Ryan Garcia Wins in a Flash and Puerto Rico’s Acosta Keeps WBO Title by KO

Despite the short fight, the fans got what they wanted.

A sold out crowd saw Garcia (18-0, 15 KOs) dismantle Puerto Rico’s Jose Lopez (20-4-1, 14 KOs) within three rounds at Fantasy Springs Casino in a lightweight fight. And if you listen to Garcia, a world title fight should be on this year’s agenda.

It didn’t take long for Garcia to find the openings against Lopez who was willing but a tad too slow. In the opening round with only 10 seconds remaining the lean sharpshooting Garcia unleashed a blistering six-punch volley that staggered Lopez at the end of the bell.

In the second round Lopez took the initiative and tried to pressure Garcia into the ropes but he slickly turned the tables and had the Puerto Rican fighter on the ropes instead.

“That’s the one thing I’ve been working on (defense). I’m just working with the best,” said Garcia.

Things just didn’t work out for Lopez, especially when Garcia rocketed a right off his head. It forced the Boricua to look for an escape route. There was none to be found and Garcia trailed him while firing about a dozen blows that saw Lopez collapse to his knees.

“He kept ducking so I just followed him wherever he went,” Garcia said,

Lopez got up before the count expired and the bell rang ending the round. No matter, Lopez’s corner decided their fighter was finished and referee Jack Reiss signaled a knockout win for Garcia at 3 minutes of the second round.

“I need stiffer competition. Do I think I’m ready for world title competition? I’m ready for it,” said Garcia while standing with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya. “I train with my brother (Canelo) right here,” said Garcia. “I’m training with Eddy Reynoso one of the best trainers in the world. I’m getting better and better and I’m going to get ready for it.”

Alvarez said he was satisfied with Garcia’s performance

“He does what he does in the gym and a lot of people can’t do that,” said Canelo. “He knows what he has to do. He needs to focus on boxing. He already has a lot of fans.”

Is Garcia ready for a world title fight?

“He’s on his way. He’s going to prove it again,” said De La Hoya whose company promotes Garcia. “It’s going to happen sooner or later.”

Acosta Retains WBO Title

WBO light flyweight titlist Angel “Tito” Acosta was not about to let another Mexican fighter take a world title away from a Puerto Rican and guaranteed it with a knockout win on Saturday.

Acosta (20-1, 20 KOs) walked into the lion’s den against Mexican contender Ganigan Lopez (35-9, 19 KOs) at Fantasy Springs Casino, the same venue where his countryman and stablemate Alberto Machado lost his world title to another Mexican fighter two months ago.

Not this time.

Looking sharp and in command Acosta grabbed the first four rounds with steady pressure. Neither fighter was able to connect much and each displayed excellent defense.

Lopez picked up the tempo in the fifth and sixth round behind some blows to the body and was able to slip and counter effectively. But that was about all Acosta was going to allow.

“We worked on walking him down smartly,” said Acosta who trained in Los Angeles with Freddie Roach.

In the eighth round Acosta stepped up his tempo and both fighters exchanged crisp combinations. Acosta connected with a blistering left hook that wobbled Lopez and another two blows had the Mexican fighter trying to hang on but he fell to the ground. He was unable to beat referee Raul Caiz Jr.’s count at 1:55 of the round. Acosta retains the world title and is looking for more.

“I want to unify but I also want to get the big purses. There’s the WBC champion Ken Shiro and the WBA champion Hiroto Kyoguchi,” said Acosta. “I want 25 fights and 25 knockouts.”

Other Bouts

Puerto Rican welterweight Danielito Zorrilla (11-0, 9 KOs) faced veteran Mexican Gamaliel Diaz (40-20-3), a former world champion, and sent him home wondering what happened. A counter left hook by Zorrilla deposited Diaz to the floor and the old veteran could not get up at 2:59 of round two. Zorrilla grabbed his ninth knockout win.

A battle of super featherweights contenders saw Mexico’s Rocky Hernandez (28-0-3, 25 KOs) track down Tanzania’s Ibrahim Class (22-6, 10 KOs) and floor the taller fighter twice in the second round. A three-punch combination floored Class in the corner and after the fight resumed a right uppercut by Hernandez delivered the killing blow as the Tanzanian fighter was counted out by referee Tom Taylor at 1:58 of the second round for a knockout.

Fresh off a recent world title challenge, Antonio Orozco (28-1, 17 KOs) shook off the rust and disappointment of losing to world champion Jose Ramirez with a steady and disciplined effort against Mexico’s Juan Rodriguez (25-13-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight fight. Orozco looked relaxed and determined and turned up the juice midway through the fight.

Joet Gonzalez (22-0, 13 KOs) battered Rodrigo Guerrero (26-8-2, 16 KOs) and won by technical knockout in the fifth round of their featherweight match. Guerrero had never been knocked out before but Gonzalez was too sharp and skilled and was able to connect with sneaky right uppercuts and body shots that felled the Mexican fighter twice before referee Jerry Cantu stopped the fight at 2:57 of round five.

It was an impressive performance and showed the Southern California contender is ready for top competition in the featherweight division. He’s anxious for a world title fight and just might be a tick away from making it happen.

Ireland’s Aaron “The Silencer” McKenna (7-0, 4 KOs) used his length and steady jabs to deliver Loretto Olivas (3-1) his first loss as a professional. McKenna floored Olivas in the first round with a strong one-two and from there on was in complete control to win by unanimous decision after six rounds in a welterweight fight.

“I sparred over 180 rounds with some good fighters like Javier Molina, Sergey Lipinets and Amir Khan for this fight,” said McKenna, 19, who trains in Southern California but is a native of Monaghan, Ireland.

Olivas never quit trying but McKenna was too much of everything and showed the ability to fight at the proper distance and do it well. All three judges scored it 60-53 for McKenna.

“I got a good six rounds against a very tough fighter,” said McKenna. “I was able to work on the one-two that we worked on a lot for this fight.”

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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