By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Undefeated knockout artist Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (20-0, 20 KOs) scored a first round TKO against Fredrick “General Okunka” Lawson (30-4, 22 KOs) on Saturday night at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Now competing at super welterweight following 17 months out of the ring, Ortiz, looked to let out some ring rust, connected early in the first with a short left that staggered Lawson. Continuing to attack, Ortiz followed up with a series of unanswered punches as Lawson shelled up. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in too early, prematurely stopping the fight at 2:43 of the first, drawing a reaction of boos from the crowd. Following the fight, Ortiz went on to call out WBO super welterweight champion Tim Tzsyu.

In the co-feature bout of the evening, Venezuela’s Ismael Barroso (25-4-2, 23 KOs) scored a first round knockout over Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies (25-3, 18 KOs). A counter left dropped Davies early on. He got up and Barroso sent him to the canvas a second time. He got up once again but was unresponsive forcing the referee to stop the fight at 1:53 of the first round. The 40-year-old Barroso wins the WBA interim super lightweight title.

WBO #1 super lightweight Arnold Barbosa Jr. (29-0, 11 KOs) of El Monte returned to the ring in his Golden Boy Promotions debut to stop Xolisani Ndongeni (31-4, 18 KOs) of Eastern Cape, South Africa in eight.

Lurking and fighting at a slow pace, Barbosa took his time to figure out Ndongeni in the opening round. A straight by Barbosa in the second snapped the South African’s head back as Barbosa continued to connect with the right throughout the second round. Swinging wildly to begin the third, Ndongeni took his shots at Barbosa but controlled the rest of the round. Barbosa was slightly cut on the left eye to begin the fourth as Ndongeni proceeded to box away. However, in the fifth, Barbosa and Ndongeni exchanged with Barbosa getting the better of it as he had the South African fighter backing away.

Applying pressure in the sixth, Barbosa kept Ndongeni at a distance landing effectively. It was all Barboza heading into the seventh as he continued to outwork and stay on top of Ndongeni. The ringside physician took a close look at Ndongeni to begin the eighth, Barboza kept it coming throughout the round as Ndongeni had no answers for the El Monte fighter. The corner stopped the fight at the end of round eight.

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NABF welterweight champion Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (14-0, 12 KOs) stopped Elias Diaz (12-2, 7 KOs) of National City, California in the eighth round.

Fighting at a fast pace early on, Diaz worked the jab as Curiel stalked connecting with thudding shots as he connected with a looping right. Curiel began to land more effectively as he closed the third round strong, connecting with a solid right hand. In the fourth, Diaz began trickling blood from a cut below his left eye, Curile once again connected with a looping right as the bleeding worsened for Diaz. Diaz’s eye was shut and limited his vision as Curiel began to work Diaz and then dropped him with a combination to end the fifth.

Working patiently and controlling the fight, Curiel kept on overwhelming Diaz with constant pressure through six. There was no questioning Diaz heart as he kept fighting on with his eye completely shut heading into the seventh as Curil was consistent in applying the pressure. The referee had seen in enough the following round as Curiel’s pressure was too much for Diaz, stepping in to stop the fight at 1:06.

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In the opening bout from the Virgins Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, super welterweight Emiliano Gandara (1-0, 1 KO) of Dallas, Texas made a successful professional debut with a first round knockout over Isaac Matamoros (1-2). Gandara dropped Matamoros and then finished him off at 2:11.