Nahir Albright capitalized on the most meaningful opportunity of his career Tuesday night in Hollywood, Florida.
Albright dropped favored Michael Dutchover once apiece in the first, second, third and sixth rounds before their junior welterweight fight, scheduled for 10 rounds, was stopped following the sixth round. Danny Zamora, Dutchover’s trainer, instructed referee Christopher Young to stop their bout because a battered, bloodied Dutchover had taken too much punishment.
The 25-year-old Albright (14-1, 7 KOs), a Philadelphia native, has won 14 straight fights since he lost his pro debut in September 2016. Albright also beat an opponent with a 15-1 record in a second straight bout.
Dutchover (15-2, 10 KOs), of Midland, Texas, was stopped for the second time in his past four fights.
Albright’s big win was part of the TrillerVerz II undercard at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Junior welterweights Pablo Cesar Cano and Danielito Zorrilla are set to square off in the main event.
By the time Albright and Dutchover reached the second half of their fight, it appeared a matter of when, not if, Albright would win by knockout or technical knockout.
Albright’s jab, followed by a right hand, stopped Dutchover in his tracks with just over 50 seconds to go in the sixth round. Approximately 15 seconds later, Albright wobbled Dutchover with a right hand and sent him to the canvas with a left hand when there were 29 seconds to go in the sixth round.
A courageous Dutchover got off the canvas for the fourth time in their bout and made it to the bell to end that sixth round.
Albright buckled Dutchover’s knees with yet another right hand 35 seconds into the fifth round. Already ahead by an almost insurmountable margin, Albright continued to pick apart Dutchover throughout the fifth round.
A bloodied Dutchover stayed on his feet for a second straight round, but he took a lot more punishment in that fifth round.
Albright rocked Dutchover with a right hand that landed with just under 40 seconds on the clock in the fourth round and opened a nasty gash around Dutchover’s left eye. Dutchover backed off, but an aggressive Albright hammered him with several right hands and a left hook before that fourth round ended.
Albright dropped Dutchover once apiece in each of the first three rounds. The third knockdown was the result of a counter right hand that connected with just a few seconds to go in the third round.
After flooding Dutchover late in the first round, Albright floored Dutchover again 17 seconds into the second round, this time with a left hook. Dutchover got up again and remained upright for the rest of the second round.
Albright dropped Dutchover with 36 seconds to go in the first round after landing a right hand that landed to the side of his head. A stunned Dutchover took his time in getting up, answered Young’s count at nine and took several additional right hands before the opening round concluded.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
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