By: William Holmes
Showbox broadcasted from Las Vegas as storied amateur Guillermo Rigondeaux took on undefeated champion Rico Ramos. The night featured three finishes, as Villanueva cruises to a TKO victory, Diaz scoring a questionable stoppage victory in an all-out war, and Rigondeaux suddenly exploded in the sixth round to get the KO victory by a brutal body blow. Rigondeaux showed he is an extremely gifted defensive fighter, and the Robb and Diaz fight deserves another go around. Round by round results are as follows:
Photo Credit : Chris Farina – Top Rank
Matt Villanueva (6-0) vs. Michael Ruiz Jr. (8-1-1); Junior Bantamweight
Round 1:
Ruiz and Villanueva come out to the center of the ring, and Villanueva starts off firing his jab. Ruiz misses with a left hook, and a brief flurry occurs in the middle of the ring. Villanueva lands two straight jabs, and Ruiz attacks the body. Villanueva lands a good two punch combination on Ruiz. Villanueva is the more active fighter so far, staying busy with his combinations. Villanueva lands a short left hook. Ruiz lands a short combination upstairs on Villanueva. Villanueva lands a solid jab and right hook to the body of Ruiz. Villanueva lands a hard left hook on Ruiz. Villanueva lands a good lead right cross on Ruiz, and then easily slips the punches of Ruiz. 10-9 round for Villanueva.
Round 2:
Ruiz and Villanueva come back out to the center of the ring, and Villanueva is the fighter who is pressing the action early on. Villanueva lands short inside right hands on Ruiz, and easily ducks a wild left hand from Ruiz. Villanueva lands a good left hook to the temple of Ruiz, and then unleashes a barrage of punches on Ruiz near the center of the ring. Ruiz tries to clinch with Villanueva, and Villanueva lands short body shots on Ruiz. Villanueva lands several hard shots to the chin of Ruiz. Villanueva follows it back up and lands two hard right crosses that hurts Ruiz. Ruiz appears to be about ready to go down and is clearly hurt. Villanueva lands a hard left hook to the body of Ruiz. Villanueva lands another hard right hand and Ruiz goes down. The referee gives him a standing eight count and the bout continues. Villanueva smells blood and goes in for the kill. Villanueva landing several hard shots with combinations on Ruiz, and Ruiz is barely able to survive the round. 10-8 round for Villanueva.
Round 3:
Ruiz comes out and throws two wild looping right hands that miss Villanueva. Villanueva lands several hard shots, and Ruiz answers and lands a decent left hand. Villanueva counters a right hand from Ruiz with a hard right cross. Villanueva lands a short left hook upstairs and right uppercut to the body. Ruiz lands a good left hand to the chin of Villanueva. Villanueva brushes that shot off easily and lands more combinations on Ruiz. Villanueva lands two short left hands, and two consecutive right crosses. Ruiz is throwing nothing but power shots, but most of them are missing, and Villanueva lands two thudding uppercuts to the body of Ruiz. Ruiz lands a good right uppercut to the chin of Villanueva. Villanueva bangs heavy body shots on Ruiz. Ruiz is trapped by the ropes and v lands more hard body blows. Villanueva lands a good right hand on Ruiz by the ropes, and Villanueva is cruising so far. 10-9 round for Villanueva.
Round 4:
Villanueva lands two early jabs, and then unleashes another combination on Ruiz in the center of the ring. Villanueva is stalking Ruiz, and lands several body blows while Ruiz tries to clinch. Ruiz is able to make Villanueva miss several shots, and Villanueva lands a good right hand that appears to stun Ruiz. Ruiz connects with a short left hook. Villanueva comes right back and continues his assault on Ruiz. Villanueva slides out of the way of a cross from Ruiz and lands a beautiful counter right cross. Villanueva is landing at will on Ruiz, connecting on several two and three punch combinations. Villanueva takes this round easily. 10-9 for Villanueva.
Round 5:
Ruiz hits Villanueva with a lead right hand early on in round five. Villanueva hits Ruiz with a right left combination on Ruiz. Ruiz lands a lead left hand that catches the crowd’s attention. Villanueva landing hard combinations on Ruiz again in the center of the ring. Villanueva lands a lead right hand on Ruiz. Villanueva catches Ruiz with a check left hook as Ruiz comes in. Villanueva tags Ruiz with another lead right left combination. Villanueva tags Ruiz with another lead left hook to the temple of Ruiz. Villanueva continues to coast with a 10-9 round.
Round 6:
Villanueva tags Ruiz with another combination in the center of the ring. Villanueva tags Ruiz with a stiff jab. Ruiz lands a lead left hand on Ruiz, but then gets stung with some short inside shots. Villanueva connects with another combination, and lands a solid right hand. Ruiz lands a quick combination to the body of Villanueva. An uppercut form Villanueva snaps the head of Ruiz. Villanueva lands a very hard two punch combination to the head of Ruiz. 10-9 round for Villanueva.
