Masayuki Ito vs. Jamel Herring - May 25, 2019

[Ruthless-RKO]

Top Rank in association with All Star Boxing & Teiken Promotions presents:

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Tonight at 10:00 pm ET on ESPN, Masayuki Ito defends the WBO 130-pound title against Jamel Herring in the main event from Kissimmee, Florida.

There will also be live streaming prelim action on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 pm ET,
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Watch: Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV

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Watch the undercard live on ESPN+ on the ESPN App
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Here’s the full card including the prelims:

ESPN+ (6:30 pm ET)

6 Round Middleweight Contest
Edgar Berlanga (10-0, 10 KO) vs. Gyorgy Varju (7-4, 4 KO)

8 Round Bantamweight Contest
Antonio Vargas (10-0, 4 KO) vs. Jose Cardenas (16-4, 13 KO)

8 Round Bantamweight Contest
Carlos Cuadras (37-3-1, 27 KO) vs. Daniel Lozano (15-6, 11 KO)

8 Round Light Heavyweight Contest
Steve Nelson (13-0, 10 KO) vs. Victor Darocha (8-4-1, 6 KO)

6 Round Featherweight Contest
Orlando Gonzalez (10-0, 7 KO) vs. Roxberg Riley (13-1, 7 KO)

4 Round Featherweight Contest
Marco Diaz (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Edgard Figueroa (3-1, 1 KO)

6 Round Super Featherweight Contest
Henry Lebron (8-0, 6 KO) vs. Luis Ruiz Lizarraga Jr (6-12-1, 2 KO)

Vacant NABF Junior Featherweight Title
Adam Lopez (12-1, 5 KO) vs. Jean Carlos Rivera (15-1, 10 KO)

Vacant WBO International Super Flyweight Title
Jeyvier Cintron (10-0, 5 KO) vs. Koki Eto (24-4-1, 19 KO)

ESPN (10:00 pm ET)

Vacant WBO Latino Lightweight Title
Jose Pedraza (25-2, 12 KO) vs. Antonio Lozada Jr (40-2-1, 34 KO)

WBO World Super Featherweight Title
Masayuki Ito (25-1-1, 13 KO) vs. Jamel Herring (19-2, 10 KO)

[SenorPipino]

I understand that Sean O'Grady has signed a contract with ESPN and will return to the ringside broadcast booth starting tonight.

O'Grady can only be an improvement over the wasted Mark Kreigel, who will still work other cards.

If would be nice if we could get Al Albert to replace the fawning Tessitore.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Well before the ESPN cameras began rolling or the event site doors even opened to allow fans into the arena, Mexico’s Carlos Cuadras quietly continued his quest to reinvent himself as a bantamweight contender.

The former super flyweight titlist picked up his second straight win, outpointing Bowling Green (Fla.) native Daniel Lozano over eight round Saturday evening at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla.

Scores were 80-72 twice and 79-73 for Cuadras, who settled for an aggressive boxing performance against a reluctant Lozano in a bout that didn't even make the ESPN+ portion of the evening.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I’m backing Herring to win via Decision.

I think he’ll do it.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Stats and Stakes

Masayuki Ito
Age: 28
Title: WBO super featherweight (2018-present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’8 ½
Weight: 129 ¼ lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Tokyo, Japan
Record: 25-1-1, 13 KO?
Rankings: #4 (TBRB, Ring, Boxing Monthly, ESPN), #8 (BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 2-0, 1 KO
Last Five Opponents: 104-13-1 (.886)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: None

vs.

Jamel Herring
Titles/Previous Titles: None
Age: 33
Height: 5’10
Weight: 129 ½ lbs.
Stance: Southpaw
Hails from: Cincinnati, Ohio
Record: 19-2, 10 KO, 1 KOBY
Press Rankings: Unrated
Record in Major Title Fights: 1sttitle opportunity
Last Five Opponents: 99-25-3 (.791)
Current/Former World Champions Faced: None

[Ruthless-RKO]

Steve ‘So Cold’ Nelson continued his rise as a light heavyweight prospect to watch, posting an 8th round stoppage over Victor Darocha.

An accumulation of punches following the bout’s lone knockdown prompted the one-sided contest to be halted at 2:42 of round eight.

The lack of televised coverage for the fight—which took place just before the ESPN+ stream began—resulted in the absence of Nelson’s usual costumed-entrance. The Omaha (Neb.) native was all business in his ring walk and from bell to bell, dishing out a steady beating on Darocha, a Brazilian journeyman based in Miami. Fla.

Nelson—a stablemate of Crawford and Herring, as all three train under McIntyre—had his foe hurt in round three, scoring with right hands. It was his left hook which ultimately caused the most damage, as evidenced by the swelling under Darocha’s right eye.

[jamamb]

I’m backing Herring to win via Decision.

