Jadier Herrera showed why he’s a highly touted prospect after scoring a devastating third round knockout of Filipino veteran Harmonito dela Torre in the main event.
The 20-year-old Herrera, ranked No. 8 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) in the super featherweight division, moved around and boxed beautifully.
He dropped Dela Torre with a left straight in the second round after the Filipino was caught in an off-balanced position.
Herrera knocked down Dela Torre again in the third round with a counter left straight.
Dela Torre, however, landed a solid left hook that had Herrera dazed and wobbly. Herrera wisely clinched and grabbed Dela Torre to regain his senses.
As both boxers broke up from a clinch, Herrera sneaked in a wicked right hook to the head of Dela Torre that knocked him out cold flat on his back.
Herrera remained unbeaten at 10-0 with eight knockouts, while Dela Torre fell to 22-5 with 14 knockouts.
Abdul Azizi Ssebulime (9-0, 6 KOs) picked himself up from the canvas and rallied to a unanimous decision victory over former ALA Boy Elmo Traya (12-5, 8 KOs).
Traya dropped Ssebulime with a solid right straight in the second round. Ssebulime, however, stayed composed and dominated the rest of the fight to walk away with the win.
Dayan Gonzalez (9-0, 7 KOs) stopped two-division WBO Oriental champion Alie Laurel in the third round with a body shot.
Gonzalez landed a left hook to what looked like Laurel’s hip, which had the Filipino complaining. He followed it up with a flurry of punches and dropped Laurel with another hook on his hip.
Laurel was wincing in pain and complained that he was hit low but the referee still awarded Gonzalez the technical knockout win.
Promising 19-year-old Cuban prospect Jesus Gamboa (9-0, 2 KOs) defeated experienced Adam Diu Abdulhamid (17-13, 9 KOs) by unanimous decision. (EKA)