Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
‘Bam Bam’ show bad intentions with stoppage
WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios proved his world class credentials at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California last night with a crushing third round stoppage of rugged challenger Urbano Antillon. The 25 year-old made a successful first defence of the title he claimed in February against Miguel Acosta and wowed the home crowd with a stunning performance.
Both men never took a backward step for the first two rounds, with Rios edging both with the classier punches, catching Antillon with one two combinations that started to tell on the face of Antillon, 28, by the end of the second round. The two fighters squared up to each other at the end of the round and the genuine distain for each other could be felt as both boxers went to their stools.
Rios came out in the third round with bad intentions in his eyes and put Antillon down within seconds with a crushing right hand. The Mexican seemed to it shake off well after an eight count until another assault by Rios culminated in him landing the best punch of the fight and Antillon went crashing to the canvas face first.
The challenger looked out on his feet at this point but referee David Mendoza allowed him to box on, with Antillon just trying to make it through the last twenty seconds of the round. After a clinch, Antillon staggered on rubbery legs and Mendoza finally saw sense and ended the clash at the end of the third round.
It was Rios’ 28th career win and the best of his career so far as Antillon dropped his third loss in 31 contests and may now find it a hard road to get back after two successive world title failures.
WBN Editor
Both men never took a backward step for the first two rounds, with Rios edging both with the classier punches, catching Antillon with one two combinations that started to tell on the face of Antillon, 28, by the end of the second round. The two fighters squared up to each other at the end of the round and the genuine distain for each other could be felt as both boxers went to their stools.
Rios came out in the third round with bad intentions in his eyes and put Antillon down within seconds with a crushing right hand. The Mexican seemed to it shake off well after an eight count until another assault by Rios culminated in him landing the best punch of the fight and Antillon went crashing to the canvas face first.
The challenger looked out on his feet at this point but referee David Mendoza allowed him to box on, with Antillon just trying to make it through the last twenty seconds of the round. After a clinch, Antillon staggered on rubbery legs and Mendoza finally saw sense and ended the clash at the end of the third round.
It was Rios’ 28th career win and the best of his career so far as Antillon dropped his third loss in 31 contests and may now find it a hard road to get back after two successive world title failures.