight bout.

In round one, Cobbs dropped Hooker with a huge three-punch combination that was highlighted overhand right. In round two, Cobbs dumped Hooker again with hard straight left.  Late in the round, it was another straight left that put Hooker down again,

In round six, Cobbs was cut around the right eye from an accidental headbutt.

Cobbs, 146 lbs of Philadelphia, PA won by scores of 97-90 twice and 96-91 and is now 16-1-1.  Hooker who came in over the contracted weight, weighed in at 150 lbs and Dallas, Texas native is now 27-3-3.

“This wasn’t an easy fight, it was a tougher fight than my last one, and this victory for sure has put me in the top ten rankings,” said Blair Cobbs. “I fought a tougher, heavier fighter. He could box and had an extremely long reach, but today I showed that I can go into deep waters, box, and give fans a show. I want to thank god for this performance, there is nothing stronger and greater than god. Today, I showed that I have more to give to the sport of boxing, that even through adversity Blair ‘The Flair’ will come out on top.” 

Melikuziev stops Janjanin in 3

Hard punching Bektemir Melikuziev stopped Sladan Janjanin in round three of a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout

In the first 30 seconds, Melikuziev landed a vicious left to the body that put Janjanin down in a lot of pain. In round two, Melikuziev landed some hard shots to the head that sent Janjanin down for a second time.  In round three, it was another vicious left to the body that sent Janjanin to the deck.  The fight was finally stopped when Melikuziev continued to land thudding punches and the fight ended at 2:18.

Melikuziev, 171 lbs of Indio, CA is 10-1 with eight knockouts.  Janjanin, 168 lbs of Boston, MA is 32-13.

“I didn’t know my opponent until recently so we trained to have a good camp and a preparation,” said Bektemir Melikuziev. “After I dropped him with the body shot I was hoping he would keep going, we didn’t come here to end it one punch. We want to make sure we get some rounds in to gain some experience. But he was an awkward fighter, very uncomfortable but I think my training really showed off today.” 

19 year-old Floyd Schofield remained undefeated by taking out Rodrigo Guerrero in round six of their eight-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Schofield landed a right hand that put Guerrero on the canvas for a knockdown. Schofield dropped Guerrero for a second time in round four, and the bout was stopped after round five. The official time was 10 seconds of round six.

Schofield, 133.8 lbs from Austin, TX is now 11-0 with nine knockouts. Guerrero, 134.6 lbs of Mexico City, MEX is 26-15-2.

Alex Martin brushed himself from a first round knockdown to win a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Hank Lundy in a junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Lundy dropped Martin with an overhand left.

Martin, 140 lbs of Chicago, IL won by scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice and is now 18-4. Lundy, 138.4 lbs of Philadelphia, PA is 31-11-1.

Carlos Nava remained undefeated with a fourth round stoppage over Rodolfo Hernandez in a scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.

In round two, Nava dropped Ramirez with a big right hand. In round four, Nava delivered punishment and landed a flurry of punches and the bout was stopped at 36 seconds.

Nava, 138.8 lbs of Pasadena, TX is 9-0 with six knockouts. Hernandez, 135 lbs of Mexico City is 30-11-1.

Figo Ramirez won a four-round unanimous decision over Francisco Bonilla in a bantamweight contest.

In round two, Ramirez was deducted a point for a low blow.

Ramirez, 117.4 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 39-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Bonilla, 117 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is now 6-14-3.

Rohan Polanco stopped Dedrick Bell in round two of their eight-round welterweight bout.

Polanco landed a devastating left to the Solar Plexus that sent Bell down for the count.

Polanco, 147 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 8-0 with five knockouts. Bell, 146.8 lbs of Memphis, TN is 31-33-1.

CORK, Ireland (June 1, 2021) – The Dominican Republic has produced 22 world boxing champions and two Olympic medalists. The latest prospect from the Caribbean island is Dominican Republic Olympic Team member Rohan Polanco, who has already turned pro but is also heading to Tokyo to compete in the Olympics.

The 22-year-old Polanco, ranked No. 5 in the world by AIBA, is on a special journey for a Dominican fighter. Neither of the two Dominican Olympic medalists, Felix Diaz (gold in 2008) and Pedro Nolasco (bronze in 1984), became world champion as professional boxers; none of the 22 Dominican world champions won a medal at the Olympics.

Polanco has officially qualified to compete in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. His main competition in the welterweight division includes Pat McCormack (UK), Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo (Cuba), and Bobo Usmon Buturov (Uzbekistan). McCormack will be competing in the Olympics for the second time, Sotolongo his third having captured gold and bronze medals, respectively, in 2012 and 2008.

In his fourth pro bout without a loss this past weekend in the Dominican, Rohan (4-0, 2 KOs) registered a third-round technical knockout of his Italian challenger, Arblin Kaba (12-1-1). He finished off Kaba with a barrage of punches that started with a sharp right-uppercut, indicating that he has adapted to the professional style of boxing despite competing as a world-class amateur at the same time.

“Rohan will relocate to Boston after the Olympic Games,” Polanco’s manager Gary Hyde reported. “He has prepared there for his first four fights with head trainer Hector Bermudez. He will compete at the 140-pound junior welterweight division. I’m very excited about this kid. He has a great attitude, and we believe he has the goods to win world titles. All four of Polanco’s pro fights have been scheduled 6-rounders. He’s been pushing for an 8-round bout, but now we will wait until after the Olympics to go eight.”

Bermudez has trained world champions TJ Doheny, Jonathan Guzman, Carlos Gongora, Vince Phillips, Ryad Merhy and Javier Fortuna.

Polanco represents the future and Hyde, who has managed four world champions, is confident his fighter will join the ranks of his other champions.

ABOUT NOWHERETOHYDE MANAGEMENT: Founded in 2007 by Gary Hyde in Cork, Ireland, NoWhere2Hyde Management offers full service for professional boxers around the world. Hyde has managed numerous world-class boxers during his career including world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux, Youri Kalenga, Nassam N’Dam and Simpiwe Vetyeaka. He presently manages world-rated European Super Featherweight Champion Samir Ziani (21-3-1, 7 KOs) and Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (4-0, 2 KOs).

INFORMATION:
Facebook: /nowhere2hyde
Twitter: @nowhere2hyde
Instagram: @gary_nowhere2hyde, @rohankingbox