By Ken Hissner: At Madison Square Garden Theater in New York, New York, before a sold-out crowd Saturday over ESPN+ and ESPN Bob Arum (Top Rank) in the Main Event presented WBO NABO Super Middleweight champion, and No. 7 ranked WBO unbeaten Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga of Lower East Side of Brooklyn, New York, struggling to defeat former middleweight title challenger Steve “Mr.” Rolls of Toronto, Canada over ten rounds.
In the Main Event Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 19-0 (16), #168.7, of Lower East Side Brooklyn, NY, defeated Steve “Mr.” Rolls, 21-2 (12), #168.4, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, over ten close rounds.
Berlanga was cut on the left eyebrow from an unintentional elbow from Rolls in the second round. The bigger Berlanga, for the most part, has overpowered Rolls, who is moving up from middleweight.
In the third round, Berlanga stalked Rolls, who in the final seconds landed a lead right on the chin of Berlanga, whose left hand had been to his side.
In the fourth round, Berlanga landed a right, though not flush on the chin of Rolls, getting his attention. Rolls boxed well, countering enough to take his first round.
Rolls continued backing up using his jab in the fifth and sixth rounds but not working on the cut of the bigger Berlanga from the time it happened in the second round.
In the seventh round, Berlanga continued to follow Rolls around the ring while Rolls drew blood from the nose of Berlanga with his many jabs taking another round.
In the eighth round, Berlanga finally landed a right to the body of Rolls and another right later below the beltline.
In the final minute of the ninth round, Berlanga landed a left to the body on the beltline and a right on top of the head of Rolls taking the round. In the tenth and final round, Rolls was landing three jabs at a time on several occasions, outworking Berlanga. The Referee was Benjy Esteves.
Scores were 96-94 and 97-93 twice, with this writer 95-95.
Super Lightweight southpaw John “El Terrible” Bauza, 17-0 (7), #140.2, of Catagua, PR, defeated Tony “The Lightning” Luis, 29-5 (10), #140.8, of Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, over eight rounds.
In the first four rounds, Bauza controlled the action in a foul-filled fight having Referee Eddie Claudia warning both fighters with Luis the aggressor and Bauza countering.
In the fifth and sixth rounds, Louis gained control for the most part. In the seventh round, Luis hurt Bauza with a solid jab on the right arm of Bauza, who shook it off but won the round.
Luis continued coming forward in the eighth and final round, with Bauza countering well enough to win the fight.
Scores were 80-72, 79-73, and 78-74, as this writer had it 79-73.
In the co-feature, Super Welterweight Xander Zayas, 13-0 (9), #152.6, of PR and Sunrise, FL, easily defeated Quincy “Chico” LaVallais, 12-3-1 (7), #152.6, of Kenner, LA, over eight rounds.
Zayas had LaVallais against the ropes near a stoppage at the bell in the second round. In the fifth round, Zayas hurt LaVallais with left hooks to the body.
In the sixth round, Zayas dominated LaVallais, with the ring physician coming in between rounds checking LaVallais. In the eighth and final round, Zayas continued outworking LaVallais, winning every round of this one. The Referee was Eric Dali.
Scores were 80-71 and 80-72 twice, as did this writer have it.
Super Featherweight southpaw Henry “Moncho” Lebron, 15-0 (9), #130.6, of Aguadilla, PR, impressed in stopping Josec “Escorpion” Ruiz, 23-6-3 (16), #130.4, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and Miami, FL, at 2:23 of a scheduled eight rounds.
In the first round, it was all Lebron, with Ruiz hardly landing a punch. In the fourth round, Lebron countered the oncoming Ruiz, landing 3-punch combinations to the head and body of Ruiz on several occasions, winning all four rounds.
Lebron had Ruiz in trouble in the sixth round with a minute remaining, landing an overhand lead left on the chin. In the seventh round of a lopsided fight, Lebron hurt Ruiz with a 3-punch combination, the final one a left on the chin driving Ruiz back several steps having him hurt Referee Benjy Esteves wisely called a halt with Lebron winning every round. Lebron had won three straight 8 round decisions before this fight.
Super Featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, 3-0 (2), #129.8, of Brownsville Brooklyn, NY, impressed in knocking out game Yeuri “Dinamita” Andujar, 5-5-1 (3), #129.6, of San Christobal, DR, at 0:51 of the fifth round of a scheduled six rounds.
In the third round, after dropping the first two rounds, Andujar suffered a cut on the left eyebrow from a clash of heads. Andujar went on the offense after this taking the round. In the fourth round, Carrington had Andujar hurt several times, causing Referee Eddie Claudio between rounds to warn Andujar “to show me something!” He then had the ring physician check him out.
In the fifth round, almost a minute into it, a vicious left hook from Carrington on the chin and down went Andujar and out as referee Claudio waved it off without a count.
Welterweight Jahi Tucker, 7-0 (4), #147.8, of Deer Park, NY, defeated Tracey McGruder, 6-2 (4), #147.8, of Rochester, NY, over six rounds.
Tucker dominated the first three rounds. In the fourth round, McGruder kept coming forward against the countering Tucker. Tucker spent the round showboating in the fifth round as McGruder had him pinned in a corner early before Tucker worked his way out.
Tucker kept a step ahead of the oncoming McGruder in the sixth and final round, countering him enough to take the round and the fight.
Scores were 60-54 twice and 59-55, as did this writer have it. The Referee was Eric Dali.
Super Lightweight southpaw Armani “The Legacy” Almestica, 5-0 (5), #139.2, of PR and Orlando, FL, impressed in stopping game Luis Valentin Portalatin, 3-4 (1), #140.2, of Tos Alta, PR, at 1:57 of the third round of a scheduled four rounds.
In the final seconds of the first round, Almestica landed a left lead to the chin of Portalatin, stunning him. Portalatin got in several lead rights to the chin in the second round, but Almestica’s uppercuts to the chin did the most damage in the round.
In the third round, a four-punch combination from Almestica landed on the chin, causing Portalatin to back up to the ropes with hands held high in surrender, causing Referee Eric Dali to call a halt with no complaint from Portalatin.
Super Lightweight southpaw Kelvin Davis, 4-0 (3), #143.6, of Norfolk, VA, stopped Phillip “Fresh” Carmouche, 2-3 (0), #144.8, of Las Vegas, NV, @1:17 of the first of a scheduled four rounds.
In the first round, Davis, early in the round, scored a knockdown Carmouche with a lead left on the chin causing a glove to touch the canvas for an 8-count from Referee Eric Dali.
Davis was on the attack shortly later, landing three lefts to the chin of Carmouche, driving him into the ropes partially down, causing referee Dali to call a halt.