Joshua James Pagan didn’t simply step into the ring in Puerto Rico on Friday evening—he made it his personal.
Underneath the brilliant lights of the Coca-Cola Music Corridor in San Juan, Pagan earned a unanimous choice victory over veteran Haskell Rhodes, headlining the DAZN-televised predominant occasion of Large Time Boxing Puerto Rico.
The scores have been 100-90, 99-91, and 99-91, all in favor of Pagan, who ascends to11-0 (4 KOs).
Pagan, a 24-year-old from Grand Rapids, Michigan, took a measured method early. It was Rhodes who landed the primary notable punch of the evening—a crisp overhand proper within the opening spherical. Rhodes, 37, from Las Vegas, used his hand velocity to outmaneuver the 5ft 10ins Pagan early on, regardless of giving up 5 inches in peak. By spherical two, Rhodes was bullying Pagan on the ropes, and the gang erupted as the 2 traded pictures. Pagan closed the second with a pointy proper to the temple, an indication that he was settling in.
Within the third spherical, Pagan turned up the tempo, controlling the combat and touchdown the more practical pictures. His energetic jab stored his opponent at bay. Rhodes, who took the combat on brief discover, started to indicate indicators of rust. Within the fifth, Pagan put collectively a flurry of punches that pushed Rhodes into his personal nook, blood trickling from his nostril.
Pagan’s momentum continued within the sixth when a strong proper hand despatched Rhodes backward. Rhodes responded with a low blow that momentarily halted the motion, however Pagan resumed management with a sequence of energy pictures earlier than the spherical ended.
A tough jab snapped Rhodes’ head again within the seventh, and whereas Rhodes had a robust displaying within the eighth, paying homage to his early rounds, the youthful Pagan had clearly taken over. Rhodes’ mouthpiece flew out within the ninth as he pressed ahead, decided to check Pagan’s conditioning and toughness.
The tenth and last spherical noticed each fighters exchanging punches to the delight of the followers. Rhodes landed a number of pictures after the bell, leaving Pagan briefly dazed, earlier than the 2 embraced after a slight delay.
This was Pagan’s second win of 2024, following a tricky eight-round unanimous choice over Roger Hilley in Could. With the loss, Rhodes noticed his two-fight win streak come to an finish and his file fall to 31-7-1 (16 KOs).
Carrillo outclasses Castillo
Within the co-feature, Juan Carrillo defeated former title challenger Gilbert Lenin Castillo by way of a 10-round unanimous choice. The scores have been 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92.
The primary spherical set a sluggish tempo. Each are heavy knockout punchers and each confirmed warning within the face of their opponent’s firepower. Carrillo, 32, from Barranquilla, Colombia, discovered his rhythm within the second spherical, touchdown an overhand left and following up with a proper to the physique. The gang grew stressed, providing solely gentle boos as appreciation for the tactical combat. Carrillo closed the second with a strong left hand, however Castillo, 36, from Miami, Florida, absorbed it properly – a theme of the bout.
Each fighters have been centered on timing one another’s energy arms, with Castillo seeking to counter Carrillo’s left along with his proper. Carrillo started to determine his jab within the third spherical, as soon as once more touchdown a robust left to complete the spherical.
Within the fourth, Carrillo took extra dangers, however Castillo’s inactivity restricted Carrillo’s possibilities for an enormous counter. Castillo pressed ahead within the sixth, concentrating on the physique, however Carrillo’s increased work price stored him forward.
Carrillo picked up the tempo within the seventh, pinning Castillo on the ropes. A proper hand from Castillo was dominated a low blow by referee Luis Pabon, however Castillo responded moments later with an excellent proper to the physique, forcing Carrillo to take a deep breath earlier than countering with physique pictures of his personal.
A conflict of heads within the eighth briefly halted the motion, with Carrillo closing the spherical with one other significant left. Regardless of Carrillo’s dominance, Castillo remained sturdy. Within the ninth spherical, Carrillo landed a low blow however used the break to regain management, pouncing on Castillo when the motion resumed.
Carrillo landed one other strong left hand within the last spherical, however as all through the combat, Castillo, now 25-6-1 (19 KOs) took it with out faltering.
This victory introduced Carrillo’s file to 13-0 (9 KOs) and marks his second combat in 2024, following a March knockout of Quinton Rankin in three rounds. Carrillo is at the moment ranked No. 14 by the IBF and No. 15 by each the WBA and WBO.
Tapia tap-dances to win over Dudek
Junior light-weight Kiria Tapia received a six-round unanimous choice over Beata Dudek in her hometown. All three judges scored the combat 60-53.
Tapia, now 5-0 (0 KOs) at 34 years previous, discovered success early, touchdown her left hand towards the 31-year-old Dudek, who hails from Miskolc, Hungary and is 4-5 (4 KOs). On the finish of spherical one, Tapia related with a proper hook to the physique, and whereas Dudek didn’t contact the canvas, referee Melva Santos dominated it a knockdown.
By the third spherical, Tapia was dictating the motion along with her jab, closing the gap and firing combos to each the top and physique. Regardless of the shortage of punching energy her file would recommend, Tapia caught Dudek’s consideration within the fourth with a strong overhand left.
Tapia, skilled by Corridor of Famer Ivan Calderon, stepped up the strain within the last spherical, throwing relentless combos, however Dudek, a difficult veteran who has by no means been stopped, managed to outlive.
This marks Tapia’s second win in 2024 and her third straight combat in Puerto Rico, after beginning her profession with two bouts in Kissimmee, Florida.
Dudek, preventing at junior light-weight for the primary time, has primarily competed at junior featherweight and bantamweight. She beforehand fought in September, dropping an eight-round unanimous choice to Bree Howling.
Smith smites Santos
Within the opening bout, tremendous middleweight Da’velle Smith secured a first-round technical knockout over Gilberto Santos. A 24-year-old from Taylor, Michigan, Smith dropped the 47-year-old Brazilian Santos with a proper hand after Santos recklessly charged ahead and walked into the punch. Smith, now 10-0 (8 KOs) and standing 6ft 2ins, towered over the 5ft 6ins Santos—16-16 (12 KOs) and capitalized on the dimensions distinction, touchdown a left hook to the physique that despatched Santos to the canvas once more whereas he was towards the ropes.
After Santos received again to his ft, Smith landed a proper hand adopted by a left hook, prompting referee Ramon Pena to step in and cease the competition at 2:28 of the primary spherical.
Smith has now knocked out his final two opponents. Earlier than tonight, he final fought on September 12, returning simply over a month after his earlier bout.
