It took Abel Ramos a pair rounds to determine Omar Figueroa Jr.’s distinctive, unorthodox type on Saturday — however as soon as he did, the welterweight bout was by no means shut.
Ramos (27-Four-2, 21 KOs) earned a TKO end over Figueroa (28-2-1, 19 KOs) within the sixth spherical, after Figueroa could not reply the bell for the seventh spherical after spitting blood in his nook. The welterweight bout befell on the Andy Ruiz-Chris Arreola pay-per-view at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park in Carson, California.
Figueroa, 31, of Weslaco, Texas, relied on a extremely unorthodox, high-pressure type that noticed him use fixed feints and defensive hand placement to work to the within. Ramos, 32, of Casa Grande, Arizona, appeared sightly uncomfortable with the type at first, however had Figueroa roughly discovered by the third spherical. Even when Figueroa was having some success in throwing Ramos off, the type didn’t lend itself to efficient offense. And as soon as Ramos discovered the timing and rhythm of what Figueroa was doing, he was a simple goal on the surface for Ramos to select aside.
It was a superb evening for the Ramos household, as Abel’s 20-year-old nephew, Jesus, additionally picked up a win on the pay-per-view fundamental card. As spectacular as Jesus’ efficiency was — a choice over veteran Javier Molina — Abel Ramos’ arguably stood out extra. His physique work was particularly devastating and led to the end. He additionally precipitated numerous swelling underneath Figueroa’s left eye.
“Omar is a really tough fighter. He has a clumsy protection and it was onerous to catch him clear at first, however the combat general went as deliberate,” Ramos stated after the combat. “I educated so onerous for this combat. I knew my profession was on the road. I knew I wanted a win and I knew Omar would convey a superb combat. I am glad to be again on the profitable facet and I am able to tackle the very best of the division.
“We educated to assault the physique. Our plan from the start was to stress him. We wished to attain factors to the physique. I may hear him groaning, and I knew as soon as I harm him dangerous that the combat was over.”
It is a good win for Ramos, who got here up brief in a WBA welterweight title combat towards Yordenis Ugas in his most up-to-date efficiency in September 2020. After happening an 11-year stretch with no single loss, Figueroa has now dropped two in a row. He additionally misplaced to Ugas in his earlier bout, in July 2019.
Fundora stops Cota in Spherical Four to remain unbeaten
Sebastian Fundora, the tallest tremendous welterweight contender in boxing, did not use a single inch of his top benefit towards Jorge Cota on Saturday, and it did not matter in any way. Fundora (17-Zero-1, 12 KOs), who’s 6-foot-6 and often known as “The Towering Inferno,” elected to combat the 5-foot-11 Cota (30-5, 27 KOs) in a telephone sales space. It was a curious technique for Fundora, given his apparent benefits, but it surely was an efficient one. He wore Cota down, beat him with uppercuts and brief punches and earned a TKO at 2:35 of the fourth spherical.
The timing of the stoppage was a bit controversial, as Cota, who was by no means knocked down within the combat, really landed a tough left hook simply because the referee waved it off. That one punch wasn’t sufficient to maintain the combat going, nevertheless, as Fundora had turned Cota into a simple goal at that time, off stability alongside the ropes. The California crowd liked the motion whereas it lasted, and booed the stoppage.
Cota, 33, of Sinaloa, Mexico, briefly contested the referee’s name, however was visibly harm after the combat was known as. Fundora, 23, of Coachella, California, opens up his 2021 with a stoppage win after going Three-Zero in 2020.
“It was a superb buying and selling combat. We had been hitting one another, however my punches had been doing extra harm, and that is why the referee stepped in,” Fundora stated after the combat. “I feel he may have been stopped earlier within the spherical. I simply stored combating till the tip.
“My message to the remainder of the division is that we’re right here. In case you’re prepared for conflict, we’re able to take it. Deliver it on.”
Ramos takes step ahead with dominant determination win
Jesus Ramos needs to win a world title earlier than his 21st birthday subsequent March — and he took one other step towards that aim on Saturday. Ramos (16-Zero, 14 KOs), of Casa Grande, Arizona, defeated former Olympian Javier Molina (22-Four, 9 KOs), 31, of Norwalk, California, in a 10-round determination, during which Ramos was in command your complete means.
Scorecards mirrored the lopsided welterweight motion, as Ramos received by way of scores of 99-90, 99-90 and 97-92. Whereas Molina clearly misplaced on the playing cards, he challenged the 20-year-old Ramos in methods he by no means had been beforehand. Ramos fought previous the sixth spherical for the primary time in his professional profession, and was pressured to make changes because the combat progressed. However Ramos’ measurement, size and physicality made for a frightening process for Molina, who fought cautiously and was barely timid early. Ramos stalked Molina across the ring from the very opening bell, and that continued all through all 10 rounds.
Molina principally gave floor throughout the first half of the combat, earlier than coming again at Ramos with ahead motion and mixtures. By then, nevertheless, Molina was too far behind, and his energy by no means appeared to trouble Ramos in any respect. The matchup turned very bodily within the seventh, as Ramos pushed and bullied Molina into the ropes. Molina was really docked a degree later within the spherical for throwing a punch to the again of the top, which Ramos additionally obtained a warning for.
