By Morrison Brandon at ringside
Photos: Scott Foster
DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank offered up a night of championship boxing full of drama and action at the Lakefront Arena on the campus of the University of New Orleans. In the main event, WBC Super Lightweight diamond belt holder and hometown favorite Regis Prograis (22-0, 19 KOs) went against Juan Jose Velasco (20-1, 12 KOs) out of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The co-main event showcased a lightweight match featuring one of the sport’s most intriguing up-and-coming fighters Teofimo Lopez (10-0, 8 KOs), a 2016 Olympian who represented Honduras but hails from Brooklyn, against Brazilian combatant William Silva (25-2, 14 KOs).
The first couple of rounds of Prograis versus Velasco played out like the calm before the storm with both fighters keeping it conservative while testing each other’s defense. In round three, Velasco started to turn up action as he landed purposeful shots. Big Easy’s favorite son came out in round four to return the favor as he connected with hard, digging body shots. In round five, Prograis continued his assault to the body and landed a literally breath-taking hook to the midsection of Velasco that sent him to the canvas. Amazingly Velasco made it to his feet and somehow survived the round. At the beginning of round seven, Prograis tricked Velasco with fainting shots to unload a barrage of punches that caused an overwhelmed Velasco to collapse. The eighth round was more of the same as Prograis punished his opponent until Velasco broke down for a third time. With the heart of a lion, Velasco got back to his feet again however his corner mercifully threw in the towel. The time of the stoppage was at 1:59 mark of the eighth.
The action in the co-main event was almost instant. Lopez came out on the attack in round one putting together a combination that ended with an uppercut that snapped the head of Silva back and sent him down fast. Lopez continued the pummeling over the next several rounds. In round four, the confidence of Lopez appeared to be at a very high level as he toyed with Silva. Lopez was always a step quicker and much more intense with his attack. Late in round four, Lopez trapped Silva in the corner and hammered away until Silva folded into the corner for the second knockdown. Silva bravely got to his feet and made it to the bell. The contest was seemly over in the fifth round but Silva somehow made it to the end of the round. Lopez came out full force for the sixth round and immediately put on a brutal display of power punches that dropped Silva for a third time. Referee Bruce McDaniel stepped in and stopped the beatdown. Lopez moved his record to 10-0 with 8 KOs and captured the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight title. Silva dropped to 25-2 with 14 KOs.
Hot prospect Fazlinddin Gaibnazarov, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Uzbekistan, won a unanimous decision over Kevin Johnson in a lightweight confrontation. All of the judges scored the contest at 78-47. Gaibnazarov moved to 5-0 with 2 knockouts. Johnson loses his first fight and dropped to 5-0, 4 KOs.
Puerto Rican warrior Jean Carlos Rivera (14-0, 9 KOs) knocked out last minute substitute Angel Luna (12-5-1, 7 KOs) of the Dominican Republic, in the opening stanza in of a lightweight clash. Time of the knockout was 1:22.
Middleweight Charles Conwell (8-0) knocked out Travis Scott (19-4) at 1:38 of round two.
Erick De Leon (18-0-1, 10 KOs) defeated Adrian Young (25-5-2, 19 KOs) by unanimous decision in a super featherweight confrontation. The scores were 97-92 twice and 98-91.