Round 7:
Villanueva connects with a lead right hand, and then unleashes a combination on Ruiz near the ropes. Villanueva lands more uppercuts to the body of Ruiz, and then hits Ruiz with a stiff left hook that hurts Ruiz badly. Ruiz is trying to hold on and survive, but the referee wisely stops the fight.
Villanueva wins by 7th round TKO at 1:04.
Guy Robb (7-0) vs. Joel Diaz (6-0); Junior Lightweight
Round 1:
Robb comes out and misses with a jab, but gets hit with a counter left hook. Robb lands an early jab. Robb ducks under a Diaz hook, and Diaz continues and lands a decent right cross and left hook. Diaz lands a left and right hook upstairs. Diaz connects with a jab and an overhand right. Diaz thuds Robb with a right hand. Diaz lands two good right hands on Robb. Robb slips two jabs from Diaz. Robb lands a good right hand to the body of Diaz. Robb lands two good body shots on Diaz, an dDiaz answers with a good right hand. Robb connects with a left hook. 10-9 round for Diaz.
Round 2:
Robb comes out in round as the aggressor, and they clinch. Robb lands a good right hook to the body of Diaz, and they exchange hard blows by the ropes. Diaz connects with a right hand, and Diaz answers with a hard right hand upstairs. Diaz slips a jab from Robb and circles away. Diaz has a left hook to the body partially blocked. Robb connects with some hooks to the body, and knocks Diaz down with a stiff right hand. Diaz gets a standing eight count and the fight continues. Diaz dodges a few hooks from Robb and lands some hard hooks on Robb. Diaz connects with a solid right cross, and they exchange shots inside. Robb bangs at the body of Diaz and tries to stay in close. Diaz lands several hard shots on Robb by the ropes, and Robb comes right back and lands some hard body shots on Diaz. Diaz connects with a hard right cross and a left hook. Robb stays at the body, but eats a multi punch combination from Diaz near the end of the round. 10-8 round for Robb.
Round 3:
Robb and Diaz come out after a thrilling round 2, and Robb lands a decent right cross on Diaz. Diaz lands two hard right hands that appear to hurt Robb. Robb goes down from a body shot and gets a standing eight count. Robb gets back up and starts banging at the body of Diaz. Diaz is starting to swing wildly and misses with his shots. Robb lands a soft jab and a hard right hook to the body. Diaz connects with a good two punch combination. Diaz lands another hard right hand that hurts Robb. Robb eats another hard combination by the ropes and the referee looks to be thinking about stopping it. Robb slips and the referee gives him another standing eight count. Diaz lands a four punch combination, and Robb is attempting to battle back. Diaz lands two more hard right hands on Robb. 10-7 round for Diaz.
Round 4:
Robb comes out aggressive and connects with some body shots by the ropes, and Robb lands some hard shots to the head of Diaz by the ropes. Robb lands a straight right hand, and Robb is working on the body of Diaz by the ropes. Diaz lands some short shots by the ropes on Diaz, but Robb gets the better of Diaz. Robb lands some uppercuts on Diaz and keeps his defense up. Robb connects with a big right hand, and both fighters get tagged with hard hooks. Robb punches Diaz in the temple with a left hook. Robb is throwing hard measured shots to the body of Diaz, and they connects with jabs at the same time. Both fighters appear to have blod coming from their face, and Diaz hurts Robb with a combination. Tough round to score, 10-9 Robb.
Round 5:
Diaz clinches to Robb as Robb attacks the body of Diaz. Diaz has Robb in trouble by the ropes as he connects with solid right hands. Robb lands a thudding right hook to the body of Diaz and it appears to hurt him. Diaz is eating body shots from Robb by the ropes. Robb continues his work on the body of Diaz and refuses to back up. Robb lands a short left hook, and Diaz answers with a combination upstairs. Robb connects with a short left hook, and Diaz answers with a right cross to the body. Robb smacks a jab to the nose of Diaz, and Diaz answers with two straight right hands. Robb has Diaz backed up to the ropes, and Robb has blood streaming from his nose. A straight right hand momentarily stops Robb’s movement coming forward. 10-9 round for Robb.
Round 6:
Robb lands a straight right hand upstairs and a right hook to the body near the corner, and Diaz is able to punch his way out of trouble. Robb bangs at the body of Diaz, and lands a short right hand upstairs. Diaz hits Robb with a two punch combination upstairs, and Robb continues to come forward. Diaz lands a left hook upstairs, and Robb continues to bang at the body. Diaz is starting to look tired. Robb hits Diaz with a short uppercut by the ropes. Robb and Diaz both have swelling on their face, and Diaz lands a good jab to the nose of Robb. Diaz lands a good left hook, and Robb anwers by banging at the body of Diaz. Diaz lands a short left hook, but Robb continues to attack the body of Diaz. Close, close round. 10-9 round for Diaz.