I think he’ll do it.

how good do you think he is

[Ruthless-RKO]

how good do you think he is

Good enough to beat Ito.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Marco Diaz came in as the least experienced fighter on Saturday's show, but but none of that matters when you boast one-punch knockout power. The Palm Bay newcomer ended the night in just that fashion, scoring a 1st round knockout of Edgar Figueroa in their featherweight heat.

A single right hand put Palm Beach-based Figueroa (3-2, 1KO) down for the full ten count, with the official time of 0:50 of round one. Diaz (2-0, 2KOs) also scored a 1st round knockout in his pro debut less than two months ago, though with that affair going the full three minutes.

Puerto Rico’s Orlando Gonzalez looked sensational in a 3rd round knockout of Roxberg Patrick Riley in their featherweight preliminary to kick off the ESPN+ portion of the evening.

Riley was floored in rounds one and three, the latter leaving him unsteady in trying to beat the count as the fight was waved off immediately. The official time was 1:16 of round three.

Gonzalez (11-0, 7KOs) forced a brisk pace, for which Rlley (13-2)—who hails from the Atlanta suburb or Dallas, Ga.—wasn’t equipped. A one-sided affair turned violent in an instant, with Gonzalez flooring Riley with a sweeping right hook at the end of round one.

A similar sequence produced the second knockdown of the fight, this time with Riley defenseless and on wobbly legs in prompting the stoppage.

[jamamb]

could be, will have to step up his game though, was dreadful and weak vs shaf and miller

[Ruthless-RKO]

The bout was some three hours before the ESPN portion of the evening began, but Puerto Rico’s Edgard Berlanga drew the night’s loudest cheers upon his ring entrance.

His brief yet explosive performance only intensified the love and support, as the Brooklyn-based Boricua annihilated Hungary’s Gyorgy Varju in the 1st round of their middleweight swing bout.

Berlanga continued his stretch of being a knockout every time out, going straight to work against a hesitant Varju (7-5, 4KOs) who looked overwhelmed from the start.

Fortunately, his night would end in a hurry, as Berlanga (11-0, 11KOs) sent him crashing to the canvas with a temple shot which produced the full ten count, ending the fight at 0:36 of round one.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Upsets are rare to come by this deep on the undercard, especially involving local fighters with a deep amateur pedigree. That’s exactly what took place, as Kissimmee’s own Antonio Vargas was flattened in one round by Mexico’s Jose Maria Cardenas in their bantamweight preliminary bout.

Vargas has proudly represented the region as a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic boxing team as well as throughout his pro career, fighting for all but once in Central Florida. His fanbase was hyped as his ring entrance complete with a crucifix and biblical overtones. The crowd was quickly silenced, though, as Cardenas scored what will likely register as the biggest win of his journeyman career.

A fast-moving opening round ended in an instant, as Cardenas (17-4, 13KOs) feinted with his jab before splitting the guard of Vargas (10-1, 4KOs) with a right hand that put him down and out. Referee Telis Assimenios reached the count of ten, ending the contest at 1:53 of round one.

[Ruthless-RKO]

In a cruiserweight contest, Efe Apochi (8-0, 8KOs) put away Earl Newman (10-2-1, 7KOs) in the seventh round of a brawl.

Efe is friends with heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba. Both are trained by veteran coach Ronnie Shields.

Both were picking their spots in the first round, but Apochi was pushing forward and looking for big shots right away. Newman was in serious trouble in the second round, barely survived and fought toe to toe with Apochi on unsteady legs.

They went to war with big punches during most of the third, with Apochi landing the bigger shots to rock Newman, who never stopped coming back.

Newman was just trying to box in the fourth, while Apochi was slowing down a little while still throwing the bigger punches.

Apochi was controlling the action in the fifth and sixth with bigger punches.

In the seventh, Apochi cracked Newman with a hard combination that sent Newman down against the ropes. He barely beat the count and the referee waved off the contest.

Also on the card, former WBO super middleweight title challenger Habib Ahmed (27-1-1, 18 KOs) won an eight round unanimous decision over Juan De Angel (21-11-1, 19 KOs). The scores were, 80-72, 80-72, 80-72.

Welterweight prospect Amon Rashidi (7-0, 5 KOs) stopped Juan Jesus Garces (19-25, 13 KOs) in the fourth round.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jean Carlos Rivera sought to bounce back from the lone loss of his career but instead endured an even worse fate in a war with Adam Lopez. The two traded heavy fire for six plus rounds, but it was Glendale (Calif.)-bred Lopez (13-1, 5KOs) who was better equipped for combat in scoring a stunning 7th round stoppage in their ESPN+ streamed featherweight contest Saturday evening at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Rivera (15-2, 10KOs) entered as the clear crowd favorite, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Bayamon, Puerto Rico and making his sixth appearance at this very venue in eight career fights in Kissimmee. The 23-year old prospect was once again in tough, not at all seeking a soft touch following his upset loss to Jason Sanchez last October.

