Sosa rolls by TKO; Olympic star Ramirez upset

Junior light-weight Jason Sosa relentlessly pounded Haskell Lydell Rhodes to the physique and scored three knockdowns in a dominating seventh-round knockout victory in the principle occasion of the High Rank Boxing on ESPN+ card on Saturday on the Liacouras Middle in Philadelphia.

Sosa, from close by Camden, New Jersey, and the favourite of the gang of 1,723, received in spectacular trend in a struggle that was elevated from the co-feature to the principle occasion on Monday, after former two-division world titlist Carl Frampton suffered a damaged left hand in a freak non-boxing accident, forcing his struggle with Emmanuel Dominguez to be canceled.

“We’re fairly happy. We did every thing we have been speculated to do tonight,” Sosa stated. “There’s room for enchancment, however we really feel nice, and we really feel like we’re a high contender as soon as once more. I by no means left.”

It was a tough struggle waged totally on the within, the place Sosa (23-Three-Four, 16 KOs), 31, a former secondary junior light-weight world titleholder, received the higher of the motion all through the struggle, as he landed his share of head pictures however actually targeting breaking Rhodes all the way down to the physique. Rhodes confirmed an enormous coronary heart however did little aside from take the punches, maintain, wrestle and attempt to tie Sosa up.

Sosa lashed Rhodes to the midsection and flanks with abandon within the third spherical earlier than connecting with uppercuts later within the spherical.

By the fourth spherical, Rhodes seemed like he was there simply to outlive towards Sosa, the larger puncher and extra aggressive man.

Sosa scored two knockdowns within the fifth spherical, with the primary coming when he nailed Rhodes with a left hook to the top that dropped him flat on his again. Rhodes slammed his head on the mat on the knockdown however confirmed dedication to outlive. His legs have been very unsteady as he tried to carry on for expensive life. Sosa continued to pound him with each palms, finally sending him to all fours with an overhand proper with about 10 seconds left within the spherical.

Junior light-weight Jason Sosa received his third straight struggle since struggling back-to-back losses in 2017. Mikey Williams/High Rank

Sosa snapped Rhodes’ head again together with his jab within the sixth spherical, throughout which an unintended head butt opened a lower over Sosa’s left eye. However even with blood dripping down the facet of his face, Sosa continued to assault Rhodes, regularly pounding him to the physique.

Early within the seventh spherical, Sosa landed a brief left uppercut for the third knockdown of the struggle. Rhodes (27-Four-1, 13 KOs), 31, of Las Vegas, seemed completed, however the struggle continued, a minimum of for a short while longer.

As Sosa continued to land punches, Rhodes coach Danny Garcia stepped up onto the ring apron and known as for the struggle to be stopped. Referee Benjy Esteves obliged and waved it off at 1 minute, eight seconds. It was the primary stoppage lack of Rhodes’ profession.

In line with CompuBox statistics, Sosa landed 145 of 383 punches (38%), together with touchdown 55 physique pictures. Rhodes landed simply 44 of 257 blows (17%). Sosa outlanded Rhodes 71-6 over the ultimate three rounds.

Sosa received his third struggle in a row since back-to-back losses in 2017, a ninth-round knockout difficult then-junior light-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko adopted by a controversial majority resolution loss to former two-division titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Now Sosa is hoping to land one other shot at a world title, which might occur, particularly given how deep High Rank is at 130 kilos, the place it promotes titleholders Miguel Berchelt and Jamel Herring.

“I want a title,” Sosa stated. “I wish to name out Berchelt and get that WBC belt. Do not forget about me. I am right here. I ain’t going nowhere. I am a warrior, child. I come to struggle, and I placed on good fights. The followers see me and respect me. I come out each night time and do it for them.”

Gonzales stuns Cuban Olympic star Ramirez

In an enormous upset, featherweight Adan Gonzales, the hand-picked opponent, scored a first-round knockdown and went on to win a well-deserved break up resolution over heralded two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez, who was making his a lot anticipated skilled debut.

Gonzales received by scores of 40-35 and 39-36 on two scorecards, whereas one choose surprisingly had it 38-37 for Ramirez.

Gonzales took it to Ramirez from the outset. He shockingly dropped Ramirez with a left hand to the top seconds into the struggle and continued to have success for the remainder of the spherical, together with nailing Ramirez with an uppercut in a back-and-forth spherical.

Ramirez not often jabbed, regularly pulled straight again from punches, received nailed repeatedly and confirmed little or no urgency even within the remaining spherical of a struggle that was clearly not going his method.

“After they introduced a break up resolution, I knew I higher have received that struggle, or one thing would have significantly been unsuitable,” Gonzales stated. “I attacked him from the beginning, and I received the win. You ain’t seen the final of me.”

When ring announcer Jimmy Lennon learn the scorecards and Gonzales (5-2-2, 2 KOs), 22, of Denver, was declared the winner, he did a again flip whereas Ramirez instantly left the ring in a shocking scene.

Ramirez spoke later in his dressing room and stated he thought he received the struggle.

“I believe I received the struggle. The primary spherical, they known as it a knockdown. I believed it was a slip,” he stated by way of an interpreter. “I went down, and I wasn’t harm. It was a flash factor. He actually did not hit me with something important. I really feel like I received the struggle. I really feel my punches have been cleaner punches. They landed cleanly. His have been touchdown on the guard, the elbow. They weren’t clear. I really feel they received it unsuitable.”

Just a few moments later, nevertheless, Ramirez admitted that it was a poor efficiency.

“I really feel that it was a foul exhibiting on my first professional struggle to take a loss,” he stated. “Clearly, this can stymie my profession. Have to return to the drafting board and make a greater exhibiting.”

In line with CompuBox, Gonzales landed 43 of 262 punches (16%), and Ramirez landed 51 of 161 (32%).

Ramirez (Zero-1), 25, a southpaw who fights out of Gulfport, Florida, received the flyweight gold medal in 2012 and the bantamweight gold medal in 2016 and was seen by many as a future star within the professional ranks. He left the Cuban nationwide group throughout a coaching camp in Mexico final yr and finally defected earlier than signing with High Rank earlier this yr.

Ramirez, who started boxing at age 10, additionally received gold on the 2011 and 2013 Pan American Video games, the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Video games, the 2010 Youth Olympic Video games and the 2010 Youth World Boxing Championships. He received his weight class within the Cuban nationwide newbie championships in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Berlanga scores one other first-round KO

Puerto Rican-born, New York-based middleweight prospect Edgar Berlanga scored his 12th consecutive first-round knockout to start his skilled profession as he blitzed Gregory Trenel.

Trenel (11-5-2, Three KOs), 28, of France, who got here into the struggle having received two fights in a row, had by no means been stopped in his defeats, however Berlanga (12-Zero, 12 KOs), 22, had no issues taking him aside and doing so shortly.

With a bit of over a minute left within the spherical, Berlanga landed a left behind the ear that knocked him down. When the struggle resumed, Berlanga teed off on him, smashing him with physique and head pictures. He had Trenel in bother, and when he rocked him with a proper uppercut, referee Benjiy Esteves jumped in and waved off the struggle at 2 minutes, 24 seconds.

“Simply repetition. Observe the sport plan for each struggle and execute,” Berlanga stated in describing his method to the struggle. “[Trenel] took an excellent shot. The ref known as an excellent name. I wish to go to the second spherical. It is boxing. You may’t at all times have what you need. Finally, I will go these rounds when the competitors steps up.”