Cuban hotshot Jadier Herrera scored an important and entertaining stoppage of Panamanian veteran Ricardo Nunez, climbing off the floor to win in the eighth-round.
The entertaining clash earned him the WBC’s interim 135lbs title. With three-division champ and current full WBC titleholder Shakur Stevenson moving north, Herrera has immediately punched his way into the title picture.
The 26-8 (22 KOs) Nunez had been courageous and disputed the stoppage but he had been rattled by a big right hand and then was shipping punches and unable to defend himself when the referee stepped in to protect him.
Herrera started quickly and landed an early straight left that clearly registered but he was sent sprawling by a clean right hand. It was a shot he would remain open for and it was possibly that punch that draw blood from his left as the fight wore on.
But the Joe McNally-trained Cuban southpaw hope didn’t lose his confidence. The self-style “One Billion” 23-year-old was in control in the seventh. He settled down, planted his feet and started to punish the Panamanian.
Nunez, however, retained both pride and ambition.
The former title challenger fired in short right hooks into Herrera’s body and head in the eight. However, Herrera returned a volley of shots and a right hand lashed off Nunez’s head as the Panamian was pinned against the ropes.
It was a damaging blow and as Herrera flew in behind both hands to finish the job, veteran referee Daniel Van de Wiele stepped in to intervene. Nunez was stopped on his feet while it was the Belgian official who was sent to the canvas, ironically, as he attempted to pry Herrera off the battered fighter.
It looked like a timely stoppage. Herrera had started to take shots and Van de Wiele, rather than cradling a stricken opponent, did what he could to restrain the firing Cuban. Once he made it back to his feet, Van de Wiele waved the fight off.
Towering German heavyweight Granit Shala wound up suffering a damaging loss after a keenly-fought bout against Croatian Peter Milas.
Milas improved to 20-1 (15 KOs), while Shala fell to 18-2 (7 KOs).
It was a good fight with a devastating climax.
There was little between them early on, though both had their moments, but it was gritty in the fifth to the extent that the pace cooled a while thereafter. They had respect for one another and, consequently, neither made an obvious push for victory. Milas kept switching stances, trying to find openings to let his heavy hands go
Milas unlocked Shala’s defenses with a crushing right hand the 10th round. Shala dropped onto his back and took a while to rise. He was allowed to continue but didn’t have much left to give and he was allowed to take too many shots – even with Milas imploring the official to intervene – before Milas was permitted the opportunity to unnecessarily flatten Shala.
Astonishingly, the referee started to count but at least Shala’s corner had seen enough and the towel came in in what was the last of 10 scheduled rounds.
Junior lightweight prospect Nelson Birchall, who took the call to fight on Wednesday to fight tonight, was in control from the start against Wilbert Pantinn. Birchall, a quick-fisted southpaw, didn’t slow down and between rounds five and six, the Nicaraguan’s corner decided their man had taken enough and understandably withdrew him from the firing line. Pantinn is 7-7 (4 KOs) and Birchall moves on to the Queensberry Promotions bill in Manchester in two weeks’ time.
