Cut-Filled Norman-Bocachica Bout Finishes in No-Decision
Welterweight Brian Norman Jr. (25-0, 19 KOs) and Janelson Figueroa Bocachica (17-2-1, 11 KOs) fought to a no-decision on Saturday’s undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Norman appeared tense to start the fight, failing to step in with his jab and wound up getting dropped by an overhand right in the first round. The frame wasn’t a total loss for Norman, though, as he cut Bocachica over his left eye.
This became something of a theme. Norman suffered a cut over his right eye in the middle of the second. With 37 seconds left in the round, Bocachica was cut again – this time on his forehead, from a head clash. Bocachica came back firing, attempting to land something big.
From there, the bout became a bit unhinged. The blood was flowing. Both fighters were loading up, and neither set up his shots. But Bocachica was able to time Norman, who was struggling with his range. Norman seemed unable to decide whether to play the role of boxer or brawler.
After three rounds, Bocachica’s corner called the fight – which would have gone to the scorecards if it had lasted another round.
Scores Don't Live Up to Fight as Bryce Mills Bests Gerffred Ngayot
Local favorite Bryce Mills (15-1, 5 KOs) won a six-round unanimous decision over Gerffred Ngayot (6-2, 5 KOs) on Saturday’s undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
After one round, the local-attraction bout was already stealing the show. Ngayot, from Buffalo, helped set a busy pace. Mills, out of Syracuse, New York, came forward, blocked punches with his gloves and sought to land thunderous shots. Ngayot had success punching to the body, and although he went to the floor in the round, it was ruled a slip.
Mills seemed to be weaponizing his cardio, pushing a pace he felt Ngayot couldn’t maintain. Although he took some early shots, he never took a backwards step.
By the fourth round, a lot of energy had been burned off, with both men fighting at a slower pace. Ngayot was counter-punching well off the back foot, while Mills kept aggressively coming forward and thudding big shots.
Both fighters showed damage on their faces by the fifth. After the round, Ngayot appeared tired, while Mills refused to sit on his stool.
In the sixth and final round, the fighters stood in the middle of the ring and threw. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was spirited. Mills landed the best right hand of the fight with a minute left, and landed a telling left hook with 10 seconds left. At the final bell, no one seemed to know what the outcome would be.
If the outcome wasn’t a total shock, the scores – two of them, anyway – were: 58-56, 60-54 and 60-54. Ngayot deserved better.
Troy Isley Stops Marcos Hernandez in Thrilling Fashion
Middleweight Troy Isley (12-0, 4 KOs) defeated Marcos Hernandez (16-7-2, 3 KOs) on Saturday’s undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Isley, 25, looked more like a contender than a prospect. He made a very tough and accomplished fighter look average or worse. None of Isley’s movements were labored. He was simply sharper and a step ahead of Hernandez, 30, who has been fighting at the world-class level since 2016.
Isley made his mark quickly, with an active jab and fluid boxing, and caught Hernandez with a good right hand in the first round. He targeted Hernandez to the body with each combination, and was able to present angles whenever Hernandez set his feet to punch.
For his part, Hernandez was opportunistic and tougher than leather. Any mistake that Isley made (which were few) was taken advantage of by Hernandez.
At the end of the fifth round, Isley rocked Hernandez with a short right hand. Then he fired a huge right hand that landed like a shotgun blast, knocking down Hernandez in dramatic fashion. Hernandez got to his feet, but referee Mark Nelson halted the contest at 1:30 in the seventh round.
This marks the second world-class win in a row for Isley, who beat game-spoiler Vladimir Hernandez in his last fight.
Floyd Diaz Surges Late to Top Edwin Rodriguez
Bantamweight Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Edwin Rodriguez (12-8-2, 5 KOs) in Saturday’s undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
The fight was pushed back when Diaz was late to the arena (and subsequently fined by the commission). Diaz had also been late to sparring under his new trainer, Brian “BoMac” McIntyre, according to ESPN+ commentators. This was Diaz’s first fight without his father, Mike Diaz, in his corner.
Rodriguez came forward with pressure as Diaz looked to box from the outside. Diaz landed a big left uppercut to end the first round, and he looked fluid moving into the second round. Rodriguez continued to come forward, but Diaz was forcing the fight toward his terms.
Diaz was able to control distance and throw a lot of punches to keep Rodriguez’s hands occupied. Rodriguez, who rarely used a jab, needed an opponent willing to come to him, but Diaz never let him find his rhythm.
Diaz appeared in control in the middle rounds, but he wasn’t separating himself from Rodriguez. That began to change in the sixth, when Diaz sent Rodriguez back to his corner with bruises on his face.
Rodriguez ended the seventh round with his best punch of the night, an overhand right – but it wouldn’t be enough. Diaz landed his best punches of the fight in the late rounds and coasted to a win (78-74, 79-73 and 80-72).
Rohan Polanco Shines in Wide Decision Over Tarik Zaina
Junior welterweight Rohan Polanco (12-0, 7 KOs) won a wide eight-round unanimous decision over Tarik Zaina (13-1-1, 8 KOs) in Saturday’s undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
The story of the fight was pretty simple: Zaina tried to be busier and outpoint Polanco with an active jab, while Polanco attempted to counter and land a game-changing punch.
With 30 seconds left in the second round, Polanco landed a huge right hand that rocked Zaina, who avoided the knockdown and answered with his own right hand before the bell.
In the third, Polanco’s jab fired like a piston – stronger and faster than in previous rounds. Zaina’s output began to dip, and Polanco walked him down, doing more damage with a greater volume of punches. By the fifth round, Polanco’s systematic body attack had slowed Zaina.
While Polanco didn’t sit down between rounds, Zaina seemed to have his energy sapped as the fight wore on. Zaina was simply outgunned by Polanco, who looked like a future world title contender.
The lights in the venue went out at 2:18 in the seventh round, causing a delay in the action. A minute or so later, Zaina found himself on the canvas. Polanco began unloading big shots after his opponent got back to his feet, but Zaina hung on. (He even bloodied Polanco’s nose in the final round.)
But an uppercut from Polanco dropped Zaina with less than 15 seconds left, leaving no doubt about the outcome. The judges scored it 78-72, 79-71 and 79-71 for Polanco.