By Rob Soucy @ Ringside
Luis Ortiz TKO7 Bryant Jennings
In the HBO Boxing After Dark main event, Luis Ortiz had a big first round hurting Bryant Jennings and battering him around the ring for the last 45 seconds of the round.
Having survived, Jennings would come back in round two and landed a big right uppercut that may have won him the round.
Ortiz would have Jennings in serious trouble again in round three as he landed a left hand on Jennings ear.
Jennings came out in round four and was able to stay close to Ortiz and smother him.
Ortiz kept his distance in the fifth round and found his range again. When Jennings stayed all the way out or put his head on Ortiz’ chest he had success. But when he got caught on the end of Ortiz’ punches he got hit clean and hurt.
Ortiz adjusted and in round seven landed a wicked left uppercut that dropped Jennings face first. Jennings was able to beat the ten count but was hurt bad. Ortiz landed a right hook and straight left hand that had Jennings out on his feet and the fight was stopped.
Nicholas Walters Draw 10 Jason Sosa
In the HBO Boxing After Dark co-feature, Nicholas Walters got off to a slow start and was out worked by Jason Sosa in the first round. Both men seemed determined to go to the other’s body early staying busy as they traded shots on the inside.
The pace through four rounds was fast and without any holding as both men had their moments.
In round five, Walters landed a a looping right hand that momentarily staggered Sosa and by round seven had figured Sosa out as he seemingly took control of the action.
Sosa was game but as the fight wore on but Walters’ superior skills were apparent.
Sosa landed his best punch of the night, a hard right hand in round nine but Walters took it well. The two fighters traded hard shots over a furious final minute of the round.
Walters and Sosa finished the fight the same way they that had started it, at a furious pace. Amazingly, neither of the three judges scored the fight for Walters with two scoring it even.
Much to the dismay of the ringside media, who overwhelmingly had Walters winning big, the fight was declared a majority draw.
Undercard Results:
Vyacheslav Shabranskyy MD Yuniesky Gonzalez 95-95, 98-92, 97-93
In the HBO Latina Main Event it was bombs away from the opening bell as Yuniesky Gonzalez and Vyacheslav Shabranskyy traded heavy leather. Both men, considered heavy punchers coming in, landed big shots in the early rounds. Gonzalez found a home for his straight right hand but Shabrannskky didn’t take a step back.
In round three, Shabrannskky landed a three-punch combination with Gonzalez on the ropes that rocked the cuban star.
In the fourth round, it seemed both fighters took their foot off the gas for what turned out to be a well deserved break.
In round five, Shabrannskky was landing the cleaner punches and seemingly began to take control of the fight. The undefeated Ukrainian was finding a home for his straight right hand but in round six Gonzalez won the stanza with hard right hands of his own.
After seven rounds the difference in the fight was Shabrannskky’s ability to take Gonzalez’ power as well as hurt him a few times.
The last third of the fight featured the same back and forth action of the previous rounds.
In the closing seconds, Shabranskyy landed a right hand that rocked Gonzalez and followed up with a flurry that nearly had him out on his feet. Shabranskyy remained unbeaten improving to 15-0 (12 ko’s) while Gonzalez dropped to 16-2 (12 ko’s).
Gabriel Rosado 22-9 (13 ko’s) UD10 Joshua Clottey 39-5 (22 ko’s)
Yuriorkis Gamboa 25-1 (17 ko’s) UD10 Hylon Williams 16-1-1 (3 ko’s)
Steven Martinez 16-2 (13 ko’s) TKO2 Jorge Melendez 28-6-1 (26 ko’s)
