LAS VEGAS — Rafael Espinoza made a statement in the first defense of his WBO featherweight world championship Friday at Fontainebleau — a luxury resort that is a new addition to the venue rotation for boxing events in the Fight Capital of the World.
He caught Sergio Chirino flush on the chin with a counter left uppercut to drop his opponent so hard he would have fallen out of the ring entirely had the ropes not held him up after the knockdown. And then he finished the fight in only the fourth round, having dominated with a come-forward style.
It’s the second successive statement Espinoza has made following his Fight of the Year contender over Robeisy Ramirez, which he won after 12 grueling rounds in Miami last year.
The champion from Mexico is an awkward fighter to defend against because of his 6-foot-1 frame and natural advantages in height and reach. He also barely stops throwing — and attempted 995 shots in his last bout alone. Against Chirino, he was almost as relentless.
It was like Espinoza refused to take one backward step. Even in the third, he’d continue to ram his orthodox jab at Chirino’s face while stalking Chirino around the ring.
Chirino had sporadic success. When he hit Espinoza with a punch that snapped the champ’s head back momentarily in the third, his work was overruled near-instantly as Espinoza dropped him again — this time with a short but accurate left hook to the body.
With a jab to the stomach, a one-two with an uppercut, and a ramrod lead hand that connected so hard it punched the sweat off his face, Espinoza continued to pepper Chirino in the fourth, landing a fight-high 38 punches from 83 shots thrown.
Chirino then took a knee — he wanted no more — after an unrelenting barrage of uppercuts from Espinoza prompted the referee to step in and wave it off before the champion — in a successful first defense in the bank — mounted the red corner and celebrated in front of a loud, partisan crowd.
With victory, Espinoza advanced his pro boxing record to 25 wins (21 KOs), and though he spoke to World Boxing News earlier this week about possibly welcoming Naoya Inoue to the division, finds himself linked with a bout against fast-rising contender Bruce ‘ShuShu’ Carrington, and a Ramirez rematch.
“A lot of people want the rematch,” said Espinoza on the Top Rank on ESPN broadcast, before adding he’ll enjoy time with his family before talking to his team, and promoter Top Rank, about what is next. He then said he likes the idea of Carrington and Ramirez as opponents. “I hope they end up happening.”
Espinoza finished: “I want to unify [the featherweight world titles], and I want the big challenges.”
Andres Cortes Wins Dubious Decision
Whenever Abraham Nova fights, his towering cartoon-esque mascot always seems to steal the show as he’s a hype man who can not only shadow-box but dance, too.
On Friday, it was the judges — not Nova’s mascot — who stole the show, as officials ringside failed to recognize Nova’s work and awarded Andres Cortes a dubious decision with unanimous scores of 97-93 (x2) and 96-94.
Per Compubox data sent to World Boxing News, Nova connected with 196 of his 783 shots compared to Cortes, who landed 172 from 497. Nova was the more active fighter and landed more shots, too.
Even if Nova lulled in certain rounds, like the opening two, he out-landed Cortes in eight of the 10 rounds, threw 99 shots in the seventh, and then broke the 100 barrier in both the eighth and ninth.
Though a tough loss to take, Nova took it on the chin. “I’ve got to go back to the drawing board, fix a couple of things, and come back,” he said.
Earlier in the night, Troy Isley, who has been training under BoMac Brian MacIntyre alongside Terence Crawford, defeated Javier Martinez over 10 x 3s in a middleweight fight.
Burgeoning Top Rank standout Floyd Diaz dropped and decisioned Francisco Pedraza, and rising star Steven Navarro notched another win as the super flyweight prospect, still just 20, moved to 2-0.
Alan Dawson is World Boxing News Lead Writer, a 2 x Sports Journalist of the Year finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Follow Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
