Rafael Espinosa wrestled the WBO Featherweight title with an action packed 12-round majority decision over Robeisy Ramirez at The Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

The taller Espinosa had a good start to the fight as he was able to get inside and land punches. Ramirez was able to get in some decent shots of his own. In round five, Ramirez landed a right hook that sent Espinosa to the deck. Espinosa got up but fell back down at the bell.

The two traded flurries of punches which thrilled the sold out crowd which favored the Cuban born Ramirez. In round 12, Espinosa’s pressure finally wilted Ramirez and dropped the now-former champion with a flurry that was capped by a left hook.

That seemed to be the difference as Espinosa won by scores of 115-111, 114-112 and 113-113.

Espinosa, 125.3 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is now 22-0. Ramirez, 125.6 lbs of Cuba is 13-2.

Espinoza said, “I didn’t think about anything in here. I just thought about winning. I even asked what round we were in. And I knew that I had to drop him in order to win. I just put my heart into it. I always do that. And thank God it happened.

“I think I’ve had a broken foot since the second round. But what kept me on my feet was my daughter, my parents, my wife and my family. I knew that all of Mexico was watching me. And I knew that I had to become a world champion.”

Ramirez said, “We did what we always do. We followed what Ismael Salas told us to do. We scored the knockdown and tried to end the fight, but it didn’t happen.

“I thought the fight was won. But he got his second wind. I tried to catch mine. But I’ve got to give him credit. He came after me. He got the knockdown. I didn’t think it would determine the result, but that’s what the judges decided.”

Zayas Stops Fortea in 5

Promising Xander Zayas stopped Jorge Fortea in round five of their 10-round junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Zayas dropped Fortea with a left to the body. In round five, it as another left to the body that put Fortea down for the 10-count at 1:37.

Zayas, 153.6 lbs of San Juan, PR is 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Fortea, 153,7 lbs of Souce, ESP is 24-4-1.

Zayas, “We knew that he likes to keep his elbows out. And it was just a matter of time after we got him in the first round. After that, he went into survival mode and brought his elbows down. But then we got him with another body shot.”

Good looking Bruce Carrington remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over Jason Sanchez in a 10-round featherweight fight.

In round two, Carrington rocked Sanchez with a right. He followed him around the ring and dropped Sanchez with a hard right. Sanchez was not all the way back and then ate a left hook just before the bell and went to the canvas again and the fight was over at 2:59.

Carrington, 125.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 10-0 with six knockouts. Sanchez, 125.7 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 16-5.

Carrington said, “This was a statement to the rest of the featherweight division. I want all the smoke. It doesn’t’ matter who it is.”

Richard Torrez Jr. had to almost go the distance for the first time. The key word is almost as he stopped veteran Curtis Harper in the eighth and final round of their heavyweight bout.

Torrez battered Harper throughout the fight and finished him with a hard flurry of punches on the ropes before a referee stoppage at 2:03.

Torrez, 230.8 lbs of Tulure, CA is 8-0 with eight knockouts. Harper, 273.9 lbs of Clarksville, TN is 14-11.

Torrez said, “I knew I needed the rounds, and Curtis Harper was a tough, game opponent. This is an experience that will only help me as I progress.
 
“When I saw his mouthpiece fly out, I knew the knockout was coming. I’m happy I got the rounds in and a knockout.”

Jahi Tucker and Francisco Daniel Veron fought to a eight-round majority draw in a junior middleweight contest.

Tucker won a scorecard by a 77-75 tally, that was overruled by two 76-76 cards.

Tucker, 155.2 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 10-1-1. Veron, 155.1 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 13-0-1.

Rohan Polanco scored a sixth round stoppage over Keith Hunter in a eight-round junior welterweight bout.

In round six, Polanco hurt Hunter and landed a huge flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:06. Hunter was visibly upset and may have struck the referee.

Polanco, 142.9 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 11-0 with seven knockouts. Hunter, 139.3 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is now 15-2.

Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with an eight-round split decision over Jimmer Espinosa in a junior welterweight bout.

