Cuban prospect Yoenis Tellez (9-0, 7 KOs) achieved a dominant seventh-round stoppage against Johan Gonzalez (35-4, 34 KOs) in their super welterweight matchup. Tellez managed to knock Gonzalez down three times in the final two rounds, ultimately ending the fight at 1:57 of round seven.
At just 24 years old, Tellez trains in Stafford, Texas under the guidance of the renowned Ronnie Shields and showcased his explosive skills in his fifth bout at the Caribe Royale Resort. While Tellez seemed to control the fight in the early rounds, Gonzalez remained competitive and eager to fight back.
“We were up against a very experienced fighter with a great trainer in Ismael Salas, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” said Tellez. “I simply followed my corner’s instructions to secure the win.”
Tellez’s power became evident in round six as he landed a powerful straight right hand that knocked Gonzalez down late in the round. Gonzalez got up and made it to round seven, only to be met with a flawless left hook that sent him to the mat.
“My strongest weapons are my determination to become a world champion and my drive to make my country proud,” Tellez stated. “Since leaving my country, I’ve been eager to win for them.”
“I didn’t follow my corner’s advice properly, and that’s what cost me the fight,” said Gonzalez. “Tellez is a talented fighter and a great prospect. I believe I could have performed better if I had been more disciplined.”
Despite Gonzalez’s resilience, Tellez quickly landed another right hook in round seven that knocked Gonzalez down for the final time, prompting the referee to stop the fight.
“I’m here to fight and let my team handle securing me big opportunities and challenging opponents,” Tellez affirmed. “I’m willing to face anyone.”
Kicking off the action on Prime Video, unbeaten Mateo Tapia (17-0-1, 10 KOs) and the aggressive Endry Saavedra (16-1-1, 13 KOs) battled to a majority draw in an intense 10-round middleweight bout where both fighters hit the canvas. Despite one judge scoring 94-92 in favor of Tapia, the final decision was two scores of 93-93.
The bout intensified in round two as Saavedra pushed Tapia to the ropes and landed a powerful right hand that knocked Tapia down near the end of the round. Tapia got back on his feet, but Saavedra continued to pressure him and scored another knockdown before the round ended.
“I thought I could have ended the fight because I’m a Mexican warrior,” said Saavedra. “I gave it my all and left everything in the ring. I was surprised he kept getting up, especially after the second knockdown. But he’s a Mexican, and he wasn’t going to give up easily.”
“He was landing some solid shots inside that affected my legs, but I had to keep fighting and stay in the match,” Tapia explained.
Saavedra seemed to have control of the fight until round five when Tapia made a comeback, landing a well-timed counter right that sent Saavedra to the canvas. Saavedra struggled in the following rounds as Tapia found his rhythm and avoided retaliation.
The momentum shifted back to Saavedra in round nine as he closed the distance on Tapia, stayed in close range, and eventually wore Tapia down, forcing him to the mat once more. Tapia showed determination to finish the fight and landed several powerful right hands on Saavedra in the final round, winning that round on all scorecards to secure the draw.
“I was prepared for a challenging 10 rounds,” Tapia noted. “I believe the outcome could have gone either way. It was a tough fight, and I knew he would bring the intensity, so I tried to capitalize on any openings. I’m glad we could deliver an exciting bout for the fans.”
“Everyone witnessed the fight, and I believe the fans thought I won,” said Saavedra. “I can only focus on doing my job. The judges had to make their decision.”
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