Rising prospect Anthony Garnica. Picture credit score: Peter Politanoff
Anthony Garnica made a press release in a must-win combat to revitalize his professional profession.
The unbeaten featherweight scored a first-round knockout win over former prospect Adan Ochoa. Garnica floored Ochoa to in the end produce the stoppage at 2:59 of spherical one lSaturday evening at Thunder Studios in Lengthy Seaside, California.
From the opening bell, Garnica landed lead and counter left hooks upstairs. Ochoa spent nearly all of the combat making an attempt to stroll Garnica down. Garnica threw feints as each fighters tried to make use of their jab to ascertain their punching vary.
In the direction of the tip of the spherical, Ochoa went at Garnica, who countered with a proper cross and a left hook. The sequence produced the bout’s lone knockdown as Ochoa hit the deck onerous. He beat the rely, however favored his left foot, forcing him to seize onto the highest rope to stability himself. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. acknowledged that Ochoa couldn’t place any weight on his foot and halted the competition.
It was revealed after that combat that Ochoa possible suffered a fracture in his left ankle.
The conflict between Garnica and Ochoa was a crossroads bout between featherweights who wanted a victory to place themselves able to contend within the division.
Garnica (12-0-1, 7 knockouts), who resides in Oakland, hopes the win over Ochoa will jump-start his profession. The 24-year-old had not fought since a first-round knockout of Oscar Negrete final April 14.
His earlier combat occurred in September 2022. Garnica defeated Juan Antonio Lopez by majority choice on the Andy Ruiz-Luis Ortiz undercard at Crypto.com Enviornment in Los Angeles.
Ochoa, who resides in close by Compton, fell to 13-5 (6 KOs) with 1 No Contest. He has now misplaced three of his final 4 contests.
Within the co-main occasion, featherweight Malakai Johnson of Sacramento defeated Aidyn Yelzhanov by choice over eight one-sided rounds. All three judges scored the bout 80-72 in favor of Johnson (13-0-1, 8 KOs), who improved to 13-0-1, 8 KOs.
Halfway via the opening spherical, a lead left hook to the top momentarily staggered Yelzhanov (6-3-1, 4 KOs). Johnson adopted up however was not in a position to knock him down. Johnson was sharp all through many of the combat, outboxing Yelzhanov on the within throughout exchanges or from distance.
Because the bout progressed, and sensing he was behind on the scorecards, Yelzhanov was the aggressor and initiated exchanges. Johnson successfully countered Yelzhanov with jabs and straight proper palms to the top.
The 31-year-old Yelzhanov, who’s initially from Kazakhstan and now resides in San Francisco, California, fell to 6-3-1, 4 KOs.
Johnson had stopped 4 of his 5 earlier opponents previous to Saturday.
In an upset, light-weight Victor Lopez Gala of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico defeated fringe contender Victor Betancourt by unanimous choice. Scores have been 80-72, 79-73, and 77-75 for Lopez, who improved to 6-1, 3 KOs.
The taller Lopez was busier and outlanded Betancourt for a majority of the combat. Because the combat progressed, the 19-year-old Lopez utilized lateral motion and combating from distance to outbox Betancourt. Lopez’s attain benefit additionally helped join jabs and saved Betancourt at bay and from getting any constant offense going.
Betancourt, who’s initially from Mexicali, Mexico and now resides within the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, falls to 30-6-1, 17 KOs. The 33-year-old was unbeaten in his earlier 4 fights and had fought on a handful of Premier Boxing Champion (PBC) and All Star Boxing playing cards.
Fringe welterweight contender Vlad Panin overcame a knockdown to attain a 3rd spherical knockout win over Victoriano Santillan. The Belarus-born Panin, who resides in Los Angeles, improved to 20-1, 12 KOs.
A few minute into the opening spherical, a left hook to the chin dropped Panin to the canvas. The taller Panin beat the rely, and moments later within the spherical, knocked Santillan down with a right-left mixture to the top.
Each had their moments throughout spherical two, however Panin landed the more-telling and efficient punches. Early in spherical three, one other left hook staggered Santillan. Panin adopted up, touchdown a sequence of combos as Santillan tried to defend himself. A mixture to the top prompted referee Thomas Taylor to step in as Santillan slumped to the canvas.
Santillan, who resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, fell to 12-7-2, 8 KOs.
Heavyweight prospect Federico Pacheco, Jr. dropped Michael Coronado (4-8-1, 1 KO) of San Marcos, Texas twice en path to a knockout win at 1:22 of spherical 5. Pacheco dropped Coronado as soon as in spherical three and as soon as once more in spherical 5, each by physique punches, prompting referee Ivan Guillermo to wave the combat off after the final knockdown.
Pacheco is the youthful brother of unbeaten tremendous middleweight contender Diego Pacheco.
Middleweight Martin Sollano defeated Jonathan Ramirez (4-1-1, 2 KOs) of Cheverly, Maryland by break up choice. Ramirez, who was combating for the primary time in over six years, received 39-37 on one choose’s scorecard, however the different two judges scored the bout 39-37 for Sollano, who improved to 5-0, 2 KOs.
Sollano grew up in Cuautla, Mexico and is now a college trainer in Amarillo, Texas.
Within the opening bout of the Showtime Boxing Promotions card, tremendous middleweight Jaivion Cardinal of Lengthy Seaside defeated Houston’s Trevon Smith (2-2, 1 KO) by majority choice. One choose scored the bout 38-38, whereas the opposite two judges scored the bout 40-36 and 39-37 for Cardinal, who improved to 6-0, 4 KOs.
Saturday marked Cardinal’s first combat in over two and a half years.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has coated boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He could be reached at [email protected]
