By Bob Caico at ringside
Photos: Andy Newman

In a surprise, WBO #2, WBA #7, IBF #8 ranked heavyweight Bryant “BY-BY” Jennings (24-3, 14 KOs) was stopped in the twelfth round by undefeated Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (26-0, 18 KOs) on Friday night at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY.

For twelve rounds it was a tactical battle with Rivas stalking Jennings while Jennings was content on blocking the punches and firing his jab back. Neither fighter looked to take control of the fight leading to some slow moments. Rivas was ahead on two of the scorecards going into the last round. He came out as if he needed the round to win. A crushing combination dropped Jennings and he was visibly shaken. Rivas then attacked Jennings with a flurry of punches forcing the referee to end the battle.

Jennings had his IBF International and NABO heavyweight belts on the line against the unbeaten NABF champion Rivas.

Unbeaten featherweight Shakur Stevenson (10-0, 6 KOs), the 21-year-old who captured a silver medal for the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics, overwhelmed Jessie Cris Rosales (22-2-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the IBF Intercontinental and WBC Continental Americas featherweight belts. Shakur put on a clinic with body punches, uppercuts and straight left hands over the first three rounds. In the fourth round, Rosales took a chance and started to trade with Stevenson. This proved to be a huge mistake as Stevenson landed accurate combinations that dropped Rosales. He was able to get up but was on unsteady legs and referee Charlie Fitch halted the bout at 1:29. After the bout, Stevenson called out IBF world champion Josh Warrington.

Super featherweight Robson Conceicao (11-0, 5 KOs) of Brazil who won a gold medal in front of his home fans at the 2016 Rio Olympics, won a unanimous eight-round contest over Hector Ambriz of Mexico (12-9-2, 6 KOs). The judges scored the bout by identical 80-72 scores.

Former world champion Jason Sosa (22-3-4, 15 KOs) faced the rugged Moises Delgadillo (17-19-2, 9 KOs) in a super featherweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds. This was a contest where records proved to be meaningless. The first two rounds were dominated by the right hands of Delgadillo that blooded the nose of Sosa. In the third round after toe to toe action, Delgadillo landed a perfect left hook that staggered Sosa and he had to hold himself up by putting his hands on the canvas which was ruled a knockdown. The fourth round continued with close action but the tide was starting to turn for Sosa. Sosa landed a right hand in the seventh that floored Delgadillo who barely beat the count. From there on Sosa looked to be the fresher fighter as he landed short quick punches. Delgadillo to his credit kept himself in the fight taking Sosa’s punches and firing back. The scores were 97-91 twice and 96-92 for Sosa.

Super welterweight Vikas Krishan dominated Steven Andrade (3-4) in his professional debut stopping him at 2:31 of round two. The 26-year-old southpaw Krishan represented his homeland at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and became the only Indian fighter in history to capture gold medals at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games. Krishan landed several combinations but his body work finally dropped Andrade to a knee. Calmly he continued his attack and after a series of un-answered combinations referee Benjy Esteves wisely called a halt to the contest.

Unbeaten super lightweight Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (7-0, 4 KOs), who captured Olympic gold for his native Uzbekistan in 2016, retired Ricardo Garcia (14-5-1, 9 KOs) at the end of round four. Gaibnazarov scored a knockdown in round three with a right jab followed by a left hand. Garcia survived the round even though an earlier knockdown was called a slip. Gaibnazarov continued to stalk Garcia in the fourth and had some minimal results. That was enough though that Garcia and his corner decided it was wise to remain on his stool before round five.

In the opening bout at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY Carlos Adames (16-0, 13 KOs) scored a third round knockout over Juan Ruiz (21-4, 13 KOs). Adames is the NABF Jr. middleweight champion fought a non-title overweight bout as he came it at 156 pounds. After two feeling out rounds Adames began the third round targeting the body of Ruiz. A right hand to the mid-section dropped Ruiz to his knees and he could not rise from it. The knockout was at 1:57 of round three of a scheduled eight.

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