By Jake Donovan


Undefeated Cuban super welterweight prospect Yudel Jhonson remains on the fast track to stardom, looking impressive in stopping journeyman Juliano Ramos in the eighth round of their scheduled ten-round main event Friday night at Fuchs Pavilion in downtown Miami, Florida.


The bout aired live on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights.


Having turned pro just over a year ago, Jhonson was scheduled for his first 10-round bout in just his seventh pro fight. The scouting report suggested he wouldn’t need very many to get past Ramos, but the fight didn’t exactly follow the script.


Plenty of it had to do with Ramos fighting more to survive than to win and run the risk of being stopped, as is often the case whenever he steps up in competition.


It took a few rounds for Jhonson to solve the riddle, but the 2004 Olympic Silver medalist eventually settled into a groove and proceeded to break down his opponent.


Ramos reached a point in the fight where he was forced to fight back. To his credit, he manned up and threw down with Jhonson, though to the tune of zero success while catching heavy fire in return.


Jhonson finally ended matters in the eighth, including a fight-ending right jab-straight left combination that left Ramos rocked, forcing referee Telis Assimenios to step in and intervene.


The unofficial time was 2:40 of the eighth round.


With the win, Jhonson now improves to 7-0 (5KO). The Cuban transplant, now fighting out of Miami, continues to enjoy a healthy schedule, fighting every two months or so.


Ramos falls to 16-4 (13KO) with the loss. The Brazilian welterweight has now dropped three of his last four bouts, each of those losses by way of stoppage.


In a battle of undefeated junior welterweight prospects, Brad Solomon scored a minor upset in a very big way, taking limited power puncher Kenny Galarza to school en route to a lopsided decision win.


The bout served as the televised opener for ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights telecast, aired live from Fuchs Pavilion in downtown Miami, Florida.


The evening appeared designed as a showcase for Galarza, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico but often fights in Florida. A warning for a low blow midway through the first round seemed to have taken the air out of his tires, and it was a boxing clinic for Solomon from that point onward.


Galarza strayed low once too often, eventually losing a point in the sixth. It hardly mattered as he’d already reached the point in the fight where only a knockout would save him.


It wasn’t completely out of the question – he posted two late round knockouts in 2009, including a 10th round knockout in his last performance of the year – but the moment never came this evening.


Instead, it was all Solomon, who was unfazed by Galarza’s power and did a terrific job of sticking and moving, reducing his opponent to a plodding, ineffective puncher.


Scores were 99-90 and 100-89 (twice) for Solomon, who improves to 12-0 (4KO) with the win. Galarza was extended the distance for the first time in his young career as well as losing for the first time in falling to 13-1 (13KO).

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.