Terence Crawford Stops Amir Khan in 6, Retains WBO Title

Terence Crawford Stops Amir Khan In 6, Retains WBO Title

NEW YORK CITY — WBO world welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (35-0, 26KO) retained his title, scoring a strange and somewhat controversial 6th round TKO over former junior welterweight champ Amir Khan (33-5, 20KO) in the main of an ESPN PPV card in front of 14,091 paid fans at Madison Square Garden.

The switch-hitting Crawford, 31, who is notorious for his slow starts, switched the script tonight and almost ended the fight in the first. In the final minute of the opening round, Omaha’s favorite son connected with a counter right over an extended Khan jab, then followed it with a left for good measure, sending Khan crumbling to the mat. The Brit was able to beat referee David Fields ten-count, but was quickly met with fury from Crawford. When the bell rang to end round one, Khan was so confused that he assumed a fighting posture for a few extra seconds.

Khan did enough to get by in rounds two and three, and in the fourth saw minor success when engaging in exchanges with Crawford. Make no mistake though, time and again it was Crawford who landed the more significant blows. The end came suddenly and controversially in the sixth when Crawford dug a meaty left below the belt that immediately had Khan doubled over in pain. After taking about two of his allotted five minutes to recover, Khan informed his trainer, Virgil Hunter, that he was unable to continue and the ringside physician stepped up to stop the contest. Fields ruled the punch an “accidental low blow” and the official result was read, to a chorus of boos, as a TKO for Crawford with an official stoppage of :47 in the fifth round.

Crawford has now stopped his last six opponents inside the distance. The last time he went to the scorecards was in July 2016 against Viktor Postol. The win also furthers Crawford case to surmount WBA/WBO world lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10KO) atop boxing’s pound-for-pound list. The win also furthers Crawford case for pound fWBA/WBO world lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10KO) atop boxing’s pound-for-pound list.

Tonight marked Khan’s first fight back with Hunter after working with Joe Goossen for his last two contests, both of which were victories against lesser competition. The result tonight also marks Khan’s fourth stoppage loss in five career defeats. Khan’s other professional defeats have come courtesy of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (51-1-2, 35KO), Danny Garcia (34-2, 20KO), Lamont Peterson (35-5-1, 17KO), and Breidis Prescott (31-16, 22KO).

“I could tell I was breaking him down, it was just a matter of time,” Crawford said post-fight. “I just took my time. I was disappointed the corner stopped the fight in that manner, but Virgil is a great coach, and he was looking out for his fighter. I know he didn’t want to go out like that.”

Crawford also dismissed the notion that Khan had fast hands. “Benavidez and Gamboa were 10 times faster than him,” he said bluntly. “The fight I want next is Errol Spence,” he continued. “Whenever he is ready, he can come and get it.”

Top Rank chair Bob Arum echoed Crawford, “We want to fight Errol Spence,” he said. “Everyone wants the fight. There is one guy stopping it, and that is Al Haymon.”

Due to the boxing political divide, a more likely Crawford opponent could be longtime Khan rival Kell Brook (38-2, 26KO) who was in attendance to “scout” Crawford.

ALL ABOARD! Teofimo Lopez KOs Edis Tatli In 5

The 2018 consensus Prospect of the Year, Teofimo Lopez (13-0, 11KO) kept the Teofimo Express rolling, KOing Finnish veteran Edis Tatli (31-3, 10KO) with a body shot in the fifth round of their scheduled twelve round lightweight contest.

The always-flashy Brooklyn-born Lopez, started slower than usual, taking time in the early goings to set traps he could utilize later in the bout.

It wasn’t until the fourth round that Lopez, a former 2016 Honduran Olympian, began to impose his will on his 31 year-old counterpart. Midway through the fourth, Lopez caught Tatli, who was fighting in the US for the first time, with a short right hand that sent him off-balance. The 21 year-old kept the heat on, following up with a flurry of shots that culminated with Lopez landing a behind the back punch that earned him a warning from the referee.

In the ensuing round, Lopez was intent on closing the show, and did so with a straight right to the Tatli’s right hip area that dropped him to a knee where he was counted out by the referee. The end of the fight came at the 1:32 mark of round 5, and a Lopez celebratory backflip shortly followed.

Lopez has now stopped his last five opponents inside the distance, a streak that dates back to last May. With regards to the future, Lopez and his trainer/father, Teofimo Lopez Jr., have repeatedly called for a fight with WBO world lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10KO). Lomachenko, however, has made it clear he has little interest in a Lopez clash unless he’s bringing hardware to the table. That perhaps clears the way for Lopez to take on IBF world lightweight champion Richard Commey (28-2, 25KO). Commey was previously penciled in to face Lomachenko in a unification clash, but had to pull out due to a right hand injury.

