Fighting in front of a more-than-sold out crowd filled with boxing royalty, WBC #1 and WBO #3-rated middleweight Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46 KOs) pounded out a workmanlike TKO 5 over always-tough Matt “The Predator” Vanda (44-14, 24 KOs) on Friday night at the Sampson Boxing in Association with Promociones del Pueblo night of boxing in the South Pacific Ballroom at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Rubio’s heavy hands eventually wore down Vanda, who came to fight but couldn’t overcome the power differential. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight at 2:42 of the fifth when it became apparent Vanda had stopped fighting back.
The two embraced warmly after the fight, a show of respect for the tough battle they had just waged.
Quick-fisted Dominican prospect Javier Fortuna (18-0, 13 KOs) scored a knockdown over durable veteran Miguel Roman (37-9, 28 KOs) early in their featherweight bout, but was forced to hold off a late surge before winning a unanimous 10-round decision (96-92, 96-91, 97-90).
Fortuna had to work tonight to win the WBC Silver Intercontinental Championship, as Roman clearly showed up thinking upset.
Welterweight powerhouse Azael Cosio (13-1-2, 10 KOs) inflicted a TKO 6 over Ronnie Warrior Jr (13-6-1, 4 KOs) in a battle for the WBC Latino belt. Cosio dropped Warrior in the first and twice more in the sixth. His corner elected to stop the bout after round six.
In a subdued clash of undefeated light middleweights, St. Thomas, Virgin Island’s Samuel Rogers (11-0, 6 KOs) finally scored a 10th round TKO (2:10) over formerly undefeated Jamar Freeman (9-1-2, 5 KOs) of Wilson, North Carolina.
With the win, Rogers took the vacant WBC FECARBOX title. Time was 2:10.
Light heavyweight up-and-comer Badou Jack (9-0, 8 KOs) took out Ohio’s Adam Collins (10-5, 7 KOs) at 2:27 of round one. Showing continued improvement, Jack used body shots to open the head of Collins, eventually dropping him twice to bring a hasty end.
In an entertaining six-round super featherweight bout between female veterans, Laura Serrano (17-4-3, 6 KOs) and Ela “Bam Bam” Nunez (10-11-2, 2 KOs) fought to a majority draw. The scores were 59-55 (Serrano) and 57-57, 57-57.
Son of former world champion Julian Jackson and undefeated knockout artist John Jackson (12-0, 11 KOs) finally caught up to determined but outgunned Keandre Leatherwood (9-1, 6 KOs) at 1:31 of the sixth round in a fight for the vacant WBC Youth Light Middleweight Championship.
The previously undefeated Leatherwood finally gave in to Jackson’s power after giving as good as he got for the first few rounds. Jackson’s legendary father worked his corner.
