Jorge Linares Unloads on Abner Cotto at Fantasy Springs

INDIO, Calif.-Former world champion Jorge Linares looked far from over with a devastating knockout victory over Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto in a super lightweight fight on Saturday.

Despite a loss to Vasyl Lomachenko several months ago, former lightweight world champion Linares (45-4, 28 KOs) moved up to super lightweight and looked strong in beating down Cotto (23-4, 12 KOs) before a stunned crowd at Fantasy Springs Casino.

Linares is back and he’s reloading.

“I feel stronger, I should have done this long ago,” said Linares, 33, a former WBA and WBC lightweight world titlist at 135 pounds who was successful six times defending the title until he was dethroned by Lomachenko this past May in a scientific seesaw battle where both were knocked down.

On Saturday night, Linares looked sharp from the opening bell and was extremely aggressive against Cotto who tried valiantly to match wits and punches with the Venezuelan boxing artist.

“I knew he wasn’t an elite fighter but I was aggressive with him to get a knockout,” said Linares. “But all fighters are dangerous.”

After a sharp first round that saw Linares control the action with precision shots, the second round saw him fire two successive long jabs then deliver a crisp right cross that sent Cotto down in sections. He looked severely damaged but was able to rise to his feet before the count of 10. Cotto survived.

The third round saw Linares deliver a long right cross followed by another right cross and down went Cotto a third time. He was able to beat the count again and Linares wasted no time unleashing a barrage of blows including a punch to the body. Cotto complained and while looking at the referee Linares unloaded 13 consecutive blows. Referee Raul Caiz was signaled by Cotto’s corner to stop the fight. The knockout was registered at 1:31 of round three.

“I feel good and ready to fight the best at 140 pounds. I’ve been hearing Mikey Garcia’s name and he’s been hearing my name. Maybe we can have that fight next year. I came in very well prepared to fight the best in the division,” said Linares. “Another fight that interests me is Lomachenko. He’s like a thorn on my side.”

Cotto was gracious in defeat.

“I came well prepared but he had a hard right hand we weren’t expecting. I’m young and I didn’t fight with just anyone. He’s a three-division champion,” said Cotto, 31, whose losses were all against former world champions. “I will sit with my team and see what’s next.”

Duno

Philippine knockout artist Romero Duno (18-1, 14 KOs) was unable to add another knockout to his record but nearly did against slick boxing Ezequiel Avilez (16-3-3, 6 KOs) of Ensenada, Mexico.

After three knockdowns Duno won by unanimous decision but never stopped trying for that knockout win. In the last second of the last round he connected with a barrage of blows that nearly sent Avilez to the floor. But the Mexican fighter, though staggered, maintained his footing. He won the battle but lost the war against the hard-hitting Filipino.

Avilez managed to avoid the knockout though knocked down in the first round and twice more in the sixth round/

“He’s so strong I never thought he could stand up, he’s a good boxer. I thank him for showing a good fight,” said Duno. “Next time I will show I can knock out an opponent. He had good condition.”

All three judges scored the fight 78-71 for Duno.

Duarte

Don’t get Oscar Duarte mad. After receiving an intentional head butt from Venezuela’s Roger Gutierrez (19-4-1, 16 KOs) in the fourth round, the Mexican fighter from Parral erupted with a volley of blows that left Gutierrez sunken on his stool when the round ended. He could not continue and the fight was ruled a knockout win for Duarte (15-0, 10 KOs).

Up until the fourth round Gutierrez was doing pretty well in a slow paced lightweight fight. At times the slower pace seemed to put Duarte into a slumber. But when the Venezuelan fighter lowered his head and rammed into Duarte, the referee quickly stepped between the two and then deducted a point from Gutierrez for the intentional foul. Once the fight resumed Duarte attacked like a junkyard dog and battered the somewhat surprised Venezuelan.

At the end of the fourth round Gutierrez was holding his belly and motioned to referee Ray Corona he could not continue giving Duarte the win by knockout.

Other Bouts

Travell “Black Magic” Mazion (14-0, 12 KOs) put some voodoo on Mexico’s Alan Zavala (15-3,13 KOs) with a sizzling first round knockout in their super welterweight fight. Up until this fight, the Tijuana fighter had never been knocked out even after clashing with current WBO super welterweight titlist Jaime Munguia.

That didn’t matter to Mazion who came out blasting and when the two exchanged simultaneously, it was Black Magic who connected first with a left hook bomb that left Zavala out for the count at 2:39 of the first round.

“My coach is always saying keep that jab and keep that distance. I never expect a knockout I expect a boxing expedition,” said Mazion who fights out of Austin, Texas.

Mazion knew about Zavala’s lasting the distance against Munguia and asked for a fight against the champ.

“I’m coming for you baby,” said Mazion.

A battle of southpaws saw Elnur Abduraimov (1-0) win his pro debut by knockout in the first round against Cincinnati’s Aaron Hollis (4-8, 2 KOs). After a few light exchanges Abduraimov unloaded a three-punch combination that finished with a left cross and sent Hollis to the canvas. He beat the count but another exchange saw a one-two wobble the Cincy fighter and referee Eddie Hernandez stopped the fight at 1:44 of the first round.

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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