The result marked the first time in his 35-fight career that Tatli suffered defeat before the final bell. His other two losses came via the cards by way of split and majority decisions.

“I knew I was going to get him with a body shot,” Lopez said. “I softened him up and finished him…I want a world title shot next…We promised to take over the show, and once again, I took it over.”

“I’m ready for Richard Commey or the WBC title. As long as it’s for a title, I am ready to go. No one can take my power.”

Speed Kills: Shakur Stevenson UDs Christopher Diaz

Undefeated lightweight prospect Shakur Stevenson (11-0, 7KO) aced his toughest test yet, scoring a ten round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (24-2, 16KO).

After a brief feeling out period, the southpaw Stevenson began landing impactful shots in round two, using pawing jabs to set up straight left hands.

In the third, Stevenson’s hand speed was on full display, as he peppered Diaz, 24, with combinations to head and body, darting in and out without being hit with any return fire.

In round five, arguably Diaz’s best, the Puerto Rican started to muddy the waters, bringing the fight in-close, forcing the twenty-one year old Stevenson to fight in tight.

The next round, however, Stevenson popped more jabs, reset the distance, and again found his mark with combinations.

Stevenson, a former 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist, didn’t relent down the stretch, as he continued to mark up Diaz, using superior footwork and hand-speed to hit and not get hit.

At the end of ten, all three judges scored it for Stevenson: 100-90, 99-91, and 99-92.

In the lead up to tonight’s contest, Top Rank chair Bob Arum told various media outlets that his team, specifically matchmakers Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler, repeatedly tried to talk the Stevenson camp out of taking a fight the Freddie Roach-trained Diaz. They insisted that they could produce a worthy challenger that posed less risk to their rising star. But the Stevenson camp remained stubborn, convinced the crafty southpaw could handle Diaz and take a giant leap towards earning a title shot, and they were right. Stevenson handled Diaz with ease. In fact, there was no moment during the thirty minute contest that Stevenson was ever in danger.

Diaz’s only other defeat came in his lone title fight when he dropped a decision to Japan’s Masayuki Ito (25-1-1, 13KO) last June.

“Listen, I want all the champions at 126 pounds,” Stevenson said afterward. “Josh Warrington is someone I want to fight. I am ready.”

He continued, “I take nothing away from Christopher Diaz. He’s a great fighter, but I came in there to outbox him, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Felix Verdejo Scores Wide UD Over Bryan Vasquez

Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo (25-1, 16KO) scored a wide unanimous decision over two-time world title challenger Bryan “El Tiquito” Vasquez (37-4-0, 20KO) in a ten round lightweight contest that opened the PPV portion of tonight’s card at Madison Square Garden.

In the early goings, Verdejo, 25, worked exclusively behind his jab, constantly snapping left hands in his Costa Rican counterpart’s direction. In the third, a Vasquez right opened a cut under Verdejo’s increasingly-puffy right eye that started streaming blood.

Perhaps prompted by the cut, Verdejo turned up the aggression in the fourth and began to take full control of the fight. The one-time highly-touted Puerto Rican prospect started unleashing his right hand, finding success throwing one-twos and right crosses.

Credit Vasquez though, who never once turned back. The 31 year-old was undeterred by Verdejo’s shots, and kept coming forward, trying desperately to land something of significance.

That punch would never come, and in the end all three judges scored it widely for Verdejo: 97-93×2 and 98-92 for Verdejo.

The result makes it two consecutive wins for Verdejo since suffering a shocking TKO10 stoppage against Ines Antonio Lozada Torres (40-2-1, 24KO) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden last March. Verdejo KO’d Yardley Armenta Cruz (25-13, 15KO) last November.

Prior to tonight, Vasquez had won two in a row since finding himself on the losing end of a MD against former WBO world lightweight champion Rey Beltran (36-8-1, 22KO). Vasquez’s only other career defeats came in featherweight world title challenges, against Takashi Utiyama (2012) and Javier Fortuna (2015).

“It was an honor for me to get a big victory in front of my fans at Madison Square Garden,” Verdejo said afterward. “I defeated a great fighter in Vasquez…I am looking for a world title opportunity soon.”

Felix Verdejo Scores Wide UD Over Bryan Vasquez

Credit Vasquez though, who never once turned back. The 31 year-old was undeterred by Verdejo’s shots, and kept coming forward, trying desperately to land something of significance.

That punch would never come, and in the end all three judges scored it widely for Verdejo: 97-93×2 and 98-92 for Verdejo.

Carlos Adames TKOs Frank Galarza In 4

In a crossroads clash originally slated for ten rounds, undefeated Dominican junior middleweight prospectCarlos Adames (17-0, 14KO) remained perfect, stopping Frank Galarza (20-3-2, 12KO) inside four, claiming the NABO junior middleweight title in the process.

