Both Regis Prograis and Teofimo Lopez got their work done as expected tonight in New Orleans. They both also entertained despite being in one sided fights. The night was spoiled a bit by how long it took everyone and anyone to stop the main event, however.
For about a round Argentinian challenger Juan Jose Velasco (20-1, 12 KOs) did pretty well. He landed several clean shots over the first three minutes, including one that might have subtly wobbled heavily favored New Orleans local Regis Prograis (22-0, 19 KOs). By the end of the round, however, Prograis was working him along the ropes. That is basically how the fight went from thereafter. Velasco still landed quite a bit in return as “Rougarou” pays little attention to defense though. That could potentially haunt the young star eventually, but here it didn’t matter. He landed more than he took. By the fifth round, the fight was all but over. Prograis put Velasco down hard on a body shot. He’d unexpectedly rise and fight on, but the blow was a harbinger of worse to come.
Everything finished falling apart in the seventh, or at least it should have. Rougarou put Velasco down for a second time on body work and he was clearly done competitively. There was just no manner in which the Argentinian was going to win this fight. I’d have stopped it here, but the always inept Lawrence Cole let it go. It wasn’t an indefensible decision at this point yet though; Juan Jose Velasco was still fighting back gamely. I just saw it as hopeless. In between rounds confirmed my suspicions and Velasco voiced to his corner that he was done. Infuriatingly, however, his trainer insisted that he not give up and all but forced him to go back out. Almost immediately into the eighth the brave and at this point abused Argentinian went down yet again. He eventually got up as fighters do, but Velasco was clearly shaking his head no in a sign of defeat. What did the perpetually incompetent Lawrence Cole do? First, it must be noted that he clearly counted Velasco out to ten in Spanish while he was still down. Then he ignored both his own count and Velasco’s submission. Then he sent Velasco out to be beaten on some more. A few more Prograis shots were all it took for the Argentinian corner to thankfully finally put an end to this, but good god was this a bad look for everyone involved but the fighters themselves. Disgraceful stuff. The only real saving grace here is that the damaging attack was to the body and won’t create any lasting damage. The fact that he won’t have brain damage from this being the bright side shows how dark we went here though.
Post-fight Regis Prograis celebrated his entry into the World Boxing Super Series as official now. I will note the ESPN never brought the pending tournament up once on the night until Prograis did. Of course they didn’t as they have no stake in it and that is how ESPN has functioned in a partisan manner for probably twenty years now, but it is still disappointing nonetheless.
20 year old blue chip lightweight prospect Teofimo Lopez (10-0, 8 KOs) put on a dynamic and dominant performance in the co-main event by stopping William Silva (25-2, 14 KOs) of Brazil in six rounds. The Honduran-American Olympian put Silva down in the first on a beautiful left hook, making a big statement right out of the gate. He let a bit off the gas and his determined Brazilian opponent was able to try to work his way back in the fight in rounds two through four, but Lopez re-upped the pressure in round five. He basically beat Silva down to the canvas at the very end of the round, but the bell saved him. William Silva would not be saved in round six, however, as he was beat down and stopped shortly after its open. Teofimo Lopez came into this fight as one of the best prospects in the sport and only elevated himself here. This was great stuff. He leaves himself a little open at times, but that ridiculous offense more than makes up for it. He’s also a conscious entertainer, yet again showing his dance moves in celebration.
