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Christian Tapia outlasted Luis
Lebron via 10-round unanimous decision to capture the WBC
Continental Americas junior lightweight title in a bout that took
place in front of a capacity crowd at Live! Casino in South
Philadelphia, and exceeded the bout's pre-fight hype. The fight
topped a terrific card that was promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions.
Early on, it looked like
Lebron's night as he hurt Tapia badly with a flush left hook to the
side of the head. Tapia was rocked and held on for the balance of
the frame. Tapia regained his composure, and was able to start
landing some nice overhand rights.
Tapia started to get into a
rhythm, and was able to land left hooks to the body that started to
slow Lebron down. Lebron would not go quietly into the night as he
was able to force Tapia into some furious exchanges. The action
thrilled the sold-out crowd.
Many of the rounds were close,
and it was the accuracy and harder punch of Tapia that opened a cut
under the left eye of Lebron, and proved to be the difference in the
fight. The Coamo, Puerto Rico native won by scores of 99-91 (Steve
Weisfeld), 98-92 (Dave Braslow) and 97-93 (Dewey LaRosa). With the
win, Tapia, 14-0, 12 KOs, took the WBC Continental Americas junior
lightweight regional title belt. Lebron of San Juan, Puerto Rico,
fell to 18-3-1, with 11 KOs.
PIZARRO RETURNS AFTER 13 MONTHS
In the co-feature, Philadelphian Brandon Pizarro landed a hard left
hook to the head of Vitor Jones that sent the Brazilian visitor down
and out at 1:18 of round four of their scheduled eight-round
welterweight bout. This was Pizarro's first bout in more than one
year and the knockout improved his record to 17-1, 10 KOs.
knockouts. Jones lost by KO for the seventh time and left 16-7, 10
KOs.
PINO WINS MAJORITY NOD
Ryan Pino took a six-round majority decision over previously
undefeated Dezmond Lucas in a welterweight bout. Pino, of San Juan
Puerto Rico, won by scores of 59-55 (Dewey LaRosa), 58-56 (John
Poturaj) and 57-57 (Steve Weisfeld) to raise his record to 11-7-2, 5
KOs. Bronx, NY's Lucas, 5-1, 2 KOs.
RIVERA LOOKS SOLID
Jan Carlos Rivera put on a solid boxing performance to win a
six-round unanimous decision over Michael Ogundo in a welterweight
clash. Rivera, of Philadelphia, won by shutout tallies of 60-54 on
all cards (Braslow, Poturaj and Weisfeld). He improved to 5-1, 4
KOs. Ogundo, of Quincy, MA, lost his second straight and left 16-14,
13 KOs.
VILLANUEVA DEBUTS
Good looking Jeffrey Villanueva made a successful pro debut with a
four-round unanimous decision over Juan Gutierrez in bantamweight
bout. Villanueva drove Gutierrez into the ropes for a knockdown in
the opening frame. Gutierrez fought back hard and the two had
several good exchanges throughout the fight, but Villanueva was able
to drop Gutierrez again in the final frame. He won by scores of
40-34 on all cards (Braslow, LaRosa and Weisfeld). Villanueva, of
Allentown, PA, won his debut, 1-0, while Gutierrez, of Emiale,
Nicaragua lost his, 0-1.
VANN DEBUTS WITH DECISION
Derrick Vann was able to use an unorthodox style to register two
knockdowns and take a four-round unanimous decision over previously
undefeated Brendan O'Callaghan in a battle of Philadelphia based
middleweights. Vann scored knockdowns in rounds one and four, and
won by official scores of 39-36 (John Poturaj) and 38-36 (Dave
Braslow and Dewey LaRosa) and is now 1-0. O'Callaghan, 2-1, 1 KO,
lost for the first time.
MALDONADO KAYOS RAMIREZ
Cesar Espinel Maldonado landed a booming left hook that sent Anthony
Ramirez down and out at 2:52 of round one of their scheduled
four-round welterweight bout. The left hook sent Ramirez down
face-first, thudding off the canvas. Somehow Ramirez got to his
feet, but he was wobbling all over the place and the bout was
stopped by referee Shawn Clark. Espinel, of Arecibo, Puerto Rico,
scored his first win, 1-2, 1 KO. Ramirez, of Philadelphia, lost for
the second straight time and went home 0-2.
The card was fought before
boxing royalty, with former two-division world champion Danny
Garcia, rising contender Jaron Ennis, former champ Chris Colbert,
popular Philly fighters Ray Robinson, Christian Carto, and Sonny
Conto all in attendance. Approximately 1,100 fans packed the house.
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