Castellano pulls off upset of the year with stoppage of Gamboa‎ as Golden Boy main on ESPN

Photo Credit: Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

Regardless of who wins tomorrow in the Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr HBO ‎PPV headliner from T-Mobile Arena, it will not outshine the big upset tonight inside the MGM Grand Arena for the Golden Boy Boxing main event on ESPN as former champion, Yuriorkis Gamboa (26-2) met Robinson Castellanos (22-11). Castellanos a relatively unknown boxer from Celaya, Mexico took on 25 to 1 betting favorite and ex-belt holder, Gamboa in a 10-round lightweight battle.

Well, someone forgot to tell the Mexican warrior that he was supposed back down but help the talented Cuban continue his way back up the rankings. The two traded shots at close range looking to impose themselves in the first 6 minutes; Gamboa’s long straight right versus Castellanos counter left hook. Halfway into Round 3, Castellanos caught his man with a beautiful 1-2 combination that dropped Gamboa to the canvas harder than any fighter has in all of his professional career. His head whipped from the blow and would’ve flew off if it wasn’t for his solid, linebacker-like neck. Gamboa beat the count then clinched and wrestled his way to safety ‎eating a couple more shots along the way but amazingly survived his Mexican foe’s onslaught.

In the middle of Round 4 , Castellanos landed an overhand right that he threw like a baseball pitcher and it connected on the Cuban ex-champion flush, sending him spinning unto the canvas as his leg twisted underneath him. He beat referee Russell Mora’s count and circled, jabbed and clinched his way to survival, able to bounce back with better footwork and combinations in Round 5. ‎He was operating behind his jab and bouncy footwork, circling and hitting angles on his opponent. However, the boxer only disguised how hurt he really was by boxing and moving or and landing with some success-never truly hitting Castellanos with something meaningful. For Castellanos, his punches found their mark more and would stop Gamboa dead in his tracks. At the end of Round 7, after a talk between the Gamboa corner and the ringside physician they opted to call a stop to the match and during the 60 second break referee Tony Weeks called a stop to the match.

The shocking ending is another setback to Gamboa’s once very promising career. The win for Robinson Castellanos puts him on the map as he stops his man officially by TKO at the end of Round 7.

Abraham Lopez (22-1-1) vs. Jesus Rojas (25-1-2)

Photo Credit: Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

(WBA-NABA Featherweight Title Bout – 10 Rounds)

A fire fight broke out when Lopez and Rojas met for their title fight. Both men had their moments in the opening stanza but then towards the middle of Round 2, a short right hand on the inside and straight left hurt Lopez bad. As he was working with his back along the ropes Rojas saw the opening and followed up with a combination sending his man to the canvas at about (1:30) of Round 2. Both boxers continued trading heavy leather at close range in the corner of the ring for the bulk of Round 3 to the crowd’s delight.

Going into Round 4, Rojas sent his man to the canvas with about 75 seconds left in the round off of a combination. Lopez dropped to a knee but wasn’t as hurt as he was earlier in the match and easily beat Tony Weeks’ count. ‎He backed up allot looking to counter his Puerto Rican adversary and had little to no success. Round by round from the 5th through the 8th round, Rojas walked through Lopez’ best counters unleashing combinations to the head and body.

The 8th Round featured the Puerto Rican sniper’s best work; he walked Lopez down along the ropes and blasted him with a three hard right hands. They crashed landed on the side of the face and head of Abraham Lopez forcing him to the mat. He valiantly beat the count but got backed up into a corner from the relentless Rojas who uncorked a few combinations which forced referee Tony Weeks to step in and prevent any punishment to the hurt fighter.

RESULTS: Jesus Rojas stops Abraham Lopez via TKO at (1:47)‎ of Round 8 to capture WBA-NABA Featherweight Title.
Vergil ORTIZ JR (5-0) vs. Angel Sarinana (7-6-2)

(Super Lightweight Bout – 4 Rounds)

The second match of the evening saw a pair of 140ers collide. Ortiz and Sarinana wasted no time getting to know each other by marching forward and throwing big bombs at close range. Sarinana was wild on the inside by looping multiple left hooks and right hands while Ortiz put everything into his over hand right and hooks to the head and body. For every one or two that Sarinana threw, Ortiz would return fire with 4 or 5 punches. He was allot more polished and found a home for his over hand right which he threw in all four rounds.

Ortiz inside game was allot more polished ‎also. He worked his way into his man’s chest via double jabs then mixed in left hooks and upper cuts with both hands. As soon as his man took a step back in the pocket, the Texan felt it and launched a clean right upper cut that hit its mark. The best one landed in Round 3 with about 70 seconds left; Ortiz led with the punch and landed it flush. The right uppercut sent the Mexican warrior flat on his back side. He beat Jack Reiss count but the referee called a stop to the bout seeing how Angel Sarinana was still badly hurt.

RESULTS: Vergil Ortiz Jr remains unbeaten defeating Angel Sarinana via TKO at ‎(1:44) of Round 3.

Yamaguchi FALCAO (13-0) vs. Morgan Fitch (18-1-1)

Photo Credit: Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

(Middleweight Bout – 10 Rounds)

The opening bout of the evening from the MGM Grand Arena featured a pair of undefeated 160‎ers. ‘Big Chief’ Fitch came in with allot crowd love and support but, that unfortunately couldn’t make him quicker or stronger inside the squared circle. After a close 1st Round Falcao started timing his man in the 2nd stanza by connecting with a clean right cross or overhand right and when Fitch wanted to trade in the pocket he paid for it via Falcao’s crisp left hook. Fitch was able to change the momentum in the 4th by pressuring his man and pinning him along the ropes before opening up with combinations but he let up on the approach in the remaining rounds letting Falcao take back over.

‎The Brazilian picked him apart from the outside repeatedly catching him using a clean one-two or a left hook counter. Bad swelling over ‘Big Chief’s ‘ left eye from his foe’s clean jabs and straight lefts did not help matters either. In Round 9 Falcao treated fans to his best ” Ali Shuffle’ then closed the 10th and final round strong off of his jab and straight left hand that rarely missed.

RESULTS: ‎Yamaguchi Falcao remains undefeated beating Morgan Fitch with scores of 100-90 all across the board.
What: Golden Boy Live on ESPN Boxing
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand
Who: Gamboa vs. Castellanos ‎event.