Boxing returned to the national spotlight as 2016 U.S Olympian, featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson (14-0, 8 KOs) of Newark, New Jersey stopped Felix Caraballo (13-2-2, 9 KOs) of Puerto Rico in a non-title bout headlining the ESPN telecast from the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.
Stevenson scored a knockdown with a body shot in the opening round as Caraballo was up and protested the call. In the second round, Stevenson teed away on Caraballo connecting some solid punches. Halfway through Stevenson continued to tee off Caraballo, but the Puerto Rican kept going forward. However, a crunching body shot by Stevenson in the sixth did it as Caraballo was down and couldn't continue as referee Tony Weeks called a halt to the bout at 1:31.
Undefeated heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (4-0, 4 KOs), from Toledo, Ohio, stopped Johnnie Langston (8-3, 3 KOs) in three rounds in a scheduled six-rounder. Anderson was poised as he took his time picking his shots connecting on Langston to start. The jab was the key for Anderson as he set up some heavy shots connecting on Langston forcing referee Jay Nady stepped into stop the fight at 1:53. Anderson was Tyson Fury’s chief sparring partner in preparation for the Wilder rematch.
2016 Italian heavyweight Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (7-0, 7 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian, knocked out Don Haynesworth (16-4-1, 14 KOs) An overhand right by Vianello sent Haynesworth to the canvas as referee Jay Nady waived it at 2:16 of the first.
In a middleweight bout Quatavious Cash (12-2, 7 KOs) won a six round technical decision over Calvin Metcalf (10-4-1, 3 KOs). Cash boxed well in the early rounds as Metcalf stalked. Metcalf was cut in the second round on his left eye as Cash continued to stick to the plan, keeping his distance and jabbing. The blood continued to flow from Metcalf's eye as Cash targeted the left eye but Metcalf continued to press. The fight was stopped in the sixth due to the cut as the blood flowed from Metcalf's left eye as the doctor waived it. Forcing the decision to go to the scorecards as the judges scored the bout 60-54, 60-55, 59-55, as all three judges scored the bout in favor of Cash.
In the opening bout, Two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (3-1, 3 KOs) from Cuba made quick work of Yeuri Andujar (5-4, 3 KOs) in a featherweight bout. Ramirez dropped Andujar with a left hook seconds into the fight and in then finished off Andujar sending him to the canvas for a second time as referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight 54 seconds into the fight.
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