The strategy initially played right into Rivera’s hands as he was able to slip punches while remaining in the pocket. The tactic kept him well within desired punching range, flooring Lopez with a right hand in the final minute of round two. Lopez spent the remainder of the round on the defensive while Rivera uncorked uppercuts and left hooks while playing to his adoring fans in attendance.

Rivera was first to the draw throughout a furiously paced round three, landing left hooks upstairs and to the body. Lopez absorbed the shots well, but his own return fire was unable to crack Rivera’s peek-a-boo guard. He had a much better go of things in round four, as Lopez’s right hands began to slow down Rivera’s attack.

Lopez wisely kept his distance in round five, sliding back to minimize Rivera’s punch impact before darting inside with right hand shots. His long game reaped major dividends, wearing down Rivera who was on rubber legs in round six before collapsing into the ropes just as the bell sounded. The referee completely botched the call, at first signaling the round had ended before randomly issuing a count.

Lopez didn’t leave anything to chance, attacking a spent Rivera until forcing a stoppage at 0:16 of round seven.

[Ruthless-RKO]

In a career filled with thrilling moments, Koki Eto finally has a big win on which to hang his proverbial hat.

The all-action slugger from Japan stormed his way back into the super flyweight title picture with a stunning 1st round knockout of Jeyvier Cintron. A right hand functionally ended the night 2:03 into the opening round of their ESPN+ streamed title eliminator Saturday evening at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla.

A nervous energy came over the capacity crowd, mostly in support of Cintron (10-1, 5KOs) who made his pro debut in this building in Oct. 2017 and returned in hopes of entering the title fray.

On a night filled with one-round knockouts and stunning endings, Eto's was one to remember given the magnitude of the fight.

The streaking contender—who hasn't lost since a hard-fought decision at the hands of then-unbeaten 115-pound king Carlos Cuadras in 2015—willingly accepted the role of bully against the slick-styled Cintron who looked outgunned from the opening bell.

The night came to an end when Eto crashed home a right hand that not only floored Cintron, but left him clueless as to his whereabouts. Cintron bounced up and staggered abound the ring before the referee even had a chance to issue his count, insisting he was initially clipped with a headbutt before Eto landed the right hand. His claim was dismissed by the referee, who waved off the contest in a verdict which prompted Eto to mount a corner post in celebration as the crowd was stunned in silence.

Eto improves to 25-4-1- (19KOs) with the win, his 10th straight since the loss to Cuadras. He now gets another crack at the crown, as he waits out the June 19 vacant WBO title fight between countryman Kazuto Ioka and Philippines' Aston Palicte

[Ruthless-RKO]

Eto-Cintron Changed To No-Decision Due To Accidental Headbutt

The super flyweight prospect from Puerto Rico was ruled to have suffered a 1st round knockout loss at the hands of Japan’s Koki Eto in their scheduled 10-round regional title fight Saturday evening at Kissimmee’s Osceola Heritage Park. As brief as was their ESPN+ streamed bout, the review process went the full distance before officially changing the verdict to a No-Decision.

Slowed down replays showed that Eto headbutted Cintron prior to landing the fight-ending right hand which floored the unbeaten prospect and left him staggering around the ring. Referee Andrew Glenn was still in the process of ordering Eto to a neutral corner before being run into by a stumbling Cintron who repeatedly complained of the foul.

"It was a clear headbutt," Francisco 'Paco' Valcarcel, president of the WBO informed BS.com. "We watched the replays and everyone—all of the referees and officials at ringside—agreed that the foul caused the fall."

[Ruthless-RKO]

The sequence was initially waved off as his being separated from his senses, prompting Glenn to wave off the contest at 2:03 of round one. Eto immediately mounted a cornerpost in celebration before hosting an makeshift press conference with media members from Japan who made the trek for the super flyweight title eliminator.

By the time those media members returned to press row ready to file on deadline, a crowd of Top Rank brass and Florida ringside officials were hovered around monitors reviewing the knockdown sequence.

Upon further review, it was determined that the foul put Cintron at an unfair disadvantage.

"The headbutt ended the fight," noted Valcarcel. "Because the fight didn't go four rounds, it ends in a no-contest and the International Super Flyweight title is now vacant."

[jamamb]

i bet ricardo torres wished he had those officials vs holt

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jose Pedraza returned to the win column in a big way, scoring a 9th round stoppage of veteran spoiler Antonio Lozada in their lightweight bout Saturday evening at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla.

A knockdown and ensuing flurry prompted the stoppage at 2:34 of round nine.

[jamamb]

so is masayuki vs herring next?

going by some comments ive seen maybe herring isnt as awful as he looked when i saw him fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Revenge for Puerto Rican’s

[Ruthless-RKO]

Round 1 Herring

[Ruthless-RKO]

Rd2 Ito.

He changed his style.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Rd3 Herring.

Good work with the jab, he needs to be a bit busier tbh.

He has a chance to KO Ito, loving the way’s he moving.

Anyone else watching?