WBA super featherweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis (21-0, 20 KOs) of Baltimore rolled over former world champion Hugo Ruiz (39-5, 33 KOs) of Mexico, as he successfully defended his title Saturday night with a first round knockout at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Davis cornered Ruiz in the opening round and unloaded a straight left that sent Ruiz to the canvas as he got up staggered and could not continue, referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight at 2:59 of the first.
Here is what Davis had to say after his victory.
“Tonight I just wanted to put on a great performance. I was scheduled to fight Abner Mares, but he had an injury so my main goal tonight was to make a great performance, which I did.
“I knew it was coming. When I touched the jab I saw his arm was in front of his face so if I threw a hook or uppercut it was right in line.
"I’m very confident that I will be more active this year. I have three, probably four fights lined up this year. I’m happy with my team and ready for the next."
On fighting the winner of the March 2 Ricardo Nunez-Edner Cherry WBA Eliminator
“We could do that. At the end of the day I’m a fighter. I’m a fighter and I have a great team. One of the best in the sport. I believe in my team and whatever they line up, I’m ready.
“Yes sir, we’re coming to Baltimore. We’re going home, baby.
San Antonio's undefeated super lightweight Mario Barrios (23-0, 15 KOs) scored a fourth round stoppage over Richard Zamora (19-3, 12 KOs) of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Barrios measured Zamora and kept his distance in the opening round, popping the jab and sneaking in the big shots. The right hand began to land for Barrios as he set it up with the jab, sneaking it pass Zamora high guard. Zamora had his best moment in the third as he landed a solid right but Barrios outworked and remained poised boxing away. Barrios hurt Zamora early in the fourth as Zamora tied up, continuing his attack Barrios landed some big shots as referee Ray Corona stepped in to stop the fight at 16 seconds of the fourth.
Here is what Barrios had to say after his fight.
"I am feeling stronger than ever. I am knocking down the door for a world title right now.
"He was a warrior. He brought it, but the ref had to call it.
"I know I have to have patience for that title, but I am ready when the time comes.
Lighweight Javier Fortuna (34-2-1, 23 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Uganda's Shareef Bogere (32-2, 20 KOs) in going ten rounds. It was a slow first round as Fortuna and Bogere felt each other with the jab. In round three Bogere and Fortuna closed the round with a wild exchange as the bout began to heat up. Bogere pressed in the fourth as Fortuna kept his distance and was elusive slipping and holding the African fighter. Shooting the right hand, Bogere pressed the elusive slick southpaw Fortuna in round five.
Halfway through in the sixth Bogere and Fortuna traded in the center to begin the round, moments later Bogere suffered a cut on his right eye then appeared to slip but the referee ruled it a knockdown. The Dominican stuck to plan jabbing and keeping his distance from the aggressor Bogere. Fortuna showed more aggression late in the fight as he pressed, despite being cut and bleeding from his right eye, Bogere displayed toughness.
All three judges scored the fight 96-93.
“It was in the sixth that my trainer told me I looked tired so right there we changed the game plan to use a different fight approach. It (The knock down) was correct. I saw his eyes were a little glossy and his legs buckled a bit. When I saw that he was cut, the game plan changed again and we had to work again to attack the cut. What I want right now is a contract so I can fight Gervonta Davis wherever. Lomachenko, any of them.” Javier Fortuna said.
"I think I won the fight. Even the knockdown was bull. He kept coming at me with the head. He kept trying to headbutt me. The challenge was that there was blood in my eye. The first couple of rounds I was boxing him easily. I would give myself a seven out of 10. The headbutt bothered me and I wasn't able to perform as well as I wanted," Sharif Bogere said.
Super welterweight Erickson Lubin (20-1, 15 KOs) of Orlando scored a lopsided stoppage over former champion Ishe Smith (29-11, 12 KOs) of Las Vegas. Lubin dropped Smith three times in round two as he survived the round and was saved by the bell. Smith was down a fourth time in round three as it was over for the former champion Smith could not continue after three.
