The ‘Mean Machine’ and Joet Gonzalez Win Inside the Bubble

Two contenders proved their worth as Egidijus Kavaliauskas knocked out Mikael Zewski and Joet Gonzalez dominated Miguel Marriaga on Saturday at the MGM Grand Bubble in Las Vegas.

Both fighters were coming off world title losses.

Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18 KOs) put back the emphasis on “Mean Machine” with a knockout win over Canada’s Zewski (34-2, 23 KOs) in a welterweight clash at the MGM Grand Bubble. He picks up the WBC Continental Americas welterweight title.

For six rounds Kavaliauskas used his technical prowess to fend off the aggressive attacks of the taller Zewski. But in the seventh round a counter right uppercut by Kavaliauskas staggered Zewski and a rain of blows sent him to the canvas at the end of the round.

Sensing a wounded fighter, Kavaliauskas immediately opened up the eighth round with a three-punch volley that sent Zewski down again seven seconds later. The fight was ruled over by referee Kenny Bayless.

“You never count on a knockout but he was weakened,” said Kavaliauskas. “I was controlling the fight.”

Kavaliauskas hopes his emphatic win convinces WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford to give him a rematch.

“I see no one else,” said Kavaliauskas.

Featherweight Clash

In the companion main event, Joet Gonzalez (24-1, 14 KOs) ramped up the offensive pressure and battered three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga (29-4) to win by unanimous decision and grab the WBO International featherweight title.

Gonzalez became the first fighter without a world title to defeat Marriaga whose only losses had been to world champions Nicholas Walters, Oscar Valdez and Vasyl Lomachenko.

It was Gonzalez’s first fight since losing to Shakur Stevenson for the WBO featherweight title last year. He did not want a tune-up fight and expects to fight only the best.

“I only want top five guys,” said Gonzalez.

Other Bouts

San Bernardino’s Anthony Chavez (9-1, 3 KOs) used a stiff left jab to rally from a knockdown and floor Adan Gonzalez (5-4-2) in the third round and win by unanimous decision after six rounds in a super featherweight fight.

Chavez, 24, used a double left hook, first tapping to the body then whacking the chin and sending Gonzalez toppling along the ropes for a knockdown in the third. That round changed the dynamics of the fight and Chavez took over. After six rounds all three judges scored it 58-55 for Chavez.

Aleem Jumakhanov (9-3-2) knocked out the taller Texan Jorge Ramos (7-3-1) in a featherweight bout fought on the inside. A short overhand right floored Ramos for the count at 2:08 of the third round to make Jumakhanov the winner by knockout.

San Diego’s Eric Puente (4-0) used his speedy combinations and distance to win by unanimous decision against Chile’s Luis Norambuena (4-6-1) in a four round lightweight fight. No knockdowns were scored and all three judges tallied it 40-36 for Puente.

Coachella’s Manuel Flores (9-0, 6 KOs) used a four-punch combination to stagger Pennsylvania’s Jonathan Rodriguez (8-1) and win the bantamweight fight by technical knockout at 1:11 of the fourth round. Flores, a southpaw, had floored Rodriguez earlier in the fight.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams for Top Rank

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