By Cliff Rold

A single eighth round right hand ended a two-fight losing streak for 31-year old Mexican veteran and former Welterweight World title challenger Cosme Rivera (31-11-2, 22 KO) at the Miccosukee Resort in Miami, Florida on Friday night.  His victim, Colombian Raul Pinzon (15-2, 14 KO), fully engaged in the rugged affair but could do little to stave off the more nuanced and experienced Rivera.  The bout was carried on Spanish language network Telemundo.

After battling on fairly even terms through the first two rounds, Pinzon made it a serious fight in the third with an aggressive showing that seemed to put Rivera on his heels.  The veteran Rivera responded in the fourth with a wicked right hand upstairs and another to the gut before a closing flurry that left Pinzon appearing dazed at the bell.

Rivera maintained the advantage in the fifth, marching towards his game but outgunned foe with a stream of rights to the body and head accompanied by nasty, short left hooks upstairs as well.  Pinzon made a valiant stand in the sixth, another losing effort but one in which he did his best to land his right hand and stay in the fight.

It appeared that such staying power was unlikely to last.

Rivera continued his assault in the seventh, steadily wearing down Pinzon with accurate power shots before finishing in the eighth.  Moving straight back towards the corner, Pinzon was caught flush on the top of the head with a thudding right hand that dropped him into a prone sitting position along the ropes.  He rose at the count of nine, an expression of pain and resignation coloring his face, and the referee waved the fight done.

It was Rivera’s first win since competitive, back-to-back losses to rising Welterweight contenders Joel Julio and Andre Berto.

On the untelevised undercard, former Flyweight titlist and 1996 U.S. Olympian Eric Morel (36-2, 18 KO) returned to the ring for the first time in almost three years with a decision win in eight over Felipe Almanza (14-13-1, 7 KOs).  It was his first win since a March 2005 loss to Martin Castillo that preceded a stint in prison for statutory rape.

Other Televised Results

Santos Benavides (13-1-1, 11 KO) WUD6 Alex Perez (23-28-4, 18 KO)
Summey Novoa (12-1, 10 KOs) KO1 Ronald Summey (4-6, 3 KOs)

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com