Former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez made his super featherweight debut Saturday night in a tough one. Valdez (27-0, 21 KOs) was on the canvas early but managed to stop late replacement Adam Lopez in seven rounds in the main event at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Valdez was knocked down in the second round, only to come back to knock down Lopez (13-2) with a left hook in the seventh. A barrage by Valdez caused referee Russell Mora to stop the bout with seven seconds remaining in the round.
Referee Russell Mora appeared to have stopped the bout prematurely.
Lopez took the bout Friday afternoon after Valdez's original opponent, Andres Gutierrez, missed weight by 11 pounds. “I was very surprised. I take my hat off to Adam Lopez. He’s a great fighter, great warrior, just like his father {the late Hector Lopez} was," Valdez said. I just got hit. This is boxing. I prepared myself for two, three months for Gutierrez, but that’s no excuse. This kid is a warrior. “Berchelt is a true champion inside the ring and outside the ring. Fans love him. That’s the one I want to fight. He has that WBC belt, and he’s trying to take it back home.”
Frampton Shuts Out McCreary
Former two-division world champion Carl "The Jackal" Frampton returned from a nearly one-year layoff to dominate the previously unbeaten Tyler "The Golden Child" McCreary via 10-round unanimous decision (100-88 3x) in the super featherweight co-feature. Frampton (27-2, 15 KOs ) knocked down McCreary (16-1-1, 7 KOs) with a body shot in the sixth round and again in the ninth round with a pair of left hooks.
Texeira Decisions Adames
Patrick Teixeira overcame brutal cuts to score a unanimous decision over Carlos Adames in a fight for the vacant interim WBO junior middleweight world title. Teixeira (31-1, 22 KOs) knocked down Adames (18-1, 14 KOs) in the seventh round and won the 12th round on two of three judges' cards to prevail by scores of 116-111 and 114-113 2x.
Undercard Results
Arnold Barboza Jr. (23-0, 10 KOs) retained his Jr. NABF super lightweight belt, as he stopped veteran William Silva (27-3, 15 KOs) with a right hand to the body in the fifth round. Barboza, ranked fifth in the world by the WBO, is 3-0 with three knockouts in 2019. Larry Gomez (10-1, 8 KOs) handed welterweight prospect Brian Mendoza (18-1, 13 KOs) the first lost of his career, prevailing by split decision over eight toe-to-toe rounds. The scorecards were as followed: 77-75 Gomez, 77-75 Mendoza and 77-75 Gomez. Top heavyweight prospect Guido "The Gladiator" Vianello (6-0, 6 KOs) notched another quick KO, stopping Colby Madison (8-2-2, 5 KOs) with a right hand at 44 seconds of the opening round. Japanese super lightweight prospect Andy Hiraoka (15-0, 10 KOs) had a successful U.S. debut, knocking out Rogelio Casarez (13-9, 5 KOs) in the second round of a scheduled eight-rounder. Heavyweight prospect Jared "The Real Big Baby" Anderson (2-0, 2 KOs) knocked out Stephen Kirnon (2-3-1, 1 KO) at 1:30 of the opening round.