Las Vegas's lightweight Juan Heraldez (16-0, 10 KOs) scored a spectacular knockout over Eddie Ramirez (17-3, 11 KOs) of Illinois. Heraldez dropped Ramirez twice in the fifth but Ramirez finished strong. A right hand by Heraldez in the seventh dropped Ramirez as he went down referee waived it at 2:30 of the seventh
Undefeated featherweight Angelo Leo (16-0, 8 KOs) of Las Vegas won a unanimous decision over Alberto Torres (11-2-3, 4 KOs) squared off in an eight-round bout. It was a feel out round in the opening one as Leo and Torres stuck the jab but in round two, Leo dropped Torres, as he got up and continued to fight on. Letting his hands go in the third, Leo landed solid combinations as he backed Torres but Torres finished the round strong. A solid right hand by Leo in the, fifth found it's mark as Torres was down a second time. Sticking to the plan and boxing, Leo was dominant working his way to a decision as Torres showed heart and toughness in going the distance, bringing out the best in Leo.
All three judges scored the bout 79-71.
The ladies Ava Knight (17-2-4, 5 KOs) and Luna del Mar Torroba (12-9-2, 2 KOs) squared off in a flyweight bout as the fight was declared a no-contest. Torroba came out aggressive landing a solid right hand in the opening round. However in round three, Knight suffered a cut on her left eye from a headbutt as she could no longer continue.
Undefeated Mexican lightweight Francisco Ochoa (14-0, 8 KOs) won a hard fought unanimous decision over Luis May (21-12-1, 8 KOs) in a six-round bout. Ochoa scored a knockdown in round three as May got up and continued to fight. All three judges scored the bout 60-53. .Maurice Lee (9-1-2, 5 KOs) of Sacramento and Oakland's Lennard Davis (4-1-5, 3 KOs) battled it out going the distance in a six-round super lightweight bout. The two fighters came out swinging as Davis hurt Lee early in the first. Lee returned the favor as he sent Davis to the canvas late in the opening round. Davis drilled Lee with a hard right hand in the second as he staggered and stalked Lee throughout the round. A crushing left hand by Davis in the closing seconds of the fourth dropped Lee. Going into the sixth and final round, Davis applied the pressure as Lee kept busy both fighters without question sensed the urgency closing strong.
After six rounds 57-55 for Lee, 56-56, and 56-56 as the bout was declared a draw.
Israel Luna (2-0,1 KO) won a decision over Angel Carvajal (2-11) in a four-round super bantamweight. Luna put in work all four rounds as he let his hands go, Carvajal took a lot of big punches but gave him all he could handle in going the distance. The judges scored the bout 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37.
Lorenzo Simpson (2-0, 2 KO) scored a first round knockout over Derion Chapman (3-3-1, 2 KOs) in a scheduled four-round super middleweight bout. Simpson dropped Chapman in the opening round as he got up staggered the referee waived it at 1:59 of the first.
In the opening bout from the Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly the Stub Hub Center), Santa Maria, California's super bantamweight Jose Balderas (5-0) scored a third round stoppage over Jerrod Miner (1-3-2, 1 KO). Miner did not come out as the referee stopped the fight at the end of round three.
Walkout Bouts
Undefeated super featherweight Xavier Martinez (12-0, 8 KOs) of Sacramento_ Deivi Bassa (20-7, 12 KOs) from Colombia.
Memphis, Tennessee's Ladarius Miller (18-1, 5 KOs) _ Daulis Prescott (32-10, 24 KOs) of Columbia in a lightweight bout.
Genisis Libranza (17-1, 10 KOs) _ Gilberto Mendoza (11-6- 2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round super flyweight match.
Undefeated welterweight Emmanuel Medina (15-0, 9 KOs) against Carlos Velasquez (26-33-2, 16 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
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