Golden Boy Fight Night: Results recap from Hard Rock Las Vegas

Acosta scores “ko of the year” in two over Rodriguez

Photo: Tom Hogan Hoganphotos Golden Boy Promotions

The headliner for the latest edition of GBP’s Fight Night series on Facebook Watch, which was held inside The Joint at the Hard Rock casino, delivered in a big way as Puerto Rican knock out artist, Angel “Tito” Acosta (19-1 w/19 KOs) annihilated his foe in less than 6 minutes to retain his WBO light flyweight strap over Abraham Rodriguez (23-2).

Both men did very little to give us a feeling out round as they met in the center of the ring and took turns walking each other down landing hard punches. Going into round 2, Acosta hit his combinations and had his Mexican opponent backing up along the corner of the ring. Both men threw solid left hooks and instantly once Acosta’s crashed unto the jawline of Rodriguez he fell backwards unto the mat. The perfectly timed counter leveled him and he lay stiff as a board on the mat for a moment before his feet began to shake slightly. Luckily, he came to and propped himself unto the canvas then sat on the stool confused as to why the contest had been stopped, the official time of the KO came at (1:02) of Round 2.

On the call that night was Jonathan Coachman and unbeaten up and comer, Ryan “The Flash” Garcia. The young man’s enthusiasm poured through his headset as he exclaimed to Coachman, “he’s not getting up. he’s not getting up!” The excitement was reminiscent of Roy Jones Jr.’s exciting commentary when Juan Manuel Marquez stopped Manny Pacquiao in six back in December of 2012.

MURTAZALIEV CRUISES TO UD

For the co-main event of the Facebook Watch card, Bakhram Murtazaliev (14-0) cruised by Nuevo Leon, Mexico’s Norberto Gonzalez (24-12) via shut out unanimous decision over the course of 10 rounds. The official scores were 100-90 all across the board and the Russian USNBC 154-pounds title holder never looked to be in any trouble as he jabbed his way in the pocket and at range while stringing together his combinations for 30 minutes on Gonzalez.

In the second of two welterweight attractions Rashidi Ellis (21-0) remained unbeaten stopping Saul Corral (29-13) via TKO at (0:38) of Round 7. Ellis smelled blood in the water the first time that he sent his man to the canvas in Round 3 off of some vicious combinations. He never let Corral off the hook and walked him down the following 12 minutes. Again in Round 7 he sent him to the canvas, this time letting his hands go as he had the Mexican warrior in trouble along the ropes. Corral beat the count and soldiered on but, was caught with another brutal assortment of blows from the Bostonian . This time Ellis caught him on the head so cleanly that when Corral got up he looked like someone learning how to use roller skates for the very first time. Fortunately, the referee stepped in and called off the action.

The Facebook Watch opener showcased Meiirim Nursultanov (9-0) putting in a solid 8 rounds as he handled Jamar Freeman (15-7-2) via unanimous decision. Freeman was out powered and out gunned  however, he did not do himself any favors constantly complaining to the referee as the middle rounds went on. While the North Carolina native lobbied for a point deduction from Nursultanov for low blows or hitting behind the head, the Kazakhstan fighter continued to be fluid in his combinations and commanded control of the ring with a stiff jab and crisp hook.

The opening bout from the Hard Rock Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas featured welterweights Enriko Gogokhia (9-0) who stopped Mexico’s Dario Ferman (16-6) via TKO at (2:40) of Round 7. The reason for the stoppage was peculiar since he got counted out due to immobility. The Juarez native got a cramp in his leg and was visibly handicapped in his movement from Round 5 and on. He was probably not going to win on points and the stoppage was just since his corner was not able to figure out a solution for the tightened up muscle in-between rounds.