Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz knocked out Nestor Bravo in the sixth round Saturday night at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, retaining his WBC interim light welterweight title. The Premier Boxing Champions card was promoted by Tom Brown’s TGB Promotions and streamed on DAZN.
Cruz (29-3-2, 19 KOs), 139 pounds, dropped Bravo (24-2, 17 KOs), 139½, during the opening round. Bravo tried to pull Cruz into a clinch while falling, beginning a foul-filled fight that kept referee Thomas Taylor busy.
Taylor deducted a point from Bravo for excessive holding in the second round. Another point came off in the fourth after Bravo threw Cruz onto the canvas.
Cruz ended the disorder at 1:30 of round six. A clean left hook landed on Bravo’s chin and left him seated on the canvas as Taylor completed the count.
Daniel Blancas Stops Sergio Jimenez
In the co-feature, Daniel “Ice Man” Blancas (16-0, 8 KOs), 166¾ pounds, stopped late replacement Sergio “Checo” Jimenez (17-2-1, 15 KOs), 166½, at 1:38 of the seventh round.
Blancas used his height and reach to control most of the super middleweight fight, although Jimenez had success during a spirited fourth round. Referee Ray Corona intervened midway through the seventh after Blancas landed a sustained series of punches without receiving anything in return.
Eumir Marcial Knocks Out Omar Huerta
Eumir Marcial (8-0, 5 KOs), 160½ pounds, knocked out Omar “La Bala” Huerta (15-2-1, 13 KOs), 159, at 1:08 of the third round.
Huerta threw a left as Marcial countered with a right to the chin. Marcial’s punch landed with greater force, dropping Huerta for the full count from referee Thomas Taylor.
Marco Verde Stops Guillermo Hernandez
Marco “Green” Verde (7-0, 4 KOs), 157½ pounds, stopped Guillermo “The G Warrior” Hernandez (7-1, 4 KOs), 160½, at 1:46 of the fifth round.
Hernandez received credit for a third-round knockdown when Verde lost his balance as their feet came together during an exchange. Verde recovered quickly and took control again.
A series of unanswered punches in the fifth persuaded referee David Soliven to stop the middleweight bout.
Undercard Results
San Diego super middleweight Lazaro Francisco Lorenzana (22-0, 13 KOs), 166½ pounds, earned an eight-round majority decision over Marcos “Zurdo” Vazquez Rodriguez (21-3-1, 10 KOs), 166¾.
Heavyweight Valerii Tadtaev (6-0, 5 KOs), 227½ pounds, knocked out Juan Silva (3-3, 3 KOs), 240½, in the opening round of their scheduled six-round bout.
Robert “El Pistolero” Guerrero (9-0, 4 KOs), 139¾ pounds, stopped Shawn Rall (4-8, 3 KOs), 139½, in the first round of a scheduled six.
Diego Luna (9-1-1, 6 KOs), 141¾ pounds, defeated Renny Viamonte Mastrapa (4-5-2, 2 KOs), 141, over four rounds.
Jimmy Lennon Jr. served as the ring announcer.
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