Boxing Results: “Katz” Claws His Way To The Top: Katzourakis Overcomes Early Pressure To Stop Cruz Late

Andreas ‘Katz’ Katzourakis (16-0, 11 KOs) stopped Roberto ‘El Terror de Cayey’ Cruz (11-1, 7 KOs) at 2:37 of the seventh round for the vacant WBA Continental Americas Super Welterweight title on Friday night at Red Owl Boxing Arena, Houston, TX. Breyon Gorham defeated Luis Feliciano in the co-main event by a 10-round unanimous decision.

In the second round’s first minute, Cruz had his way out, landing Katzourakis, who came back well the rest of the round. Cruz had an edge in an action round in the third and fourth rounds. In the fifth round’s final seconds, Katzourakis had Cruz hurt with a flurry of punches.

In the sixth round’s final seconds, Katzourakis drove Cruz into the ropes, which looked like a knockdown, but Referee John Schorle waved it off like it was a slip. In the seventh round’s final minute, Katzourakis drove Cruz to the canvas as Cruz’s corner threw in the towel, ending the fight.

In the co-main event, super lightweight Breyon ‘Grindtime’ Gorham, 19-0 (15), out-pointed Luis Feliciano, 17-3(8) by a 10-round unanimous decision, scoring a knockdown.

In the first round, previously unbeaten and coming off a pair of losses, Feliciano was outlanded. From the second through the seventh rounds, Feliciano made a fight of it, though Gorham got the best of it for the most part.

In the eighth round, Gorham countered Feliciano with a right on the chin, dropping him for an 8-count from Referee James Green.

Both had moments in the ninth round, with Gorham having an edge. In the tenth and final round, knowing he was well behind Feliciano, he had his best round working Gorham.

The scores were 98-91, 97-92, and 99-90.

Super Lightweight Giovanni Marquez, 12-0 (6) beat Esteban ‘Stone Hands’ Munoz, 10-4 (5) by an 8-round unanimous decision to capture the vacant America Continental title.

In the first round, Munoz outworked Marquez until, with a minute remaining, Marquez rocked Munoz with a right on the chin. Munoz landed a combination to the chin in the third round, rocking Marquez. In the fourth round, Marquez had an edge. In his corner is former world champion Raul Marquez.

Marquez had a small cut outside his right eye at the end of the fifth round’s slugfest. In the seventh round, they continued fighting on an even level for the most part. In the eighth and final round Marquez had Munoz against the ropes with a flurry of punches until the final seconds when Munoz landed the final blow a right on a chin.

The scores were 78-74, 78-74, and 79-73. Joe Rodriguez was the referee.

Lightweight southpaw Oscar ‘El Chato’ Perez, 13-0-2 (7), defeated Cesar ‘Corazon’ Juarez, 31-19 (24), by an eight-round unanimous decision.

In the first three rounds, Perez dominated. In the fourth round, Referee James Green took a point from Juarez for low blows. In the fifth round, a left from Perez on the chin dropped Juarez for an 8-count from referee Green. In the eighth and final round, both let it all hang out, with Juarez suffering a bloody nose.

Scores were 80-70, 80-70, and 79-71.

Super middleweight Nate ‘Brickbuster’ Lugo, 4-0 (4), stopped ‘The Italian Stallion’ Austin Dulworth, 4-4 (1), at 2:47 of the fifth round of a scheduled six-rounder.

Lugo won all three in an action-packed bout in the first three rounds. In the fourth round, at the end of a minute, a right from Lugo on the chin and down went Dulworth for an 8-count from referee John Schorle. In the fifth round, with fifteen seconds remaining, a flurry of punches from Lugo forced referee Schorle to call a halt.

Middleweight Elijah ‘Kaboom’ Lugo, 2-0)  defeated Chris Porter, 2-3-2 (2) by a four-round unanimous decision.

In the first twenty seconds of the first round, Lugo rocked Porter with a right to the chin. In the fourth and final round, it was all Lugo trying but failing to get the stoppage.

The scores were 40-36, 40-36, and 40-36.

The ring Announcer was Lupe Contreras.