Las Vegas, June 23rd, 2019- Jermell Charlo 32-1 16KOs needed less than three full rounds to dispatch late substitute Jorge Cota 28-4 25KOs.
Originally slated to face Tony Harrison in a rematch of his lone defeat, Charlo was forced to fight Cota after Harrison withdrew from the fight citing an ankle injury.
Two feel out rounds gave way to a a third round of exchanges. Charlo caught Cota flush with a hook inside sending him to the canvas. A visibly hurt and wobbly Cota made it his feet and stood with a hand on the rope as referee Jay Nady allowed the fight to continue.
Charlo came in twitch a vicious one-two combination that put Cota to sleep, as he laid with is eyes open and arms dangling off the edge of the ring referee Jay Nady called a halt to the action.
The win sets up a rematch with Harrison and a chance to regain the title he lost earlier this year.
Holy Rigondeaux!
For eight rounds Guillermo Rigondeaux 19-1 13KOs bang and brawled on the inside with Mexican Julio Cesar 32-4 28KOs to the crowd and twitter’s delight.
Deviating from his usual hit and run style, “El Chacal” was entertaining and effective on the inside. The pair went toe to toe from the opening bell with swings in momentum throughout the fight.
Finally in the eighth, Rigondeaux landed a big hook inside, dropping the Mexican. Ceja made it to his feet but referee Russel Mora saw something he didn’t like and waived the fight to a finish.
The change in style is reminiscent to the resurgence of fellow elite Cuban Erislandy Lara who went from a technical boxer to a cant miss action draw in the twilight of his career.
