Boxing Results: Saturday's Fight Action from Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Nelson Dieppa Crushes Alex Sanchez
WBO junior flyweight champion Nelson Dieppa (22-2-2) put an exclamation point to the end of an entertaining hard-fought battle with challenger Alex ‘El Nene’ Sanchez. Sanchez, the WBO #9 rated 108-pounder and ranked #10 by the IBF, overcame a strong early start to land the heavier shots through most of the middle rounds. After Dieppa had opened the bout by peppering Sanchez (31-5-1) with straight and effective one-two combinations, Sanchez started to time the champion and make the bout more interesting. Most rounds were a back-and-forth mix of Dieppa’s strong technical boxing and accurate punching countered by Sanchez landing heavier shots in return. An accidental clash of heads early in the fight opened a small cut in the left-hand corner of the champion’s eye and it bled slowly throughout the night.

After the tenth round closed with both men trading heavy, punishing hooks it appeared as though Dieppa had given up the boxing and was content to trade with his harder hitting foe. In the fateful eleventh, as Dieppa moved back towards the ropes, he caught and oncoming Sanchez with a picture perfect punch that had Sanchez out cold before his body hit the canvas. At the moment of impact Sanchez was moving towards his left with his guard down and Dieppa delivered the concussive right hand blow that caught his opponent flush on the face, spun him 180-degrees and crashing to the canvas with his arms falling limp at his sides. Before the former title challenger hit the deck, he was knocked clear from his senses and looked to be in dangerous condition.

As the fight was immediately waved off, ringside doctors gave Sanchez the medical attention he required and, over five minutes later, he was taken from the ring on a stretcher to the hospital for further observation. For Dieppa it was a tough battle waged by two worthy competitors, but a fight he made more difficult by boxing less and fighting more than he needed. For Sanchez it was another case of coming up short when facing his stiffest challenge. But the concern now is that he recovers completely without ill effects of a knockout that will be the buzz heard around the gyms of Puerto Rico for some time.

Erik Morel Betters Juan Alfonso Keb-Bass
Former flyweight champion Erik Morel was simply the classier fighter as he out-landed the hardworking Keb-Bass round after round. Neither man was in serious trouble at any point in the fight as Morel polished his NABO 115-pound title after surrendering his 112-pound WBA title to weight issues and Lorenzo Parra.

Morel, not a heavy banger at any point in his career, simply got the better of his veteran opponent round after round and used his superior speed and skills to do what he does best – box. Although mostly uneventful, Morel (35-1) keeps busy and preserves his WBO #1, WBA #2 and IBF #6 super flyweight position.

Jose Miguel Cotto Hammers Out Armando Cordova
Just over a minute after the opening bell sounded, undefeated super featherweight Jose Miguel Cotto (25-0) put an end to thoughts of Armando Cordova scoring an upset and continues his unbeaten run as a professional. Cotto, ranked #4 by the WBO, #8 in the IBF and #12 by the WBA in the 130-pound division, blew away his over matched opponent without much ado. Bigger challenges lie ahead as ‘the other’ Cotto stays busy and leaves the night unscathed and with his NABO belt intact.

Local fans left the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum satisfied, as the Boricua boxers had successful fights and kept the positive momentum of Puerto Rican boxers in high gear. The emotion and excitement of the stunning knockout by Nelson Dieppa was the highlight of the night, while fighters and fans alike wish Alex Sanchez a complete recovery.