Vergil Ortiz, Jr. stopped Frederick “General Okunka” Lawson of Ghana in the first round at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, Saturday over DAZN Oscar De La Hoya (Golden Boy Promotions) presented in the Main Event, the return of unbeaten former WBO International welterweight champion
In the Main Event, super welter Vergil Ortiz, Jr., 20-0 (20), stopped Frederick “General Okunka” Lawson, 30-4 (22), at 2:33 of the first round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first round, Lawson used an effective jab, keeping the oncoming Ortiz at bay. Ortiz stunned Lawson with a jab and had Lawson against the ropes with a dozen unanswered punches when Referee Tony Weeks prematurely called a halt to the displeasure of the crowd.
In co-Feature Ohara ‘Two Tanks’ Davies, 25-3 (18), #140, of Hackney, London, UK, was stopped by 40-year-old southpaw Ismael Barroso, 25-4-2 (23) at 1:53 of the first round of a scheduled 12 rounds for the WBA Interim Super Light title.
In the first round, starting with a left in a 3-punch combination on the chin from Barroso, dropped Davies for an 8-count from Referee Celestino Ruiz. Barroso went after Davies with a flurry of punches, dropping him again for an 8-count by referee Ruiz. Upon rising, Davies was not in good enough shape for referee Ruiz, who wisely called a halt.
Returning after almost a year, Super Light Arnold Barboza, Jr., 29-0 (11), stopped Xolisani ‘Nome Va’ Ndongeni, 31-4 (18), after eight rounds of a scheduled ten rounds.
In the first round, Ndongeni had an edge. In the second round, Barboza rocked Ndongeni with a right on the chin halfway through the round. In the final seconds, again, a right from Barboza on the chin rocked Ndongeni.
In the fifth round, Barboza had Ndongeni in trouble throughout the round. In the sixth round’s final seconds, Barboza hurt Ndongeni with a right to the body, getting him in trouble at the bell.
In the seventh round, Barboza took the first half, and with no quit in him, Ndongeni came back well until the final seconds of the round. In between rounds, the ring physician checked Ndongeni.
In the eighth round, it was all Barboza, with Ndongeni looking to get through the round. Barboza has thrown less but landed more. The Referee, Raul Caiz, Jr., called a halt as the corner of Ndongeni stopped the fight. Barboza ended up with a red welt outside of his left eye at the end in a good fight.
NABF Welter champ and Olympian Raul ‘Cugar’ Curiel, 14-0 (12) stopped Elias ‘Ingles’ Diaz, 12-2 (7) at 1:06 of the eighth round of a scheduled ten rounds.
After having an edge in the first two rounds Curiel started landing solid punches to the chin of Diaz in the third round. In the fourth round, Diaz was cut on the left eyebrow midway through the round.
In the fifth round final seconds, a right from Curiel on the chin and down went Diaz for an 8-count from Referee Mike Ortega as the bell sounded. In the sixth round, with a little over a minute remaining, Curiel rocked Diaz with a right uppercut on the chin.
Between rounds Diaz’s corner came close to stopping the fight. Curiel was out-landing Diaz two to one.
In the seventh round, a left uppercut from Curiel on the chin drove Diaz into the ropes, and referee Ortega saw enough with no complaints from Diaz, who had lost every round.
Middle southpaw Emiliano Gandara, 1-0 (1) stopped Isaac Matamoros, 1-2 (1) at 2:11 of the first round of a scheduled 4 rounds.
Ring Announcer Joe Martinez
