Report/Photos: Boxing Bob Newman

Power punching king of the smallest division in boxing – WBO Mini Flyweight champion Oscar Collazo defended his title against Nicaraguan Gerardo Zapata in the main event of Oscar de La Hoya’s Golden Boy show at the Turning Stone Casino on DAZN. After a moderately interesting first round, Zapata landed a beautiful right to the chin of Collazo, staggering him wildly around the ring. Try as he might, Zapata could not finish his foe as the bell saved the champ. Collazo regains his composure and seemed to take the third with a steady, measured offense. For the next several rounds, Collazo seem to gest outwork Zapata, although he did take his share of blows in the process. In the 8th round, Zapata either couldn’t get off the ropes or chose to rest there as Collazo did good work, although not hurting Zapata in the process. This pattern continued for the next three rounds with Zapata. Largely fighting off the ropes and spurts and Collazo doing enough work to win the round but never seriously going for the stoppage. The 12th and final round saw both combatants take turns initiating the action and then dancing around. In the end it was all academic as Collazo won a comfortable 119-109 x 2 and 117-110 unanimous decision to retain his title for the third time. He moves to 10-0, 7 KOs, while Zapata falls to 14-2-1, 5 KOs.

_

Eric Tudor, older brother of opening bout winner Sasha, made short work of Roddricus Livsey, stopping him with multiple body shots at 2:19 of the first round. Tudor jabbed and threw body shots at will, while Livsey missed badly with the few shots that he attempted. Tudor improves to 11-1, 7 KOs, while Livsey drops to 12-3-1, 9 KOs.

In what would be began a very technical fight, Connecticut welterweight Mykquan Williams and Venezuelan born, Mexican resident Willmank Brito took a couple rounds to size each other up. By the 3rd, Williams seemed to figure out what he needed to do, hurting Brito on several occasions. Williams wound up on the floor from what referee Mark Nelson ruled a push, just as he was going in for the finish.  After getting his gloves dusted off, Williams landed the finishing shot- a counter right cross, that laid Brito out for a 9 count. After bravely rising to his feet, Brito took more punishment and Nelson waved it off at 2:57 of the third. William rises to 21-0-2, 10 KOs, while Brito falls to 12-6-2, 10 KOs.

In a fight that could be considered the round of the year in its entirety, Pennsylvania light heavyweight David Stevens and Buenos Aires fighter Sergio Lopez played rock’em sock’em robots for less than around has both men hammered and hurt each other on multiple occasions. At first it was Stevens who was hurt multiple times and at one point, referee Charlie Fitch had Stevens step to his left and then right to assess the fighter’s equilibrium. Both fighters had hit the canvas together twice as Stevens was hurt and essentially tackled Lopez. Then out of nowhere, on the verge of being stopped himself, Steven decked Lopez face down with a vicious combination to the head. It didn’t look as if Lopez would rise, but he did so at the count of nine. A follow-up barrage put him down again prompting Fitch to end matters at 2:13 of the opening stanza. Stevens moves to 14-1, 10 KOs. Lopez falls to 14 and 6, 10 KOs.

Mexico’s Yair Gallardo patiently, but deliberately, took apart Puerto Rico’s Michael Ruiz in less than two fast-paced rounds. Ruiz had a cut left eye before the end of the first. Gallardo’s pinpoint headshots seemingly never missed as he rocked Ruiz time and time again. Referee Benjy Esteves finally rescued Ruiz at 1:18 of the second round, with Ruiz still standing but taking a hammering in the center of the ring. Gallardo moves to 8-0, 7 KOs, while Ruiz falls to 7-3, 5KOs.

Local boy Bryce Mills took on the vastly more experienced Jose Marruffo In a scheduled six round welterweight bout. In a bout that was much tougher than the final score revealed, Mills took almost as good as he got from the rugged Marruffo over the distance. The final scores were 60-54 twice and 59-55, all for Mills who moves to 16-1, 5KOs. Marruffo slides to 14-14-2, 2 KOs.

In a scheduled four round super welter scrap, Sasha Tudor made quick work of opponent Manuel Moreira in the first fight of the night on the Golden Boy show at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. A right-left-right combo to the head dropped Moreira in a neutral corner for a 9-count. A follow up barrage in the opposite neutral corner prompted referee Charlie Fitch to step in a save Moreira at 1:10 of the opening stanza. Tudor goes to 1-0-1, 1 KO, while Moreira falls to 1-6.