At the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida, Saturday over ESPN and ESPN+ Top Rank – Bob Arum, Matchmaker Brad Goodman, presented in the Main Event WBO World Featherweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete of Mexico stopped No. 6 ranked Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz of Puerto Rico in the twelfth and final round.
In the Main Event WBO World Featherweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, 34-1 (29), #126, of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Distrito Federal, MEX, stopped No. 6 ranked Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz, 26-3 (16), #125.8, of Barranquitas, PR, at 2:49 of the twelfth and final round.
In the first three rounds it was all Navarrete. Diaz had swelling under his right eye by the end of the third. In the fourth a left lead uppercut from Navarrete to the chin dropped Diaz for an 8-count in the final minute of the round. In the fifth round it was all Navarrete until the final half minute when Diaz finally landed some effective punches.
In the seventh round a fight broke out! Then suddenly the referee deducted a point from Diaz for a kidney punch. In the final minute Navarette drew blood from the nose of Diaz. In the eighth round a flurry of punches from Navarette on the chin of Diaz dropped him for an 8-count. Another flurry of body punches dropped a battered Diaz for an 8-count near the end of the round.
In the tenth round Navarette continued outworking Diaz. In the eleventh round Diaz was bleeding from the nose and mouth but coming forward throwing punches like in no previous round. In the twelfth and final round at the halfway point Diaz rocked Navarette with a right cross on the chin. In the final minute a flurry of punches from Navarrate dropped Diaz with a chopping right on the head. The corner threw in the towel ending the fight.
Super Lightweight southpaw Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas, 19-1 (9), #141.4, of PR and Bronx, NY, easily defeated Willie “The Trill” Shaw, 13-3 (9), #139.8, of Oakland, CA, over 10 rounds.
In the first round Shaw hurt Vargas with a right on the chin in the first thirty seconds. By the end of the round Vargas was back in control. In the second through the seventh rounds it was all Vargas outworking Shaw.
In the eighth Vargas continued outworking a tired Shaw hurting him to the body midway through the round. In the tenth and final round a tireless Vargas continued beating Shaw to the punch.
Scores were 98-92 and 99-91 twice as this writer had it.
Super Middleweight Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 17-0 (16), #168.4, of San Juan, PR, and Brooklyn, NY, defeated Demond “D’Bestatit” Nicholson, 23-4-1 (20), #168.2, of Laurel, MD, scoring 4 knockdowns over 8 rounds.
In the first round Nicholson used an effective jab to stop the 16 straight first round kayo streak of Berlanga. In the second round a left hook from Berlanga on the chin of Nicholson and down he went for an 8-count from referee A. Lombardi. He managed to get through the round mostly holding on. In the third round Berlanga landed a double left on the back and back of the head of Nicholson dropping him for an 8-count. In the fourth round in the final seconds Belanga landed a left hook to the chin rocking Nicholson.
In the fifth round Berlanga pushed Nicholson down with referee Lombardi ruling it a knockdown. The final punch of the round a right from Berlanga on the chin stunned Nicholson. In the sixth round Berlanga had Nicholson out on his feet with a right to the chin in the final seconds. In the eighth and final round Nicholson landed a solid right on the chin of Berlanga after a minute of the round. In the final seconds Berlanga landed a right on the chin dropping Nicholson who beat the count as the round ended.
Scores were 79-68 and 79-69 twice as did this writer have it.
Lightweight Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz, 14-0-1 (8), #136.2, of Worcester, MASS, ended in a majority draw with Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno, 14-0-2 (12), #135.2, of PR and Allentown, PA, though being knocked down twice over 8 rounds.
In the first round it was all Ortiz. In the second round Adorno hurt Ortiz badly thirty seconds into the round with Ortiz holding on. A minute left in the round and a left from Adorno on the head dropped Ortiz for an 8-count by referee A. Lombardi. Ortiz nose was bleeding. In the third round Ortiz came back overwhelming Adorno in the first minute and continued to outwork him again in the fourth though bleeding heavily from the nose.
In the fifth round Ortiz though also bleeding from the mouth out landed Adorno for the most part. In the sixth Adorno may have pulled out the round with a strong finish. In the seventh round at the halfway point a left from Adorno on the chin put Ortiz halfway through the ropes for an 8-count from referee Lombardi. Adorno may have punched himself out. In the eighth and final round it was all Ortiz with many uppercuts landed on the chin of Adorno who seemed near exhaustion at the end.
Scores were 76-74 Ortiz and 75-75 twice as well as this writer 75-75.
Featherweight southpaw Orlando “Capu” Gonzalez, 17-0 (10), #127.6, of Aguadilla, PR, defeated southpaw Juan “The Wolf” Antonio Lopez, 15-9 (6), #128.4, of Mexico and Ft. Worth, TEX, over 8 rounds.
In the first two rounds Lopez had an edge. In the third round Gonzalez got the attention of Lopez with a right hook on the chin halfway through the round. In the fourth round in the final thirty seconds a counter left from Gonzalez on the chin of Lopez rocked him.
In the sixth round Gonzalez suffered a cut on the right cheek bone from a Lopez left hand. In the seventh round Gonzalez was warned for a low blow for the third time in the fight by referee Christopher Young. In the eighth and final round in the final thirty seconds a left from Gonzalez opened a cut on the right eyebrow of Lopez.
Scores were 78-74 and 79-73 twice with this writer 76-76.
18 year-old Welterweight Xander Zayas, 8-0 (6), #146.4, of PR and Sunrise, FL, stopped Demarcus Layton, 8-2-1 (5), #146.2, of Little Rock, ARK, at 0:56 of the first round of a scheduled 6 rounds.
In the first round Zayas hurt Layton who came back putting Zayas back several steps. Zayas immediately went back at Layton landing a right to the body followed by a left to the chin and down went Layton for the 8-count. Upon rising the fight was waved off.
Super Bantamweight southpaw Jeremy “Majic Hands” Adorno, 5-0 (1), #122, of PR and Allentown, PA, won a majority decision over southpaw Ramiro “El Diamante” Martinez, 2-1-2 (1), #122.2, of MEX and Hurt, TX, over 4 rounds.
In the second round each boxer landed right hooks to the jaw at the same time. In the third round Adorno hurt Martinez halfway through the round driving him into the ropes with a combination. In the fourth and final round Martinez landed a left to the chin of Adorno driving him back several steps. Adorno would come back and outwork Martinez the rest of the way. At the end Martinez had a bruise under his left eye.
Scores were 38-38, 39-37 and 40-36 with this writer 39-37.
In the opening bout Super Featherweight Mobley Villegas, 3-2 (2), #129.4, of Amarillo, TX, lost by stoppage to Jaycob Bradley Gomez, 2-0 (2), #129, of Caguas, PR, at 2:38 of the first round of a scheduled 4 rounds.
In the first round Gomez landed a right to the head and body of Villegas and down he went for an 8-count by referee Sammy Burgos a minute into the round. Gomez again dropped Villegas in the final minute with a pair of right’s to the side of the head of Villegas forcing the referee to call a halt.