Adames, a 24 year-old southpaw trained by Robert Garcia, outclassed his veteran foe from the opening bell, snapping jabs to set up left crosses, for which Galarza had no answer. Midway through the opening round, Adames connected with a left that opened a cut on the corner of Galarza’s right eye.

Adames continued to dominate the action in rounds two and three and in the fourth finally broke through, sending Galarza to the mat courtesy of a beautifully thrown left cross that exploded on Galarza’s chin. Galarza beat referee Benjy Esteves’ ten-count, but the Dominican kept his foot on the gas and after showering Galarza with unobstructed punches, Esteves stepped in to stop the contest at the 1:17 mark of round four.

Prior to tonight’s contest, Galarza had strung together a three-fight win streak since dropping two in a row to current IBF/WBA middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd (November 2015) and former IBF world middleweight champion Ishe Smith (September 2016).

Tonight marked Adames’ second appearance in the big room at MSG. He outpointed veteran Mexican veteran Alejandro Barrera (19-5, 18KO) here in May 2018.

“This was a message to all of the 154-pounders. I want to face all the best,” Adames said post-fight.

“I believe Robert Garcia will get the most out of me. I felt great with him. He told me I was winning the fight, and he told me to pressure him because he was ready to go.”

Edgar Berlanga Destroys Samir Barbosa Inside One

In his Top Rank debut, Brooklyn-born middleweight prospect Edgar “Pachanga” Berlanga (10-0, 10KO) battered and blasted out Brazilian veteran Samir Barbosa (37-16-3, 26KO), disposing him in just :46 seconds.

It all happened quickly, starting when 21 year-old Berlanga, who previously fought under Evander Holyfield’s “Real Deal” promotional banner, landed a short chopping right that stunned Barbosa. Berlanga quickly followed up with a hard jab and two more rights, forcing the ref to step in and stop the contest.

While he didn’t get the result he was hoping for, tonight’s fight represented a milestone for the 38 year-old dos Santos Barbosa, who has now fought professionally in ten countries.

For the Puerto Rican-blooded Berlanga, tonight marked his fifth fight within New York City’s five boroughs, but first in Manhattan and first at the Garden. Berlanga’s next fight is already slated for May 25 when he’ll take on Hungary’s Gyorgy Varju (7-4, 4KO) in Kissimmee, FL.

“I know this will open up a lot of opportunities for me,” Berlanga said afterward. “I want to make my people from Brooklyn and Puerto Rico proud.”

Ireland’s Fryers Improves To 10-1 With UD Over Noah Kidd

In the third consecutive fight to go the distance, Irish junior welterweight Larry Fryers (10-1, 3KO) shutout Missouri’s Dakota Polley (5-3, 2KO) in a six round contest. All judges cards read 60-53×3.

It wasn’t as easy a night as the scorecards suggest for the 28 year-old Irishman as he time and again had to eat punches to land his own.

Polley, who was KO’d by Luis Feliciano (10-6, 6KO) his last time between the ropes, showed a decent account of himself tonight. The 20 year old southpaw went toe-to-toe with Fryer, but consistently got bested when the two exchanged.

In the fifth round, a Fryer lunging left, in which he led with his head, resulted in a clash that produced a deep cut over Polley’s right eye. In the ensuing round, Polley was deducted a point by the referee for holding.

Ex-Indian Olympian Vikas Krishan UDs Noah Kidd

Former two-time Indian Olympian Vikas “The Indian Tank” Krishan (2-0, 1KO) easily oupointed Missouri’s Noah Kidd (3-2-1, 2KO) in a six round junior middleweight scrap. All judges scored widely for the 27-year old Indian, 60-54×2 and 59-55. Krishan, a southpaw, controlled the contest bell to bell, but lacked killer instinct, allowing Kidd to linger. No matter, though. At this point in his career, banking rounds without headgear probably isn’t a bad thing for Krishan.

Lawrence Newton UDs Jonathan Garza To Kick Off MSG Card

Twenty-two year-old Florida native Lawrence Newton ran his record to 12-0, 7KO scoring a wide unanimous decision over Texan Jonathan Garza (7-3, 2KO) in a six round bantamweight contest. Official scores read 60-54×2 and 59-55, Newton. The fight was the first of nine from Madison Square Garden, culminating when undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (34-0, 25KO) defends his title against former junior welterweight champion Amir Khan (33-4, 20KO) live on ESPN PPV ($69.99HD/$59.99SD). All undercard fights from the World’s Most Famous Arena are currently airing on ESPN2 up until the PPV portion of the card, which will be begin at 9pm ET.