Antonio Orozco KOs Former Champ in Night of Knockouts at Fantasy Springs

By David A. Avila

INDIO, Ca.- Antonio Orozco never allowed former world champion Miguel Acosta to dig in and instead knocked down and then knocked out the Venezuelan slugger in the first round in their junior welterweight clash on Friday.

Once again San Diego’s Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs) showed why many see him as a future world champion as he blitzed Acosta (29-9-2, 23 KOs) with a precision attack at Fantasy Springs Casino. The Golden Boy Promotions fight card was filled with knockout wins.

Orozco had recently defeated Humberto Soto with a relentless body attack but this time he used the left hook to the jaw to do the job. It was clear that Orozco was the sharper fighter and during an exchange he emerged with Acosta’s respect after the San Diego fighter connected.

“He was a world champion for a reason. I had to respect that,” said Orozco. “During training camp we were preparing for two kinds of Acosta: a boxer type and an aggressive pressure fighter. We were expecting the world champion.”

After several body shots, Orozco got Acosta’s attention then connected with a left hook to the jaw that staggered the Venezuelan fighter. When Acosta tried to fight back another lethal left hook to the chin and three follow up blows from Orozco crumbled him. He got up and found himself in danger. Acosta tried to fight back and Orozco sliced a perfect left hook that staggered Acosta and floored him again. This time referee Eddie Hernandez did not count and stopped the fight at 1:51 of the first round for an Orozco knockout win.

“Whenever a fight ends early it’s a big relief,” said Orozco. “The last two fights went the distance.”

Frank Espinoza said it was a relief for him too.

“He’s been in with some tough fighters,” said Espinoza. “I think he showed he can fight any of the world champions.”

Local desert fighter Andrew Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs) returned to one of his familiar haunts and dominated Mexican veteran Hugo Cazares (40-9-2) with a razor sharp attack in their featherweight match. It was obvious from the opening bell that Cancio was very accurate and able to hurt Cazares repeatedly with the right hand.

“My timing is getting better and better,” said Cancio who trains in Oxnard but brought hundreds of fans from his hometown of Blythe. “It’s not easy making 126 pounds. But I want to stay here.”

Ireland’s Jason Quigley (10-0, 9 KOs) faced a new opponent in Mexico’s Freddy Lopez (10-4, 7 KOs) and looked like he was just probing for weaknesses. A shot to the head did nothing, but a right to the body crumbled the Mexican fighter who was hit with another to the head on the way down. Lopez recovered but was met with another right cross to the body and slumped to the floor once again. This time referee Eddie Hernandez counted to 10 and Quigley was announced the winner by knockout at 2:01 of the first round.

“I’m not used to hurting guys with body shots,” said Quigley. “It’s usually to the head.”

Quigley said he was hit with maybe one punch “a jab but that’s it.”

It was quick work but the middleweight was hoping for a longer fight.

“I work my butt off,” Quigley said. “I prepare myself like it’s a title fight. I go in confident I can brawl.”

Without a mark or blemish to his face maybe the Irish shooting star can be placed on an upcoming fight card in Las Vegas.

“My goal is to stay undefeated,” he said.

Even the fans seem to know he’s a special talent. A loud cheer erupted when Quigley was announced. Indio is 100 miles from Los Angeles.

Other bouts

Emilio Sanchez (12-0, 9 KOs) put his foot on the gas from the opening round against Mexico City’s Gustavo Molina (12-10, 5 KOs) and then slipped into overdrive with a pummeling that led to a knockdown in the second round. A four-punch combination forced Molina to slump to the floor but he got up. A second barrage of five consecutive blows staggered Molina and forced referee Jerry Cantu to stop the fight at 2:03 of the second round. It was the Pacoima fighter’s ninth knockout.

KeAndre Gibson (15-0-1, 7 KOs) of St. Louis out-worked and out-fought Mexico’s Hector Velasquez (57-27-3, 39 KOs) forcing a stoppage at the end of the sixth round in their super welterweight bout.

Jon Jon Dinong (2-0, 2 KOs) dominated Washington’s Jared Teer (2-6). In the fourth round, Dinong put together some combinations and a pretty good uppercut that overwhelmed Teer who kept on his feet. But referee Eddie Hernandez saw something and stopped the fight at 2:10 of the final round. It was a good stoppage. Moments later Teer was on a stretcher and taken out of the arena.

Marco Magdaleno (3-0, 2 KOs) used his wild swinging southpaw attack and eventually connected with a wide right hook that sent Luis Silva (2-8) flying across the ring. Referee Eddie Hernandez did not even bother to count and the lightweight fight was stopped at 1:29 of the third round.

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