By Ryan Burton
MGM Park, Las Vegas - Esquiva Falcao improved to 22-0 with a over Guido Pitto (25-6-2) in their middleweight bout. Falcao won the silver medal in the 2012 Olympics, losing in the finals to Ryota Murata. Pitto was never badly hurt but wasn’t able to mount much of an attack. Falcao pitched a shutout on all three scorecards with 100-90 being the final tallies.
2016 Irish Olympian Michael Conlan (9-0) dominated Nicola Cipolletta (14-7-2) in their featherweight clash The fight wasn't very competitive and referee Russell Mora called a halt to the bout at the 1:55 mark of the 7th round.
Cipolletta was very upset with the stoppage and did several one armed push ups after the fight was stopped to show that he could continue.
2016 Olympic gold medal winner Vladimir Nikitin improved to 2-0 in the pro ranks with a workmanlike unanimous decision victory over Clay Burns (5-5-2). Nikitin, who defeated Michael Conlan controversially in the Rio Games, struggled to find his groove but was still too much for his opponent. The final scores were 59-55 on all three cards.
In an all Puerto Rican lightweight battle, blue chip prospect Joseph Adorno (10-0) continued to impress with an unanimous decision over Kevin Cruz (8-1).The fight was a rough and tumble affair with Kenny Bayless having to warn both fighters on multiple occasions. A counter left hand in the 6th round sent Cruz to the canvas.
Adorno tried to finish him off but Cruz was very game and landed a couple flush shots of his own as well to finish the fight on his feet. The final scores were 59-53 twice and 58-54.
In the opening fight of the evening, middleweight prospect David Kaminsky (3-0) made quick work out of Noah La Coste (2-1), blasting him out in the opening round.
The knockout theme continued in the second fight of the card with Adam Lopez (11-1) stopping Hector Ambriz in the 8th round of their featherweight bout. The time of the stoppage was 1:29.
