At the Virgin Hotels, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Bob Arum’s Top Rank, over ESPN+ presented in the Main Event former 3-division world champion Vasyl “Loma” Lomachenko stopped Japan’s Masayoshi Nakatani in nine rounds. In the co-feature middleweight Kazakhstan’s former 2016 Olympian Zhanibek Alimkhanuly stopped former WBA Middleweight world champion Rob “Bravo” Brant after eight rounds.

In the Main Event former 3-division world champion southpaw Vasyl “Loma” Lomachenko, 15-2 (11), #134.6, of UKR and Oxnard, CA, stopped WBO Inter-Continental champion Masayoshi Nakatani, 19-2 (13), #134.4, of Tokyo, JAP, at 1:48 of the ninth round of a scheduled 12.

In the first round a clash of heads caused a cut on the hairline of Lomachenko. In the second round Lomachenko rocked Nakatani with a left cross on the chin halfway through the round. In the third round Lomachenko dominated hurting Nakatani with a lead left on the chin. In the fourth Lomachenko continued outsmarting Nakatani. In the final seconds of the round right followed by a left from Lomachenko on the head dropped Nakatani just before the bell sounded.

In the sixth round Lomachenko had Nakatani bleeding from the nose, mouth and right eyebrow. In the seventh round Lomachenko had the right eye of Nakatani almost closed and had Nakatani hurt at the bell. In the ninth round Lomachenko worked the ring well having Nakatani bewildered for the most part. Inside the two minute mark Lomachenko had Nakatani badly hurt with punches to the chin from both hands. The fans were going wild for the former champ. Lomachenko had Nakatani out on his feet landing a pair of lefts on the chin having him dropping to the canvas when referee Celestino Ruiz stepped in to call a halt.

In the co-feature southpaw Olympian Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, 10-0 (6), #159.6, of KAZ and Oxnard, CA, stopped former WBA Middle champ Rob “Bravo” Brant, 26-2 (18), #159.6, of Dallas, TX, after 8 rounds of a scheduled 10 rounds.

In the first seven rounds it was all Alimkhanuly. At the end of the eighth round the corner of Brant wouldn’t allow him out of the corner.      

Welter southpaw Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan, 27-0 (15), #147 ½, of San Diego, CA, defeated Cecil McCalla, 23-5 (10), #147 ¼, of Randallstown, MD, over 10 rounds.

In the first round it was all Santillan. In the third McCalla came back well. In the next four rounds Santillan outworked McCalla. In the eighth and final round Santillan had McCalla against the ropes in a spirited round.

Scores were 80-72, 78-74 and 79-73 with this writer 79-73.

Bantamweight southpaw Robert Rodriguez, Jr., 9-1-1 (5), #118 ¾, of San Antonio, TX, lost to southpaw Luis Fernando Saaverda 9-6 (3), #118 ¾, of MEX and Santa Paula, CA, over 6 rounds.

In the first three rounds it was close with Saaverda having an edge.  In the fourth and fifth Rodriguez came back well. In the sixth and final round Saaverda for some reason went southpaw to orthodox and back taking the round. Referee was Tony Weeks.

Scores were 59-55 and 60-54 twice with this writer 59-55.

Heavyweight Guido Vianello, 8-0-1 (8), #244, of Rome, Italy, stopped Marlon Williams, 6-2 (3), #217 ½, of Lafayette, La., who couldn’t come out for the second round of a 4.

In the first round Vianello had Williams on the canvas twice with right’s to the body. The Wiliams corner wouldn’t allow him out.