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Terence Crawford Takes Felix Diaz, JR to Biology Class and Dissects Him in Stoppage Win – Boxing News

By Anthony “Zute” George (At Ringside)

Terence “Bud” Crawford dominated Felix Diaz, JR. in Madison Square Garden via TKO after 10 dominate rounds of pugilism; retaining his WBC and WBO 140-pound titles. Crawford came out in the southpaw stance against Diaz, JR. (a natural southpaw) and immediately took control of the fight with his right jab. Not even two minutes into the fight the frustration on the part of Diaz, JR. was apparent, as he lunged amateurishly with a right hook to no avail. Diaz’s frustration continued, as he ate jabs and left uppercuts consistently in the early rounds.

To go along with his frustration, Diaz, JR.’s right eye began to close due to the laser-like precision of the Crawford right jab. Frustration soon manifested into desperation, as Diaz, JR. landed an intentional headbutt in round four when the fighters where in the clinch. As the fight progressed, Crawford increased his offensive output and landed at will on Diaz, JR.

Crawford was accurate with his jab and left uppercut all night. The fight began to take an ugly turn in round seven, as both fighters began to showboat, Crawford even sticking out his tongue as he toyed with the outmatched Dominican lefty.

In round ten, Crawford appeared to be bored with Diaz, JR. Instead of kicking it into another gear to put Diaz, JR. away, he upped the ante with the clowning and began to playfully pat Diaz, JR. on the head. The end of ten, however, the fight became more serious as Crawford landed perhaps his most telling blows of the fight. When Diaz, JR. went back to his corner, his handlers immediately threw in the towel. The official decision of the fight was a TKO at the end of round ten.

For the most part it was an impressive performance from Crawford. He landed at will against a very tough opponent. Diaz, JR. tried to be aggressive throughout the fight, but it was not effective aggression and Crawford flourished as a result. If there is criticism in Crawford’s victory it is that he was more apt to clown and carry Diaz, than to really kick it into a gear that probably would have resulted in a spectacular knockout win. But when you dominate solid competition as Crawford did, any critic may come across as nit-picking or sour grapes. With the victory, Crawford improves to 31-0, 21 KO’s, while Diaz, JR. falls to 19-2, 9 KO’s.

When asked about fighting the entire fight as a southpaw, Crawford said, “I came out southpaw because I do what I want to do.” Crawford called out Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman as potential opponents for a superfight. A fight with Thurman would mean a jump to the very talented 147-pound weight class.

Co main-event

Ray Beltran Vs Johnathan Maicelo 

Lightweights Johnathan Maicelo and Ray Beltran anchored the co-feature on the HBO telecast. Beltran was dropped the first minute of round one; while it was ruled a knockdown, Beltran was dropped via a headbutt. A headbutt that opened a bad cut near the left forehead of Maicelo. Beltran also sustained a nasty cut around his left eye from the same cranium blow. Beltran pursued Maicelo the rest of round one, but failed to land anything of significance. With the wrong knockdown call, Beltran found himself down 10-8 after round one.

Maicelo landed impressive combinations in the first minute of round two. The flurry of punches appeared to frustrate Beltran more than hurt him, however, Maicelo’s offensive output provided him with the confidence to stay in the pocket. This is when Beltran went in for the kill. A perfectly timed left hook delivered by Beltran put Maicelo to sleep and the Madison Square Garden crowd on alert. The crowd oooed and awwed as the medical team came in and took Maicelo out on the stretcher. All we can hope for is a speedy recovery for Johnathan.

The devastating knockout by Beltran; coming at one minute and twenty-five seconds of round two, is an immediate contender for knockout of the year. With the victory, Beltran improves to 33-7-1, 21 KO’s and secures the number one IBF contender position in the lightweight division. The victory is also a potential victory for Beltran to secure a green card and remain in the United States as he prepares for a title shot. The IBF Lightweight Champion is currently Robert Easter, JR.

Undercard results

Shakur Stevenson Vs Carlos Suarez

In his second professional fight, Newark, New Jersey native Shakur Stevenson looked sharp in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd. Stevenson was accurate and lethal with his straight left hand, a punch that sent Suarez to the canvas towards the end of round one. When Suarez attempted to get up from the knockdown he stumbled down again, forcing referee Arthur Mercante to call a halt to the fight. The official time of the stoppage came at two minutes and thirty-five seconds of round one. While the crowd did not like the stoppage, they liked the skills Stevenson showcased. After the bout, Stevenson said, “My game plan was to go in there and get a knockout.” In preparing for the fight, Steven sparred with Terence Crawford, “That preparation was what I needed…he gave me really good work.” Stevenson said of the sparring sessions with Crawford.

Tong Hui Li Vs Daniel Calzada

Li Tong Hui outworked Daniel Calzada over six rounds of modest action. Hui threw punches in bunches throughout the fight but could not seriously hurt Clazada, who showcased a solid chin, but little else. Scorecards read 60-54 3x as Li Tong Hui improves to 9-1, 6 KO’s, while Calzada falls to 14-17-3, 2 KO’s.

Teofimo Lopez, JR. Vs Ronald Rivas

Nineteen-year old Teofimo Lopez once again dazzled, showcasing blistering combinations and a comfort inside the squared circle a young man of his age is not supposed to have. Teofimo was in somewhat of a fight against Rivas, who would not back down and offered the young Lopez some resistance. That all came to a crashing halt, however, when Lopez landed a crushing left hook that landed with perfection. Rivas crumbled to the ground, forcing referee Arthur Mercante to call a halt to the bout at two minutes and twenty-one seconds of round. With the victory, Lopez improves to 5-0, 5 KO’s, while Rivas falls to 5-6-2, 3 KO’s

Konstantin Ponomarev Vs Edward Paredes

In an entertaining scrap between two super welterweights, Ponomarev game more than he took over the course of 8 rounds, winning a unanimous decision 78-74 3times. Konstantin is a skilled pugilist and puts punches together well, however, his lack of power, as well as a lack of attention to detail on defense, results in being dependent on the judges’ scorecards for victories more often than Konstantin probably would like.

Fazliddin Gaibnazarov Vs Augustine Mauras

Super Lightweights Gold Medalist Gaibnazarov had a loud fan base at the Garden. The fan support did not equate to excitement, however. Giabnazarov won an uneventful 8 round decision. All three judges scored the fight 80-72.

Henry Lebron Vs Johnny Estrada

Super Featherweights Henry LeBron and Johnny Estarda locked horns for the second fight of the undercard. After a lackluster round one, Lebron, the southpaw, let his hands go in round two, as Estrada did not seem interested in throwing punches. The offensive output paid dividends for LeBron, as three piece; left to the body, right hook to the head, left hook to the head, ended the fight at fifty-two seconds of round two for LeBron. LeBron improves to 2-0, 2 KO’s, while Estrada falls to 0-2.

Steve Nelson Vs Gilberto Rubio

In the first bout of the evening, undefeated light-heavyweight Steve Nelson overwhelmed Gilberto Rubio. Nelson dropped Rubio at the end of the first round. The onslaught began when Nelson started attacking the body, then followed up with hard shots upstairs. A second knockdown occurred at the start of round two, Rubio beat the count for that knockdown but not the third knockdown of the fight, via a thudding left hook to the body. The time of the stoppage came at thirty-six seconds of round. Nelson improves to 7-0, 6 KO’s, while Rubio falls to 7-6, 5 KO’s.

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