Lightweight Jeremia Nakathila (23-2, 19 KOs) stopped former world champion Miguel Berchelt (38-3, 34 KOs) in six rounds on Saturday night at Resorts World Las Vegas. Nakathila took control immediately. He punished Berchelt and dropped him with a jab in round three. Berchelt staged a brave rally in round five, but took a big shot in round six that sent his mouthpiece flying. The bout was stopped after round six.
“I’m a little bit surprised,” said Berchelt. “I thought I was in a condition to continue, but the referee decided to stop the fight. He’s the ultimate authority. I have to respect that but I wanted to continue.
“I’m going to get up. I’m going to rise from this. The great champions are not the ones who fall. The great champions are those who rise, and I will go home, spend time with my family, visit with them, get some rest, and I am going to come back stronger than ever.”
Nakathila stated, “From the first round, my corner told me to take my time. I know what I have. I knew it would be difficult for him to reach the 10th round. It wasn’t so easy, but I made it look easy. He didn’t really bother me, the way he swung. I just got back to my game plan, and I capitalized.
“Luckily, {he couldn’t continue}. I was going to knock him out or put him to sleep in a bad way. Luckily, he saw it coming and decided he couldn’t come back.”
Berchelt had not fought since his February 2021 knockout loss to Oscar Valdez, and Nakathila had fought once since a wide points loss to Shakur Stevenson.
In the co-feature, featherweights Jose Enrique Vivas (21-2, 11 KOs) and Eduardo Baez (21-2-2, 7 KOs) fought an entertaining ten-rounder with Baez taking a majority decision 98-92, 96-94, 95-95. Baez announced his presence as a title contender with a closely contested victory over his Mexican countryman. It was expected to be a toe-to-toe barnburner, but Baez played the role of boxer, using an educated jab to blunt Vivas’ attack. Vivas found pockets of success in the 10th, backing Baez to the ropes and unloading. Baez was never in serious trouble and deservedly prevailed. He outlanded Vivas 304-215.
Junior Featherweight: Carlos Caraballo (15-1, 14 KOs) MD 8 Luis Fernando Saavedra (9-7, 3 KOs). Scores: 76-76, 77-75 and 79-73. Caraballo rebounded from last October’s decision loss to Jonas Sultan with a closer-than-expected challenge from the rugged Mexican. It was a battle of Caraballo’s pure boxing against the come-forward body attack of Saavedra, who found occasional, if not consistent, success. Saavedra won the eighth round on all three judges’ cards, but Caraballo’s early lead held up.
Welterweight: Tiger Johnson (3-0, 2 KOs) TKO 4 Sebastian Gabriel Chaves (5-4, 2 KOs), 1:42. Johnson, who represented the U.S. last summer at the Tokyo Olympics, kept the momentum going with a one-sided beatdown over Chaves. Johnson knocked down Chaves with a straight right hand early in the fourth and ended it later in the round with a left hook that prompted referee Kenny Bayless to wave off the contest.
Junior Welterweight: Josue Vargas (20-2, 9 KOs) UD 8 Nicolas Pablo Demario (15-6-3, 9 KOs) Scores: 76-74 2x and 76-73. Vargas returned from his first-round knockout defeat to Jose Zepeda, but it was not without controversy. The most eventful thing to happen was not Vargas getting dropped with a left hand in the fifth round. It happened later in the fifth, when Demario bit Vargas on the right shoulder. Demario was deducted one point for the infraction, and Vargas outboxed him the rest of the way.
Featherweight: Haven Brady Jr. (6-0, 3 KOs) TKO 4 Jose Argel (8-3, 2 KOs), 2:05. “The Hitman” found his target early and often, battering Argel to the body in the first three rounds. Brady scored his first knockdown with a right hand, then ended the bout with an uppercut on the inside. Argel, from Chile, had never been knocked out entering the fight.
Light Heavyweight: Dante Benjamin Jr. (2-0, 1 KO) UD 4 Kevin Johnson (2-1, 1 KO). Scores: 40-36 3x. Benjamin, a native of Cleveland went the distance for the first time in his young career and cruised past the durable Johnson.
Junior Featherweight: Arturo Cardenas (2-0-1, 2 KOs) DRAW 4 Juan Hernandez Martinez (2-0-1). In a phone booth affair, the judges’ cards reflected the back-and-forth nature of the four-rounder. Martinez swept the fourth to earn the draw.
Lightweight: Adrian Serrano (0-0-1) DRAW 4 Estevan Partida (0-1-1). Scores: 38-38, 39-37 Serrano, 39-37 Partida. The 17-year-old Serrano, from Salinas, California, went for broke in the opening round but ran into a rough customer in Partida. Serrano won the fourth round on two of the three scorecards to salvage the draw in his pro debut.
Talk about a brutal one way beating beat down. Credit to both fighters but man oh man, Nakathila is gonna be dangerous no matter who he fights.
Berchelt may fight on and he may beat a decent fighter, but he will NEVER be the same guy he was before the Valdez fight. That guy is gone. He’s just 30, I’d kind of be surprised if he retired, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea. His legs look awful, he doesn’t even really walk in the ring, but kind of trots around. Nakathila is basic and kind of mechanical (and he’s probably a jr lightweight), but that guy has an excellent right hand. That one in the 6th round….. I thought it knocked Berchelt’s head clean off.
