Russell Jr Ko’s Hyland In 2/Pedraza Defeats Smith

By Stephen Tobey at ringside in Mashantucket, Conn: Gary Russell, Jr. defended his World Boxing Council featherweight title with a second-round stoppage of Dublin, Ireand’s Patrick Hyland on Saturday at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Russell (27-1, 16 knockouts) dropped Hyland three times in the second round of the scheduled 12. A southpaw, Russell dropped Hyland the first two times with right hooks to the head. After Hyland got up the second time, Russell continued his attack. Shortly after he landed a straight left to the head that put Hyland on the canvas, referee Dan Schiavone stopped the bout at 1:33.

“I stayed with my game plan,” said Russell, a 2008 U.S. Olympian who lives in Capitol Heights, Maryland. “I just stayed behind the jab.”

Russell also controlled the first round, landing a pair of solid right hooks.

Hyland dropped to 31-2 (15).

Russell has now won three straight, the last two inside the distance, since he lost to Vasyl Lomachenko on June 21, 2014.

He said he would like a rematch with Lomchenko or a fight with World Boxing Association featherweight Super champion Leo Santa Cruz.

In the co-feature, International Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion Jose Pedraza of Cidra, Puerto Rico won a 12-round unanimous decision against Liverpool, England’s Stephen Smith.

Eddie Scincio scored it 117-110, while Don Trella and Glenn Feldman scored it 116-11 for Pedraza (22-0, 12 K Os).

Pedraza dropped Smith with a straight right hand in the ninth round. Later in the round, he landed two solid left hooks forcing Smith to hold to avoid further damage.

Pedraza took control of the fight in the third round, landing a solid overhand right late in the round. In the fourth, a small cut opened along Smith’s right eye.

“It was a tough fight,” said Pedraza, who was making his second defense of the title. “I hit him with some good shots. I was prepared to go the distance.”

Smith (23-2, 13 K Os) rallied in the 11^th and 12^th rounds, pressing the action and landing some solid right hands.

Former light heavyweight title holder Chad Dawson of New Haven, Connecticut stopped Cornelius White of Houston in the fourth round of a scheduled 10. Dawson (34-4, 19 KO s) shook White in the fourth before Schiavone stepped in to stop the fight at 2:26. White dropped to 23-5 (17).

Debuting welterweight Anthony Marsella, Jr. of Providence, Rhode Island won a four-round unanimous decision against Anton Williamson of New Rochelle, New York. All three judges scored it 39-37. Williamson dropped to 1-7.

Shelly Vincent of Providence, Rhode Island outpointed Elizabeth Anderson of Albuquerque, New Mexico in a six-round super bantamweight bout. The scored were 59-55 (twice) and 60-54. Vincent improved to 17-0 (1); Anderson dropped to 4-8 (1).

Junior lightweight Ryan Kielczewski of Quincy, Massachusetts won an eight-round unanimous decision against Mario Machas of Mexico City. The scores were all 80-71. Kielczewski improved to 25-1 (7); Machas dropped to 26-18-1 (14).

Mykquan Williams of East Hartford, Connecticut made his debut at welterweight with a first-round stoppage of Dean Walsh, Jr. of Monroe, Michigan. Referee Eddie Claudio stopped the fight at 1:54. Walsh dropped to 0-2.

Antonio Russell of Capitol Heights, Maryland stopped Alberto Serna of Ensanada, Mexico at 2:39 of the second round of a scheduled four at junior featherweight. Russell is now 6-0 (5). Serna is 2-5 (1).

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April 16, 2016