Weekend wrap-up: Gvozdyk retains title, Garcia rolls on

Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk retained his light heavyweight title Saturday night at 2300 Arena in Philladelphia, PA. when opponent Doudou Ngumbu was forced to concede after a calf injury. Scoff if you must, but pulling a muscle in your calf hurts.

Gvozdyk (17-04, 14 KOs) was fighting for the first time since winning the WBC title from Adonis Stevenson, who happily is recovering from injuries sustained in the bout, worked the body and head of the awkward Doudou. He ate two hard right hands that got his attention in round two. Gvozdyk did better as the fight went on, connecting with some hard blows in rounds three and four. The fight ended in the fifth round when Doudou backed away, obviously in pain. Doudou walked around a little, but referee Eric Dali waved the fight off.

The jury is still out, but rising and more importantly, improving Ryan Garcia (18-0, 15 KOs) stopped Jose Garcia (20-4, 15 KOs) in two rounds Saturday night at Fantasy Casino in Indio, CA.

In round one, big underdog Lopez fired jabs. Garcia, 20, waited a few seconds and snapped off a left hook. Lopez let fly with big lefts and rights. Garcia, who’s been working hard on his defense, avoided most of them. He went to the body with a combination. Lopez landed a left and ate a one-two. A big right hand at the bell almost put Lopez down. He wobbled to his corner.

Apparently recovered, Lopez, seeming to feel (correctly) that the fight would be a short one, came out aggressively in round two. It was kill or be killed.

Garcia connected with another sharp right hand. Two thudding rights and an uppercut landed. Garcia, sensing that Lopez was hurt, fired punches in bunches. An uppercut to the chin sent Lopez collapsing to the canvas. Lopez beat the count as the bell rang ending the heat.

A minute later, Lopez’s corner requested the fight be halted.

“My fights are going to get better and better," said Garcia. "Do I think I’m ready for a world champions this year, hell yes.”

Chill Ryan, you aren’t ready for Gervonta Davis.

Undercard fights:

Heavy-handed Danielito Zorrilla (11-0, 9 KOs) blasted out former world champion Gamaliel Diaz (40-20-3, 19 KOs) in the second round. Diaz, loser of nine of his last 10 bouts, including a decision to current IBF super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer in 2016, came to fight, but found himself on the seat of his pants in round one. Zorrilla cracked Diaz with a short-left hook in the second frame that floored him for the second time. Diaz couldn’t beat the count.

The time was 2:59 seconds.

Edwardo “Rocky” Hernandez made his American debut a violent one by stopping overmatched Ibrahim Class in round two. Hernandez (28-0, 25 KOs) recently signed by Golden Boy Promotions, stalked and rocked in the opening round. A couple of minutes later he dropped Class with a combination. Class (22-6, 10 KOs) beat the count, but was destined to go down again. A barrage of blows did the trick a few seconds later.

The time was 1:58

Welterweight Aaron “Silencer” McKenna (7-0, 4 KOs) boxed and punched his way to six-round unanimous decision over tough Loretto Olivas at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California Saturday night. McKenna floored Olivas (3-1, 1 KOs) in the opening stanza with a beautiful straight right hand. The fight looked to be over, but Olivas got up and survived to the end of the round. McKenna strafed Olivas the various blows, but was forced to go all six rounds.

All three judges scored the bout 60-53 for McKenna.