Fast Results from Arizona: Pedraza Takes Down Beltran; Dogboe Sizzles

The Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ, home of the NHL Phoenix Coyotes, harbored Saturday’s Top Rank show on ESPN. In the featured bout, Puerto Rico’s Jose Pedraza wrested the WBO world lightweight title from Raymundo Beltran. In the co-feature, WBO 122-pound champion Isaac Dogboe blew away Hidenori Otake in the opening round.

Beltran, a pro since 1999, was making the first defense of the title he won from Paulus Moses in Reno. Born in Mexico but a longtime resident of Phoenix, he had the crowd in his corner. But Pedraza, a former IBF 130-pound title-holder, had youth on his side and was ultimately too slick for the 37-year-old now ex-champion.

The presumption in many quarters was that Beltran, a high-pressure fighter, would eventually wear down his Puerto Rican adversary. But it was actually Pedraza who came on stronger in the homestretch. In round 11, he scored the fight’s lone knockdown, decking Beltran with a short left uppercut. He ended the fight in high style, pinning Beltran in a corner and flailing away with swift combinations.

Visiting Nevada judges Robert Hoyle and Lisa Giamba had it 117-110 for the challenger, scores that seemed too wide despite Pedraza’s late round dominance. The other tally, 115-112, made it unanimous.

A victory for Beltran, now 35-8-1, was expected to lead to a rich payday in a December showdown with Vasyl Lomachenko in Los Angeles. But Pedraza spoiled the soup, bringing an unhappy ending to what would have been a feel-good story. Apparently he will now draw the coveted assignment but it wouldn’t be shocking if Bob Arum goes in a different direction. Pedraza, 25-1, is a former Olympian and has won world titles in two weight classes, but a fight between him and Lomachenko likely wouldn’t draw well as it wouldn’t have a compelling storyline.

Dogboe

In the co-feature, ever-improving five-foot-two mighty-mite Isaac Dogboe (20-0, 14 KOs) made short work of Hidenori Otake (31-3-3), dismissing the 37-year-old Japanese invader in the opening round. Otake hadn’t previously been stopped, but his record was misleading as all but one of his fights had been staged at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall. Dogboe was making the first defense of the title he won with an 11^th round stoppage of Jessie Magdaleno in Philadelphia.

McCumby

In an 8-round light heavyweight match, undefeated Trevor McCumby (25-0, 1 NC, 19 KOs) scored a third round stoppage over Jessie Nicklow. This was a shake-off-the-ring-rust fight for McCumby who was once considered one of Top Rank’s top prospects. A Phoenix man, McCumby last fought on Nov. 26, 2016, when he knocked out Donovan George in the opening round underneath Lomachenko-Walters. A post-fight urine exam turned up two banned substances and McCumby was slapped with a 17-month suspension. Baltimore’s Nicklow, a 12-year pro, declined to 27-9-3.

Lozada

Antonio Lozada had his coming out party back on March 17 at Madison Square Garden when he scored a smashing 10^th round stoppage of heavily favored Felix Verdejo. Lozada (42-2-1, 34 KOs) has yet to cash in on that triumph and now he will apparently have to wait a little longer. In what was designed as a stay-busy fight for Tijuana’s Lozada, he was held to a well-earned draw by Ensenada’s Hector Ambriz (12-7-2). The match between the Baja Californians was an 8-round contest in the lightweight division.

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