Photos: Tom Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions
In an entertaining scrap, featherweight Jesus Rojas (26-1-2, 19 KOs) scored a seventh round KO to dethrone WBA interim 126lb champion Claudio Marrero (22-2, 16 KOs) on Friday night at the MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom in Las Vegas. Rojas dropped Marrero with a combination punctuated by a left hook and a dazed Marrero was counted out by referee Russell Mora. Time was 2:59.
“I’m super happy and super emotional,” said Rojas. “We knew that he [Marrero] was going to be aggressive and we purposely worked on our counterpunching, and that was what did the trick.”
Unbeaten super featherweight Ryan “Kingry” Garcia (11-0, 10 KOs) needed just 30 seconds to demolish Miguel Carrizoza (10-3, 2 KOs). Two knockdowns. Garcia won an NABF “junior” belt.
Unbeaten lightweight Damon “No Smilin'” Allen, Jr. (13-0-1, 5 KOs) shut out late sub Jayro Duran (10-3, 9 KOs) over eight rounds. Scores were 79-72 across the board. Allen deducted a point in round two.
In a rematch, middleweight Alexis Salazar (12-3, 3 KOs) beat Even Torres (6-5, 5 KOs) in a snoozer. Scores were 60-54, 59-55, 58-56.
A clash between unbeaten welterweight Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (18-0, 12 KOs) and Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu (19-3-1, 18 KOs) was canceled when Ellis pulled out this morning due to an undisclosed “physical condition.”
