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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
Likely a night of Golden Boy set-ups.
Then Don’t watch, it’s that simple my boi.
Up yours Oscar.
Don’t talk to your daddy Oscar like that…hahahaha!
It so simple soiboi, it’s corruption and corruption must be called out every time.
What about the plethora of one-sided contests in other sports – is that also corruption?
It’s not corruption
It was Tony wells fault and it’s not his first time he does a wrong early stoppage
Besides Ortiz does not need help to beat Lawson
So don’t talk ¥£€>>>%#%
Joseph, yeah no kidding.
Ol’ G barroso just busted up o’hara in round one! Ol’ man coming back with a vengeance………to take his stolen belt from rolly!
Barbosa vs Paro should be next WBO title elimator winner fights Lopez
You do understand Paro fights at 140 vs Ortiz fights at 154.
That counter left Barroso landed was GORGEOUS! They said Romero had until March to fight him or they’d strip him. Barroso will certainly be ready. Wow!
That’s what happens when you step straight back with your hands down instead moving side to side. Clean punch.
Yep. You are completely right. He basically asked him for it.
Barroso was whipping Romero but Tony weeks was overdosed
Tonite if referee let the fight going Barroso was going to win by ko anyway
Tony ‘Terrible Stoppages’ Weeks strikes again, no standing 8 just wave it off. Pathetic, the guy should stick to scoring MMA fights
Tony Weeks is the modern day Richard “save our fighter” Steele, with the same style of pay-offs, at the dinner table, in the restaurant, by a rep of the alphabet soup.
B side fighters can’t get justice anywhere! At least not in the States or UK, were boxing is controlled and manipulated by the promoter of the A-side fighter. Eastern European and Asian countries have fairer officiating. Tony Weeks, the same Tony Weeks who let the first Corrales-Castillo fight reach a thrilling heart-stopping conclusion. The same Tony Weeks who allows Badou Jack to literally bleed to death in a distance fight with Marcus Browne. I no longer watch boxing anymore because it’s so predictable what’s going to happen. We might get an unfollowed script or upset twice a year at best.
Jack, so what exactly did he do wrong in the corrales/castillo fight?
Tony did everything right in Corrales-Castillo I. I used that as an example, along with Browne-Jack to show that this was like not the same ref that he once was. The real question though, would Weeks have called an early stoppage if the A-side guy was in trouble? I don’t think he would have.
Not defending Weak Weeks here, but there was no standing eight count in effect.
Tony Weeks needs to be relieved of all of his duties. This guy is a complete derelict. Short changes everyone. Go away you clown.
Referre Tony Weeks is absolutely garbage. I’m at the fights now. Lawson wasn’t even hurt. He was covering up well. Everyone here is pissed. People spent their hard earned money for this crap!!!
Terrible stoppage in the main event… but this isn’t a surprise. Early/random stoppages for A-side fighters are becoming an even bigger issue than in the past.
Referee Tony Weeks is absolutely garbage. I’m at the fights now. Lawson wasn’t even hurt. He was covering up well. Everyone here is pissed. People spent their hard earned money for this crap!!!
Tsyzu vs Ortiz be a great fight in the near future I think Tim Tszyu be too strong for Ortiz but need to fight top 10 contender first before call out Tsyzu
You must be out of your mind if u think Tsyzu will beat Ortiz, not a chance.
I’m not out my mind at all just having a opinion that’s all I think Ortiz need to fight 10 top contenders before calling out Tsyzu or Charlo and I still think Tsyzu will beat Charlo too.
Easy to bet tonight’s set-up fights. Special thanks to Tony Weeks and GBP.
Ortiz has shown a very odd ability to seriously hurt people with jabs and he landed a nice one which rocked Lawson…. but it’s a fight! That stoppage was trash. In an amateur fight, he’d get a standing eight and they’d let him continue even. Refs get old just like anyone else and maybe Weeks’ time has come.
Good God Lucie…Weeks is starting to make Laurence Cole look really good! I have never had an official fight and I have been hurt more then Lawson was tonight in a couple of scuffles I got into as a kid!….and in one of my sparring sessions. Sadly I used to think Weeks was a good ref. So happy for Barroso! I normally do not like Ruiz but that one was a good stoppage! I was going to bed but now I am wound up..lol!
Laurence Cole is awful. He’s a truly hideous referee, but he would not have stopped that fight. Good night, Pete. Actually that isn’t a bad idea. Think I’ll go to bed as well.
Good night Lucie! Laurence makes me laugh as soon as I see him …do now know why! Talk again!
Tony Weeks should NEVER referee another fight. He is either super incompetent or blatantly on the take.
Dark Night of the Mismatches, starring Vergil Ortiz.
Tell that to the promotor and don’t come crying to us….lol
Geez, when did these fights start at 200pm. It’s 830 on the west coast and it’s already over????
Tony weeks ….did it again “…. Britney Spears
It’s cool to protect the fighters but they are profesional fighters
Wait til you see a real damage
This is not amateur boxing
Might as well let Ortiz fight Tzsyu because they will test each other in a great fight.
Congrats to Barroso.
Fights a obscure opponent then thinks he’s king shit. Mr Ortis, please fight someone of note before you start calling out people at this weight .
Or your mouth will come back to bite you
It doesn’t matter if the fight was stopped too early or not. We all know what would have happened. I never heard of dude, but we all knew how it would end. Now Virg is steppin’ to the right opponents. Tim Tszyu would be the perfect fight for Virgil. That is if Virg can make Tim respect him by tapping Tim’s chin and body. Tim ain’t gonna roll over. Dude can crack and he comes seek and destroy. Virgil has been cracked a few times and the Aztec keeps coming until your ass is on the canvas. That would be a damb good fight. Virgil has come back to back to twist dude’s caps back. Well, brother, you picked the right one.
When you study boxing the way Mike Tyson did, thanks to Cus, you can call some shit. In a fight against Tim Tazyu I got Virgil winning by knockout between the sixth and eighth rounds.
Ohara Davies(no relation) stumbles big time at every challenge failing to back up his trash talk before fights and gets badly exposed.
Seriously need the standing 8-count back in boxing to help stop the refs from making stupid decisions with these ridiculous overreacting stoppages.
This was one of the worse cards ever.
the Gandara kid looks promising and nothing much more to add on Ortiz that hasnt already been said so lets get that Ortiz vs Tszu
Ortiz looked bigger than Lawson.
Vergil was throwing hard left and right punches.
We didn’t get to see much since the fight was prematurely stopped
that jr. welter div. is loaded, now if the promoters and managers and the fighters themselfes can all work together then in for a special year, if is the big question.