Urbano Antillon & Alfonso Gomez Score KOs

Lightweight contender Urbano Antillon and former Contender television show participant Alfonso Gomez both won by knockout on Friday.

At the new Hard Rock Hotel arena Antillon proved too strong for Michigan’s lefty Tyrone Harris (23-5, 15 KOs) and Gomez too experienced for another Michigan fighter Juan Buendia (14-3-1, 8 KOs) in a welterweight contest. The bout was televised on Azteca.

Looking like a 21st century version of Carmen Basilio, the Maywood prizefighter applied pressure and more pressure to boxer-puncher Harris until he finally broke in the fifth round.

A right hand straight to the gut followed by a left hook to the head dropped Harris to his knees forcing a count by the referee. The southpaw got up and was met by more pinpoint body and head blows including a left hook to the body and left hook to the head that dropped Harris again. Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight at 2:23 of the fifth round for a technical knockout win for Antillon.

“I had the best preparation for this fight working with Manny Pacquiao,” said Antillon (26-0, 19 KOs) who had sparring wars with the Pound for Pound champion for several weeks. “I’m ready for the biggest names out there.”

Antillon’s trainer Rudy Hernandez said that his fighter truly is at that point to meet the elite.

“We’re waiting for the big fight to happen,” said Hernandez who agreed with his fighter that Edwin Valero, Juan Manuel Marquez, Juan Diaz are all fighters they would love to meet.

In the other main event fight Gomez finally returned to the ring after more than a year lay off following his loss to Miguel Cotto last April 2008.

For eight rounds both fighters punished each other, but it was Buendia who seemed more comfortable. By the third round, Gomez seemed to find his timing despite repeated head clashes and began catching the Michigan welterweight from Durango, Mexico with counter right hands and uppercuts.

A perfectly placed left hook to the liver dropped Buendia to his knees. When referee Robert Byrd asked if he could continue Buendia signaled no at 1:07 of the eighth round for a technical knockout win for Gomez.

“I was a little rusty,” said Gomez (19-4-2, 9 KOs). “I’d like a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.”