“I might need been on the lookout for a knockout an excessive amount of within the early rounds,” Ramos stated in his postfight interview. “I acquired used to it and I settled down and I felt like I used to be breaking him down little by little. He was making an attempt to outlive somewhat bit, so it made it tougher to get the knockout.
“I realized loads immediately. I’ll preserve constructing on that. I really feel like I’ve numerous momentum. It was an enormous step up for me, and I really feel like I confirmed loads. I confirmed I’ve good conditioning and good motion together with my energy.
General, it was a promising step for Ramos, who’s already 2-Zero in 2021. Molina suffers back-to-back defeats for the primary time in his profession.
Lara wins middleweight title with must-see KO over Lamanna
The query of whether or not New Jersey’s Thomas Lamanna may grasp with Erislandy Lara didn’t take lengthy to reply.
Lara (28-Three, 16 KOs), 38, of Cuba, obliterated Lamanna with a straight left hand simply 80 seconds into their WBA “common” middleweight title combat.
Lara has competed at a world-class degree for years however is just not identified for one-punch energy. You would not have identified that from this outcome, nevertheless, because it was as clear of a knockout as he is ever had in his profession.
Lamanna (30-5-1, 12 KOs), 29, of Millville, New Jersey, was looking for his first main title within the bout. Though the combat did not even final a full spherical, it was obvious early on he was not on Lara’s degree. Previous to the spotlight knockout, Lara landed straight lefts to the physique and head of Lamanna, earlier than coming excessive with the walk-off shot.
“I felt sturdy and sharp tonight at middleweight, however I nonetheless need the entire large fights at 154 kilos too,” Lara stated after the combat. “I would like the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Carlos Castano unification combat. Jermall Charlo [the WBC middleweight titlist] is like household; we labored in the identical fitness center for years. However this can be a sport, and I would welcome the problem.
“I really feel nice, bodily. I’ll preserve doing this till my physique tells me I am unable to do it anymore. I do not really feel like I’ve taken numerous punishment in my profession, and I do know I’ve a minimum of one other three years of my prime left.”
A former junior light-weight champion, Lara turns into a two-weight champion with the victory.
Ramirez wins interim title with KO victory over Avelar
Eduardo Ramirez knocked out Isaac Avelar with a blistering proper hook at 1:16 of the third spherical, profitable the WBA interim featherweight title. It marks the third knockout in a row for the surging, 28-year-old Ramirez.
Ramirez (25-2-Three, 12 KOs), 28, of Sinaloa, Mexico, who’s now 5-1 since unsuccessfully difficult Lee Selby for the IBF featherweight title in 2017, knocked Avelar down with a proper hook lower than one minute into the third spherical. Avelar managed to proceed however not for lengthy, as he was nonetheless visibly harm from the shot. Ramirez rocked him with one other proper hook towards the ropes, and the combat was stopped.
It was a devastating end to what had been a aggressive combat to that time. Ramirez harm Avelar with the precise hook late within the opening spherical as nicely, however that did not cease Avelar from trying to apply stress all through the bout. Ramirez’s speedy proper hook and jab, nevertheless, had been the 2 finest weapons of the evening.
“It’s important to have a stone-cold mindset, and that is what we needed to end Avelar off,” Ramirez stated. “We had been in a position to join the precise mixtures to complete the combat off precisely how we wished.
“This was an ideal coronation. To be trustworthy, I might now prefer to have the prospect to combat towards Leo Santa Cruz. I beforehand fought towards Miguel Flores, who barely lasted 4 to 5 rounds towards me, however Leo could not knock him out. This convincing knockout needs to be my ticket to have that chance.”
Ramirez fought solely as soon as in 2020, however he recorded a knockout over Flores in that look.
Avelar (17-Three, 10 KOs), 23, of Aguascalientes, Mexico, has misplaced three of his previous 4 and been knocked out in two of these fights.
Molina outpoints Marquez for determination win
Light-weight prospect Fernando Angel Molina took benefit of a chance to combat on community tv by defeating Prisco Marquez by unanimous determination in a six-round bout.
Molina (6-Zero, Three KOs), an 18-year-old expertise out of Jalisco, Mexico, was paired with Marquez (Four-Three-1, 1 KO), 27, of Austin, Texas, within the night’s swing bout, which ended up airing on Fox forward of the pay-per-view, as a consequence of a few fast finishes on the undercard. Molina was roughly in management your complete combat, and he cruised to 3 60-53 scores from the judges.
In response to CompuBox, Molina landed greater than 100 punches within the bout, greater than doubling Marquez’s whole. Molina, who loved a major top and attain benefit, confirmed off his versatility on offense, mixing proper uppercuts and physique pictures into his mixtures. He fought nicely on the surface and pushed Marquez backward within the later rounds.
Marquez confirmed grit, particularly early, as he waded via Molina’s size and leapt into looping haymakers excessive. He caught Molina on a number of events with the left hook, however the dwelling run shot by no means got here. The bout was Marquez’s first look since September 2019.