Johnson, 141.6 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 79-73 and 78-74, while Espinosa took a card 77-75.

Johnson is now 11-0. Espinosa, 141.2 lbs of Tuxtl, MEX is 15-2.

Damian Knyba remained undefeated with eight-round unanimous decision over Michael Coffie in a heavyweight bout.

Knyba, 264.1 lbs of Wodzyn, POL won by scores 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is 13-0. Coffie, 290.9 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 13-5.

ORLANDO, FL– -Orestes Velazquez remained undefeated as Guillermo Leonel Crocco could not continue to fight in round two of their 10-round super lightweight bout that headlined the WBA Convention KO for Drugs Night of Champions Fight card at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

After the first round, Crocco complained of a shoulder injury and the fight was stopped one second into round two.

Velazquez is now 6-0 with six knockouts. Crocco is 20-3-1.

Francisco Daniel Veron stopped Leonardo Ruiz in round five of their 10-round welterweight fight featuring undefeated fighters.

Veron was dominant throughout and the fight was stopped after a hard flurry of punches in round five at 2:37.

Veron of Argentina is now 11-0 with nine knockouts. Ruiz of Pomona, CA is 11-1.

Yamaguchi Falcao stopped Ernest Amuzu in round seven of their round super middleweight bout.

Falcao dropped Anuzu in round two. Falcao dropped Amuzu again in round seven, and the fight was stopped after the corner threw in the towel.

Falcao of Brazil is 24-1-1 with 10 knockouts. Amuzu is now 26-8.

Melvin Lopez won a 10-round split decision over Jobert Alvarez in a bantamweight bout.

Lopez won by scores of 97-92 and 95-94, while Alvarez took a card 95-94.

Lopez is now 29-1. Alvarez is 20-4-2.

Conor Coyle remained undefeated as he stopped Sladen Janjanin in a scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

Coyle scored a knockdown in round seven from a flurry of punches. The corner of Janjnain pulled the plug on the fight following the frame.

Coyle of Ireland is now 18-0 with eight knockouts. Janjanin of Bosnia is 34-14.

Idalberto Umara stopped Emiliano Martin Garcia in round five of their 10-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Umara dropped Garcia with a strong right hand. At the end of the round, Umara was able to send Garcia down again with a left hook off of a flurry. Umara ended things in round five when he landed a booming right hand that sent Garcia down and the fight was stopped at 2:17

Umara is now 8-1 with five knockouts. Garcia is 18-9-1.

Jeovanny Estela won a six-round unanimous decision over Luis Eduardo Florez in a welterweight bout.

Estela dropped Florez with a body shot in round five. Florez was docked a point at the end of round five for hitting behind the head. Estela registered a second knockdown in round six with a right hand.

Estela won by scores of 60-52 on all cards and is now 10-0. Florez is 25-25.

Ibrahimo Diallo won a six-round unanimous decision over Carlos Cruz in a middleweight bout.

Diallo of Guinea won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 6-0. Cruz of Nicaragua is 2-9.

Raiko Santana scored a mild upset as he took a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Joseph George in a super middleweight bout.

Santana hurt George several times throughout the fight and won by scores of 98-91, 97-93 and 96-94 to raise his record to 9-3. George of Houston, TX is 12-1.

Damian Lescaille stopped veteran Rondale Hubbert in the opening round of their six-round welterweight bout.

Lescaille of Cuba dropped Hubbert three times and the bout was stopped at 2:39.

Lesxaille of Cuba is 2-0 with one knockout. Hubbert of Minnesota is 14-25-3.

Herich Ruiz Cordoba stopped Phillip Jean Seide in the opening round of their six-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Cordoba landed some blistering left hands. Just before the end of the round, Cordoba landed a booming left that snapped back the head of Seide and dropped him to the canvas and the fight was stopped just as the bell sounded to end the round.

Alex Rios Vega pounded out a four-round unanimous decision over Christopher Nelson in a junior welterweight bout.

Vega, 138 1/4 lbs of Saint Cloud, FL won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 5-0. Nelson, 132 3/4 lbs of Kentucky is 4-22.