Round 7:
Robb comelands the first punch of round seven with an overhand right. Diaz misses with a straight right hand, and Diaz lands two jabs and a quick combination on Robb. Robb eats another combination from Diaz, and Robb answers with an uppercut and Diaz answers with a big right hand. Diaz lands a lead left uppercut on Robb, and Robb continues his assault on the body of Diaz. They clinch by the ropes, and Diaz lands a lead right hand. Diaz connects on Robb with a combination with his back to the ropes. Diaz landing more combinations on Robb by the ropes, and the referee stops the fight as Robb looked hurt. Questionable stoppage after the war these two went through.
Diaz wins by TKO at 2:20 of round 7.
Rico Ramos (20-0) vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (8-0); Junior Featherweight
Round 1:
Rigondeaux and Ramos come out to the center of the ring, and Rigondeaux flicks out several jabs in an attempt to find his range. Rigondeaux misses with a wild left hand. Rigondeaux lands a straight left hand to the body of Ramos. Rigondeaux continues to paw out his jab, and Rigondeaux straight right hand connects. Ramos lands a right hand to the body of Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux is looking very confident in the ring. Rigondeaux connects with a straight right hand to the body of Ramos. Rigondeaux lands another right hand to the body of Ramos, and Rigondeaux lands a good left hand on Ramos at his temple, and Ramos goes down. The referee gives him a standing eight count, and Rigondeaux attack sRamos after Ramos gets back up and Rigondeaux lands several hard left hands. Ramos is able to survive the round. 10-8 round for Rigondeaux.
Round 2:
Ramos and Rigondeaux come back out for round two, and Ramos stays on his toes on the outside circling away from the power hand of Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux paws out his jab and feints with his left hand. Ramos comes in close and lands some soft body shots on Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux lands a straight left hand on Ramos. Slow round so far, and Rigondeaux continues to paw his jab out and now throwing any hard punches. Rigondeaux easily slips a jab from Ramos. Rigondeaux and Ramos both look cautious this round. Slow round, not a lot of action. 10-9 for Rigondeaux.
Round 3:
Rigondeaux lands an early lead right hook on Ramos upstairs. Rigondeaux easily dodges a combination from Ramos. Rigondeaux lands a lead left cross upstairs. Rigondeaux easily ducks under a right cross from Ramos. Ramos misses with a left hook, and Rigondeaux connects on Ramos with a right cross to the body. Both fighters look tentative again. Rigondeaux lands two consecutive left hands to the body of Ramos. Rigondeaux lands another left hand to the body of Ramos. 10-9 for Rigondeaux, as some in the crowd start to boo.
Round 4:
Rigondeaux lands some hooks to the body of Ramos early. Rigondeaux easily dodges the jabs of Ramos. The referee imploes the fighters to start exchanging. Ramos ducks under an overhand left from Rigondeaux. A straight left hand from Rigondeaux is blocked by Ramos. Rigondeaux lands a solid straight left hand on Ramos before Ramos is able to unleash his own punches. Rigondeaux lands another straight left hand upstairs. Ramos connects with a short right hand to the body of Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux is staying patient, and is inviting Ramos to open up. Rigondeaux lands a left hand to the body of Ramos near the end of round four, and more fans start to boo. 10-9 round for Rigondeaux.
Round 5:
Rigondeaux starts off round five continuing to stay patient, but lands a hard left hand to the body and a right hand upstairs. They clinch by the center of the ring, and the referee breaks them up. V lands a straight left hand to the body of Ramos. More fans in the crowd begin to boo. Rigondeaux has a straight left hand blocked by Ramos, but lands a jab. Ramos connects with a left hook, which may be the first solid punch he landed all night. Rigondeaux connects with another jab on Ramos, and Ramos answers with a jab of his own. Rigondeaux lands a short left hook to the body of Ramos. Rigondeaux lands some hooks to the body of Ramos. 10-9 round for Rigondeaux.
Round 6:
Rigondeaux lands a double jab early in round six, and Ramos answers back with hook sthat are blocked. Ramos lands a soft jab to the body of Rigondeaux. Ramos lands several short hooks on Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux lands a solid left hook to the body as Ramos comes in. Rigondeaux apparently hits Ramos with a low blow, but the referee indiciates it’s a rabbit punch. Fight continues and Rigondeaux comes out firing with hard left hands upstairs, and then lands a brutal left hand to the body of Ramos and Ramos goes down. Ramos doesn’t get back up, and Rigondeaux wins by KO.
Rigondeaux wins by KO
