Cody Crowley has spent much of his six-year career best known for his role in helping Floyd Mayweather prepare for the two-highest grossing fights in boxing history.
Sunday evening saw the Canadian southpaw carve out his own identity as a welterweight well worth a second glance.
Crowley was tireless in an overwhelming 10-round decision win over Josh Torres. Judges Sergio Caiz, Don DeVerges and Zachary Young all scored the contest 100-90 in favor of Crowley in the FS1 main event Sunday evening live from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.
Albuquerque’s Torres (22-7-2, 13KOs) was competitive early in the fight, patiently riding out Crowley’s busier workrate to score right hands on the inside. They were ultimately lost in a swarm of punches from Crowley, a 27-year old welterweight from Ontario who now lives and trains in Las Vegas.
A calculated relocation to the fight capital of the world comes in part of Crowley’s 10-year plan to become a world champion. He learned from the very best of his era in his early years, giving Mayweather work ahead of high-profile wins over Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.
That invaluable schooling showed well in his first fight in the United States in more than four years. Crowley landed a flush right hook along the ropes in round two, which Torres absorbed well but to which he did not have any response.
Crowley simply outworked and dominated Torres, a 30-year old from Albuquerque who trained under the watchful eye of the late, legendary Johnny Tapia in the early years of his career but who has seen better days. Torres entered riding a seven-fight win streak, but none on the level of Crowley who more than doubled his opponent in punches landed nearly every round.
Following seven rounds of one-sided punishment, referee Jerry Cantu visited the corner of Torres. The sentiment of the third man was shared by Torres’ father and trainer Alfred who informed his son that round eight would be “his last round” unless he turned things around.
Torres did not turn things around, nor did his father keep his word. In fairness, Crowley slowed down just a touch, continuing to score with lead right jabs and right hooks but no longer punching in combination. As much held true in round nine, although Torres was too spent to capitalize. An occasional right hand would come from the New Mexico journeyman before moving in reverse.
Crowley (19-0, 9KOs) stepped on the gas in the 10th and final round, coming out with right hooks and then working a looping left hand to the body. Torres (22-7-2, 13KOs) remained upright, though his reflexes clearly diminished as Crowley was dialed in with his jab and never allowing his foe much ring space.
The bout served as the main event of a three-fight FS1 telecast preceding a PBC on Fox card headlined by Yordenis Ugas (25-4, 12KOs) versus Abel Ramos (26-3-2, 20KOs) in a secondary welterweight title fight.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
