Rising star Anthony Garnica. Photo credit: Peter Politanoff
by Francisco Salazar |
Anthony Garnica made a statement in a fight he must win to revive his pro career.
The undefeated featherweight is coming off a first-round knockout victory over former contender Adan Ochoa. Garnica floored Ochoa, eventually earning a stoppage at 2:59 of the first round Saturday night at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California.
From the opening bell, Garnica threw left hooks and countered them. Ochoa spent most of the fight trying to force Garnica down. Garnica feinted as both fighters tried to utilize their jabs to establish range.
Behind schedule in the round, Ochoa moved in on Garnica, who responded with a right cross and a left hook. This sequence produced the only knockdown of the fight as Ochoa landed challenging. He beat the count but favored his left leg, forcing himself to grab the top rope to maintain balance. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. noticed that Ochoa could not put weight on his leg and stopped the fight.
After the fight, it was revealed that Ochoa most likely broke his left ankle.
The Garnica-Ochoa clash was a heavyweight clash between featherweights who needed a win to have a chance at competing in the weight class.
Garnica (12-0-1, 7 knockouts), who lives in Oakland, hopes a win over Ochoa will give him a boost in his career. The 24-year-old hasn’t fought since a first-round knockout of Oscar Negrete on April 14.
His previous fight took place in September 2022. Garnica defeated Juan Antonio Lopez via majority decision in the main event of the fight between Andy Ruiz and Luis Ortiz at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Ochoa, who lives in nearby Compton, lost 13-5 (6 KOs) to 1 No Contest. He has now lost three of his last four fights.
In the co-main event, featherweight Malakai Johnson of Sacramento defeated Aidyn Yelzhanov by decision in eight one-sided rounds. All three judges scored the fight 80-72 in favor of Johnson (13-0-1, 8 KOs), who improved to 13-0-1, 8 KOs.
Midway through the first round, a left hook to the head briefly wobbled Yelzhanov (6-3-1, 4 KOs). Johnson continued but was unable to get him down. Johnson was in form for most of the fight, outboxing Yelzhanov in the middle during exchanges or from range.
As the fight progressed, feeling he was losing on points, Yelzhanov became the aggressor and initiated exchanges. Johnson effectively countered Yelzhanov with jabs and straight rights to the head.
Yelzhanov, 31, originally from Kazakhstan and currently living in San Francisco, California, lost with a balance of 6-3-1, 4 KO.
Before Saturday, Johnson had stopped four of his five opponents.
In a surprising lightweight, Victor Lopez Gala of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico defeated marginal candidate Victor Betancourt by unanimous decision. The scores were 80-72, 79-73, and 77-75 for Lopez, who improved to 6-1, 3 KOs.
The taller Lopez was busier, out-punching Betancourt for most of the fight. As the fight progressed, the 19-year-old Lopez used lateral movement and ranged fighting to outbox Betancourt. Lopez’s reach advantage also helped him connect with his jabs and kept Betancourt from continuing to attack consistently.
Betancourt, who hails from Mexicali, Mexico, and now lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, drops to 30-6-1 with 17 KOs. The 33-year-old was undefeated in his previous four fights and had fought on several Premier Boxing Champion (PBC) and All Star Boxing cards.
Fringe welterweight contender Vlad Panin overcame a knockdown to earn a third-round knockout victory over Victoriano Santillan. The Belarusian-born, Los Angeles-based Panin improved to 20-1, 12 KOs.
About a minute into the first round, a left hook to the chin sent Panin to the mat. The taller Panin beat the count and moments later in the round floored Santillan with a right-left combination to the head.
Both had their moments in the second round, but Panin landed the more telling and effective punches. Another left hook early in the third wobbled Santillan. Panin continued, landing a series of combinations as Santillan tried to defend himself. A combination to the head prompted referee Thomas Taylor to intervene as Santillan slumped to the mat.
Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Santillan dropped to 12-7-2 with 8 KOs.
Heavyweight contender Federico Pacheco Jr. knocked down Michael Coronado (4-8-1, 1 KO) of San Marcos, Texas twice en route to a knockout victory at 1:22 of round five. Pacheco knocked Coronado down once in round three and again in round five, both with body blows, prompting referee Ivan Guillermo to stop the fight after the final knockdown.
Pacheco is the younger brother of undefeated super middleweight title challenger Diego Pacheco.
Middleweight contender Martin Sollano defeated Jonathan Ramirez (4-1-1, 2 KOs) of Cheverly, Maryland, via split decision. Ramirez, who was fighting for the first time in over six years, won 39-37 on one judge’s scorecard, but the other two judges scored the fight 39-37 for Sollano, who improved to 5-0, 2 KOs.
Sollano grew up in Cuautla, Mexico, and is now a teacher in Amarillo, Texas.
In the first fight of the Showtime Boxing Promotions card, super middleweight Jaivion Cardinal of Long Beach defeated Trevon Smith (2-2, 1 KO) of Houston via majority decision. One judge scored the fight 38-38, while the other two judges scored it 40-36 and 39-37 for Cardinal, who improved to 6-0, 4 KO.
Saturday was Cardinal’s first fight in more than two and a half years.
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