Ashleyann Lozada made a victorious Puerto Rican homecoming on Thursday – but she was made to earn it.
Lozada, a junior bantamweight from Corozal, Puerto Rico, won an eight-round unanimous decision over Melissa Oddessa Parker, of Spring, Texas, at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The scores were 79-73, 80-72 and 80-72.
Before turning pro in February, Lozada made history in 2024 as Puerto Rico’s first woman to compete in boxing at the Olympics. A local favorite who now resides in San Juan, Lozada had a large fan base at Coliseo Roberto Clemente to support her, and was fighting in Puerto Rico for the first time as a professional.
She needed all the backing she could get against Parker, who started fast, landing a left hook cleanly on Lozada's chin in the opening round. Parker followed with a jab that sent Lozada down – a spill that was ruled a slip by the referee. Parker continued to land eye-catching, clean punches on Lozada in the second round, and appeared to be dialed into Lozada’s timing.
Lozada’s hand speed was the difference in the third round as she outpointed Parker, who was hunting for the heavy shot. The fighters traded clean shots as Lozada sought to outbox Parker in the fourth. At the end of the round, Lozada landed a flurry of straight punches that sealed the round. Lozada began to separate in the fifth round, her speed and ability to be first troubled Parker, who continued to look for one or two big power shots at a time. Lozada capped off the sixth round with a flurry of punches, forcing Parker backwards for the first time.
Lozada closed the show with fast hands, staying active to stave off Parker. Although she faced early adversity, Lozada adjusted and passed an early test in her career.
The 34-year-old Lozada, 3-0 (1 KO), will likely be fast-tracked and could fight for a title as soon as next year. Parker, 39, fell to 6-4-1 (2 KOs).
Earlier on Thursday’s show, featherweight Felix Parrilla, of New Haven, Connecticut, knocked out Kenneth Taylor, of Tyler, Texas, in the third round. The time of the stoppage was 2 minutes, 38 seconds.
Parrilla dropped Taylor with a short left uppercut in the first round. In the third, Parrilla landed a string of thudding punches as Taylor’s legs went out, forcing him to take a knee, after which he was counted out.
Parilla, 26, improved to 12-0 (10 KOs), while the 34-year-old Taylor is now 15-6-2 (6 KOs).
In the television opener, junior lightweight Kiria Tapia, of San Juan, won an eight-round unanimous decision over Marianela Soledad Ramirez, of Las Brenas, Chaco, Argentina. All three judges scored the bout 80-72.
Tapia, 35, improved to 8-0 (1 KO), while Ramirez, 30, dropped to 13-10-2 (10 KOs).
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
