By: Ken Hissner
On Friday night Mayweather Promotions put on a card at Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada. This card was broadcast on Showtime and featured Xavier Martinez scoring a sensational knockout over Jessie Cris Rosales.
Super Featherweight Xavier Martinez improved his record to 15-0 (11) when he scored the knockout over Filipino boxer Jessie Rosales, 22-4-1(10) when he scorched him at 0:21 of the first round.
Martinez stung Rosales about ten seconds from the start and immediately followed it with a left hook and right on the chin of Rosales and down he went. Referee Vic Drakulich immediately waved it off.
Photo Credit: Showtime Boxing Twitter Account
In the co-feature Welterweight 2016 Olympian Richardson Hitchins, 10-0 (5), #144, of Brooklyn, NY, defeated Kevin “Thunder Storm” Johnson, 7-2 (4), #143 1/4, Las Vegas, NV, over 10 rounds.
In the first round Hitchins was much stronger outlanding Johnson. In the second round it was another close one with Hitchins countering well. In the third round after a minute of action Johnson landed a solid right to the chin of Hitchins. It was a close round with Johnson getting the edge.
In the fourth round the closeness of the rounds continued. Hitchins seemed the stronger of the two landing more than a jab at a time like Johnson. In the fifth round Johnson landed a looping right to the chin halfway through the first minute. Hitchins continued to outwork Johnson the rest of the way.
In the sixth round halfway through the round Hitchins landed several combinations while Johnson depended on his jab. In the seventh round Johnson kept his distance instead of getting closer inside. Halfway through the round Johnson finally got inside landing four consecutive body shots. Hitchins showed his power in his right whether countering or leading with it.
In the eighth round Johnson had his mouth opened yet made it close by the end of the round which could have gone either way. In the ninth round Johnson sencing he was behind became more aggressive. In a close round Johnson may have won it.
In the tenth and final round at the halfway mark Johnson landed several rights on the chin of Hitchins. Sensing he may need a knockout to win Johnson outlanded Hitchins.
Scores were 96-94, 97-93 twice.
In a rematch Super Middleweight Mark “Madman” Anthony Hernandez, 14-3-1 (3), #165, of Fresno, CA, lost to Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman II, 11-1-1 (6), #165, of Las Vegas, NV, getting his revenge over 8 rounds.
In the first two rounds Newman seemed to win with his hand speed and footwork.
In the third round Hernandez pinned Newman against the ropes but Newman returned as many body punches as Hernandez. Newman’s jab seemed to be the difference of the two. In the fourth round Hernandez fought better but Newman’s hand speed kept him ahead.
In the fifth round there was too much holding on both parts. Hernandez continued to be the aggressor for the most part. In the sixth round Newman rocked Hernandez in the first minute with a right uppercut to the chin. Newman finished strong possibly enough to win the round. The action slowed down in that round.
In the seventh round Newman seemed to get his “second wind” being more accurate. A Newman right uppercut to the chin of Hernandez rocked him. Newman had a right blocked in the final minute but followed with a left to the chin of Hernandez. In the eighth and final round in the first minute Hernandez landed a solid left hook to the chin of Newman. Seconds later Newman came back with a flurry of punches. Halfway through the round Newman landed a double left hook to the body and head. It looked like Newman got his revenge.
Scores were 80-72 and 79-73 twice.
Flyweight Ava Knight, 19-2-5 (5), of Las Vegas, NV, defeated Colombian Luna del Mar Torroba, 12-10-3 (2), of LaPampa, ARG, over 8 rounds.
Super Flyweight prospect Dylan Price, 10-0 (7), of Sicklerville, NJ, stopped Elias Joaquino, 12-5-2 (6), of Cebu, PH, at 1:48 of the 6th of an 8 rounder.
Lightweight Cris Reyes, 9-0 (8), of Renton, WA, stopped Recky “The Terror” Dulay, 11-7 (8), of Makati City, PH, at 1:55 of the 4th of an 8.
Lightweight Rolando “Rolly” Romero, 10-0 (9), #138, of Las Vegas, NV, knocked out Juan Carlos Cordones, 14-2 (9), #141 1/2, of La Romana, DR, at 2:14 of the first round in a 6 rounder.
In the first round a left hook from Romero dropped Cordones getting up quickly receiving an 8-count from Referee Robert Byrd. Half a minute later a right on the chin dropped Cordones a second time. He showed little effort to beat the count.
Super Featherweight Malik Warren, 2-0 (2), of Baltimore, MD, stopped Shauncy Perry, 0-1 (0), of Jonesboro, AR, at 1:09 of the second in a 4 rounder.