(MAY 5) CARSON, CALIF---
Last night Ryan "The Flash" Garcia (15-0, 13 KOs) the 2017
consensus prospect of the year and pride of Victorville, Calif.,
scored a unanimous decision victory against seasoned Puerto
Rican contender Jayson "La Maravilla" Velez (26-5-1, 18 KOs) to
win the NABF and NABO Super Featherweight Titles on a very
special May 4 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN in front of a
crowd of 6,625 boxing fans at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
After a hard-fought ten rounds of action, Garcia won with three
scores of 99-91.
"I feel good, but I need to learn
some things," said Ryan Garcia. "I need to learn how to handle
roughhousing in a tough fight like that. Either way, I'm only 19
years old, so it was a good experience. It taught me a lot.
Velez was a durable guy, but I landed a lot of crazy shots as
well. I thank Jayson Velez, and I will learn from this
experience. I still feel I'm on the fast track to a world-title
fight. I beat a guy who fought for a world title."
"I didn't think he [Garcia] would last with me, but I was proven
wrong," said Jayson Velez. "He needs a little more experience,
but he's going to be big. He moves well, and was able to keep up
with me. He's a great opponent, and we put on a great show. I'm
proud of what we did here."
In tonight co-main event, Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan (28-2, 19 KOs)
scored a third-round technical knockout victory after Berlin
Abreu (14-2, 12 KOs) of Rio Pierdas, Puerto Rico retired on his
stool. O'Sullivan was aggressive, cut the ring, and landed hard
hooks to the body and head in this middleweight fight that was
initially slated for 10 rounds.
"Abreu could punch, and he caught me with a couple of good
ones," said Gary O'Sullivan. "I came to do my job, and that was
to get the win. This win doesn't compare to what's waiting for
me - I'm waiting for my next big stage. Who knows? You might see
me on the next major Mexican Holiday Weekend."
Seniesa "Super Bad" Estrada
(13-0, 3 KOs) defeated Amarilis Adorno (1-7) of Vega
Alta, Puerto Rico via third-round TKO in a flyweight battle
initially scheduled for six rounds. Estrada cut Amarilis with a
punch in the second round and punished her for most of the
third. The cut eventually forced the referee to end matters at
:38 of the third round.
"I knew I was going to knock her out at some point," said
Seniesa Estrada. "I knew the referee stopped the fight because
of the cut over her eye. I just kept landing my left hook aiming
for her eye knowing she'd give up soon. I hope that the next
time I fight, I really get to show my fans what I'm made of. I
want my next fight to be a world title. I'm ready."
Marvin Cabrera (8-0, 6 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico scored a
third-round technical knockout victory against Wilfrido Buelvas
(18-9, 12 KOs) of Apartado, Colombia in a scheduled eight-round
middleweight clash. Though taking some serious shots in the
first round, the southpaw Cabrera gradually wore Buelvas down,
stopping him at 1:11 of the third round.
"I felt I was stronger and that recovered quicker in this
fight," said Marvin Cabrera. "I was more conditioned. He caught
me in the first round, but that was it. I'm ready for fighters
of a different caliber and with more experience. I think I
showed that in this fight."
Richard "Kansas Kid" Acevedo (2-0, 2 KOs), the rising super
welterweight prospect of Los Angeles, Calif. scored a
first-round knockout win against Edward Aceves (0-4) of Pomona,
Calif. Acevedo, who is originally from Garden City, Kansas,
punished Aceves to the head and body before forcing the referee
to stop the fight :59 of the first round. The fight was
initially scheduled for four rounds.
"I felt great," said Richard Acevedo. "I did this with the
support of my team and my brothers. This win especially was for
my mom. What's next? It's back to the gym on Monday to keep
training."
Garcia vs. Velez was a 10-round fight for the vacant NABO and
NABF Super Featherweight Titles presented by Golden Boy
Promotions. The event was sponsored by Tecate, "THE OFFICIAL
BEER OF BOXING" and Hennessy, "Never Stop, Never Settle." The
fights took place on Friday, May 4, 2018 at StubHub Center in
Carson, Calif.