You were right Lucie. You said he would likely not recover from that beating and that Lightweight would be tough for him. It appears you were correct on both counts. Sad to see. I enjoyed watching him fight. Brave warrior.
As they say Pete, “the sun even shines on a dog’s ass occasionally”.
As always….Please get rid of Osuna ESPN…..He is the worst in Boxing Broadcast history…..
While they are at it, they should get rid of the translator on showtime. That guy is horrible.
Betchelt has bad training habits. Blows up between fights. Doesn’t eat healthy. You cant crash diet and expect to have energy and reflexes and stamina.
Totally agree with you Wade.
Berchelt was a big Super Feather but is probably a small Lighweight and moving up to Jr Welterweight is definitely a non starter
Blowing up between fights and “Death Camp Dieting” to then make weight leads to this kind of performance and being a shot fighter at just 30 years of age
Reminds me of Ricardo Mayorga
Looks like Oscar took Berchelts soul, wont be the same fighter. Might be time to hang em up
Apparently, Berchelt’s camp did not watch Stevenson vs. Nakathila because Nakathila is a handful with range, height, pop and a decent jab.
Unless Berchelt ignored camp suggestions, Berchelt should have taken a couple of “get confident fights,” while settling at 135.
After taking off more time, Berchelt needs to take a slower pace with a few “confidence building fights.” Berchelt also has to work on his head movements because he is at a higher weight now.
Basic defensive head movement should have been taught to Berchelt in the early stages of his career. To gain that skill at this stage is naïve. There is a longterm price to pay for the lack of defensive skills.
I didn’t watch the fight but I’m not surprised by the outcome, it seems that Berchelt is going to struggle at this weight..
Lol, dude just shat all over drugged-up Oscar Valdez’ best win. Berchelt was always overrated by the Mexican fans.
Who’s the jackass that put Miguel in with a puncher in his comeback fight?
exactly!
alot of boxing is proper matchmaking. Foe example, Mayweather is the best matchmaker ever. EVER. Matching a plodder with a puncher who can box too, after a devastating knockout is not just dumb, but from the outside , like a setup. For a televised show, there should have been boxer options. OR fight off camera a few times, before fighting a puncher who is getting HIS big chance. Silly, and stupid.
That was a little frustrating to watch. Berchelt showed all the signs of a shot fighter. His stance is weak, the basics were ignored. He did not show a basic understanding of bridging the gap whatsoever. Reflexes were about a step and a half behind, and his chin is seriously dented.
Nakathila kept the exchanges at the end of his shots, which is exactly what you do when you have the reach advantage. Great win for him and I hope he gets a big name next fight.
My god Berchelt looked AWFUL!!! From the very first round I could tell he was going to get beat badly. Do his legs even bend??? The dude looked like he was fighting with a broken ankle. The very definition of flat footed, his feet didn’t even bend at the ankle and his footwork was horrible!! I felt like I was watching someone box for the very first time. After the first round ended I knew for sure he was going to be stopped. After a loss to a no name like Nakathila, I think it’s time to either call it quits or take a few low level fights and to work on basic fundamentals. He absolutely looked shot.
I don’t know if Berchelt is done, but I do know he fought the wrong fight tonight. His corner gave him the wrong strategy and advice. His opponent Nakathila needed room to punch, and a defensive Berchelt gave him that room. Berchelt’s best defense is his offense, and instead Berchelt tried to stay on the outside and box with the taller, longer, Nakathila. In the end Berchelt sat in Nakathila punching range and took another beating. By the time Berchelt tried to go on offense, his legs were no longer underneath him.
Berchelt is finding excuses here, he was so out of it when he was caught with that right that knocked his gum shield out, that he stopped fighting without the ref saying stop. That was because he was hurt and confused, the guy could have rightly clocked him there and then. He was beaten up worse than he was by Valdez, he was out-boxed and out-punched.
Berchelt gym. That will be his next project. He might be killed if he fights on. Boxing for all it’s glory is vastly a very sad sport where guys give all and are left spent and forgotten. I love /hate boxing . I miss Marvin and Pernell…
Berchelt is time to retire
Very sad seeing Berchelt go out this way. From what I’ve heard he’s a very humble and kind young man without controversy in Mexico. Sadly, his odometer is up!! He seriously looks like a shot fighter. Can’t believe he’s only 30! PLEASE RETIRE CHAMP!!
What has happened to Berchelt is just the beginning of sorrows. This faith is awaiting most of the current champions. They will fade away not because of their lack of ability or anything but as consequences of their time.
“faith” = “fate”
Hopefully he comes back from this. Jhonny Gonzalez comes to mind as someone who came back after numerous kos to become champion again.
That wide points loss to Shakur Stevenson by Nakathila wasn’t really that wide. Nakathila gave Shakur a very good fight and a lot of problems , much more than any other opponent. I knew he would be a problem for Bershcelt.
The truth is the guy was never that great, he was a good fighter who was huge at the weight. He was bigger and stronger than most jr. lightweights, thats why he could bully them. In Valdez he met someone who was on that Mex. tea, who had the size and strength to natch him. I believe the Quigg match took a lot out of both combatants as well,. Quigg was also finish after that fight.
Good stoppage….