Australia's Jason Moloney (21-1, 17 KOs) made his U.S. debut as he stopped Leonardo Baez (18-3, 9 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico in a scheduled ten round bantamweight main event from the "Bubble" at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the ESPN main event.
Baez came out firing the jab as the reach advantage was evident, Moloney picked the shots but during an exchange Baez connected with a left hook. Exchanging on the inside in the second, Baez connected with a solid right as Moloney stood his ground throughout the round. A looping right by Baez connected early on in the third, the fight continued inside as Moloney stood inside the pocket, the Mexican was cut late in the round. It was all on the inside through four rounds as Baez and Moloney continued to exchange. At the halfway point in the fifth, Moloney stood close as Baez connected crisp on the inside late in the round.
The Australian began to box as Baez continued to make it difficult pressing and staying close. Moloney landed some solid shots in the sixth but the Mexican just kept coming. Moloney countered Baez in the seventh as a bBaez continued to press stay close a slick Moloney. Blood began to flow from Baez's as he was cut on both eyes. Baez did not come out of his corner for the eighth round as the referee stopped it at the of seventh.
Junior Lightweights Abraham Nova (19-0, 14 KOs) of Puerto Rico won a hard fought unanimous decision against a very slick and active Avery Sparrow (10-2, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia squared off in the co feature.Sticking the jab to start off Sparrow and Nova showed some flash in the opening round. In round two, Sparrow flashed away with the jab as Nova stalked patiently behind some heavy punches. Letting his hands go in the third, the Philadelphia fighter was busy as Nova continued to stalk working patiently. Sparrow was on the attack in the fourth and continuing to work the jab as Nova remained poised.
Halfway through in the sixth round, Nova began digging downstairs to the body as Sparrow continued to work. Firing away the jab in the seventh, the Puerto Rican appeared to be having issues with Sparrow's flashy style. A solid right hand by Nova got Sparrow's attention in the eight as he Nova pressured but Sparrow went down and then spit out his mouthpiece to by more time as he got up and continued. Continuing to stalk in the ninght, Nova began to close the gap connecting on the flashy Sparrow with solid punches. The fight appeared to be close going into the tenth and final round saw Sparrow sticking the jab and moving with Nova continuing to to stalk.
In the end 2 of the judges scored the bout wide 99-91, 97-93, and third a more reasonable 96-94 as Abraham Nova wins a unanimous decision.
Puerto Rican junior lightweight prospect Orlando “El Zurdo de Oro” González (15-0, 10 KOs), from Aguadilla Puerto Rico won a unanimous decision over Luis Porozo (15-3, 8 KOs) of Ecuador. A left by Gonzalez floored Porozo in round two. Attacking to the body in round four, Gonzalez pressured backing Porozo as Gonzalez took the early rounds.
The Puerto Rican continued to work smoothly in the fifth as kept the pressure and landed a low blow, referee issued a warning a gave Poroza time to recover. Shortly after Porozo landed a solid right hand. In the sixth, Poroza landed a low blow as as he returned the favor to Gonzalez. Poroza was down again in the seventh from a Gonzalez right stopping his momentum heading to the stretch. It was a good performance for the Puerto Rican prospect in working his way to a decision. Judges scored the bout 77-73, 77-73, and 76-74,
Welterweight Vlad Panin (8-1, 4 KOs) of Belarus won a unanimous decision over San Antonio's Benjamin Whittaker (13-4, 3 KOs). Panin and Whittaker came out to a fast start in the opening round as both connected with a double left hook, the odds of that. In round two Paning stuck the jab as Whittaker looked to get inside. Sticking to basics, Panin kept his distance in round three working the jab as Whittaker was kept away.
A clean left uppercut by Panin landed as he worked off the jab in the fourth, Whittaker could not get going as the fight was beginning to shorten. The jab continued to be the key for Panin through five rounds as he was clearly ahead. It was a dominant performance for Panin as all three judges scored the bout 58-56, 58-56,and 57-57
Welterweight Reymond Yanong (11-5-1, 9 KOs) of the Philippines won a split decision over Clay Burns (9-8-2, 4 KOs) of Louisiana. Burns was the aggressor in the opening round as Yanong was slow to start the bout. Burns was the aggressor in the early rounds letting his hands go as Yanong was off to a slow start but late in the third Yanong connected with a left hook to close the round.
In the fourth Burns kept the pressure but the Filipino was landing solidly. Yanong was starting to close the gap, landing the left hook to the body multiple times as Burns was starting to tire. The sixth and final round was all Yanong as he went forward with Burns keeping his distance. 59-55, 58-56, and 58-56, as Yanong pulls off the decision.
Phoenix heavyweight Kinglesy Ibeh (4-1, 4 KO's) scored a devastating stoppage over Waldo Cortes (5-4-2, 2 KOs) in the opening bout. It was a very fast paced opening round as Ibeh and Cortes let their hands go and then finished the round with a brief exchange. Ibeh came out aggressive in round two backing Cortes, but a right by Cortes caught the aggressor. It was a slower paced third round as Cortes boxed working the jab as Ibeh appeared to be tiring. However, Ibeh landed a series of uppercuts as Cortes hit the canvas, getting up dazed and couldn't continue as the referee Vic Drakulich stopped the fight at 1:41 of the fourth round.
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